Lucien

 

We arrived at the airport earlier than we planned. After checking our bags and working our way through security, we found our gate. We still had over two hours before the plane would board, and neither of us wanted to sit around and wait. Instead, we went into a gift shop and bought some food and a few magazines.

We were both too hungover to drink, but the idea of sitting around doing nothing for two hours sounded like torture. With our purchases in hand, we found two seats by the gate and settled in.

Adam and I ate our way through four sandwiches and three bags of chips. We broke up a bag of skittles and shared a chocolate bar. By the time we washed it all down with a soda, we were full and ready to leave. But we still had over an hour to wait.

“This is miserable,” I complained. “We shouldn’t have left the hotel so damn early.”

“At least we aren’t late,” Adam said. “It would be worse if we missed our flight.”

“Would it?” I asked. “A few more days in France doesn’t sound bad.”

“Aren’t you ready to get home?” Adam asked.

I shot him a scathing look without replying. He knew me well enough to know the answer to his question. The last thing I wanted to do was return to my normal life. I’d been having a blast in France, and I was dreading the return to reality.

Even with senior year to look forward to, I wasn’t ready to be back in New York. France felt like a reprieve from all my problems. The second I stepped foot in New York, everything would change. These last few minutes in Paris were my final moments of relaxation. I would have stayed forever if I could.

“Aren’t you at least excited to get back to Delta Pi?” Adam asked.

“Of course,” I said. “But that doesn’t mean I’m ready to leave. Some of us actually enjoyed this vacation.”

“What does that mean?” Adam asked.

I snorted. “Just screwing with you. You really should’ve taken one of those blondes last night. God, they were amazing.”

“I’m sure,” Adam said, laughing. “But having both probably didn’t hurt.”

I grinned. “Not one bit. Perfect way to end this trip.”

“Do you ever think about having a real girlfriend?” Adam asked suddenly. “Like, actually settling down one day?”

“God no,” I scoffed. “Why on Earth would I do that?”

Adam shrugged. “I don’t know. For love?”

“Love is overrated,” I said with authority. “The only things women want me more for are my body or my money. I’m happy to share my body with them, but my money? No. It’s not worth it.”

“It could be worth it,” Adam argued. “If you found the right girl.”

“No such thing,” I said. “They’re all the same. Just gold-digging naggers.”

Adam laughed. “Damn, that’s harsh.”

“Maybe,” I said, “But it’s the truth.”

“I don’t think so, man,” Adam said. “Love is real. There’s someone out there for everyone, even you.”

“You sound like such a chick right now,” I groaned. “What the hell happened to you?”

He laughed. “Nothing. I’m just not you.”

“Clearly.”

We fell silent for a while, just waiting for the minutes to tick by. When I checked my watch, I saw that we had half an hour left. I groaned and leaned my head back against my seat. Adam handed me a magazine and I nodded gratefully. I wasn’t at all interested in reading, but it was better than staring at the ceiling.

I flipped open the cover and mindlessly turned the pages. Nothing caught my eye. I closed the magazine with frustration and glanced around. Adam was captivated by his magazine, and I didn’t want to bother him. Instead, I looked around the terminal, searching for a bar. When I found one, I half-rose from my seat until I heard a nervous voice coming from my right.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t understand. I have a ticket. Why can’t I get on the flight?”

I glanced over to see a girl about my age standing at the ticket counter. She had her hands on the counter, and her green eyes were wide with fear. My eyes were instantly drawn to her long, red hair. It flowed down her back smoothly, and I found myself wishing I could run my fingers through it. Shaking my head, I got rid of those thoughts and focused on her conversation.

“We’re overbooked,” the gate attendant said. “I’m sorry, but there’s just no room on the flight. We have to bump someone and since yours was the last ticket purchased, it has to be you.”

The girl stared at the gate attendant in horror. I could tell she was at a total loss. She’d clearly never been in this situation before. Judging by the way she kept tapping her foot, she was incredibly nervous.

I didn’t know what compelled me to do it, but I was suddenly on my feet. The girl just looked so lost and helpless that I couldn’t resist. I hurried toward the counter and stepped up beside her. Smiling kindly at her, I turned my attention to the gate attendant.

“Is there a problem?” I asked.

“No sir,” the gate attendant said. “I’m just explaining our policy to this young lady. There’s no need to get involved.”

Her voice was firm, and her eyes were set. She didn’t want me to cause a scene in the middle of the airport, but I wasn’t happy about the situation. This beautiful girl was standing alone at the ticket counter, asking for help, and no one came to her rescue. So, I did.

“And what policy is that?” I asked. I kept my voice level, calm.

“Sir, we’ve overbooked the flight,” the attendant explained. “So, unfortunately, we have to bump someone. I’ve just informed this young lady that she’s been bumped.”

I nodded. “I see. Well, my friend and I actually bought an extra ticket because we like to have space on our flights, but if this woman needs the seat, it’s all hers.”

“You don’t have to do this,” the girl whispered to me. I glanced at her and smiled encouragingly. She smiled back, her cheeks blushing slightly.

“You have an extra ticket?” the attendant asked with a frown.

“I do,” I said. I pulled out my boarding passes and handed them to her.

She nodded. “I see. Well, that seems fine then.”

I smiled. “Perfect.”

The attendant typed something on her computer and then printed out a new boarding pass for the girl beside me. She handed it to her, and we turned away from the counter. I looked at the girl kindly and waited for her to speak. She was blushing brighter than ever and seemed to be at a loss for words. The sight was incredibly endearing.

“You really didn’t have to do that,” she said softly. “I mean, thank you, but it wasn’t necessary.”

“It’s not a problem,” I said. “That policy is total bullshit anyway. Why would they sell more tickets than they could accommodate? It doesn’t make sense, does it?”

She laughed. “No, I guess it doesn’t.”

“What’s your name?” I asked, stepping closer to her.

“I’m Scarlet,” she said.

I smiled. “Well Scarlet, I’m Lucien.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Lucien.” She smiled and extended her hand to me. We shook hands, and then she looked down at her feet, nervous again.

I fought the urge to laugh at her discomfort. She was already embarrassed, and I didn’t want to make her feel even worse about herself. She looked so innocent standing there in the airport. With her dark red hair and emerald green eyes, she could have been a model, but she seemed completely unaware of her beauty. I could tell by the way she shifted her weight from one foot to the other that she wasn’t used to this much attention from a man, especially not one as attractive as me.

“So,” I said. “What’s in New York?”

“What?” Scarlet frowned.

“Why are you going to New York?” I asked.

“Oh,” she said, laughing. “My grandmother lives there.”

“I see,” I said. “That’s great.”

“Are you from there?” Scarlet asked.

I nodded. “I am. I go to NYU.”

Scarlet nodded back and glanced around again. She seemed incapable of looking me in the eye for longer than a few seconds at a time. I had never met a woman who was so jittery around me.

I couldn’t tell if it was me or just the situation. It wouldn’t have surprised me if Scarlet admitted that this was her first ever flight. She seemed uncomfortable in her own skin, but there was something about her that intrigued me. She was innocent and sheltered, that was obvious, but there was an excitement hidden behind her eyes. It told me there was much more to her than I first thought.

“Thank you again,” Scarlet said suddenly. “I know I already said that, but I just, I’m really grateful for your help.”

I smiled. “Of course. It was my pleasure.”

Scarlet smiled back, and I led her over to where Adam was still sitting. I introduced them and motioned for Scarlet to join us. She would be sitting with us on the flight, so it only made sense for her to sit with us while we waited.

It wasn’t long before the gate attendant began boarding the plane. Adam, Scarlet, and I were the first three people on board. We all had first class tickets, and we were able to bypass all the coach passengers. I was glad. After sitting in the airport for two hours, I was more than ready to be on the plane.

As we found our seats, Adam and I slipped easily into our row without a problem. Our carry-on bags were tucked safely overhead within seconds, but Scarlet seemed to be struggling. I’d given her the aisle seat, so she wouldn’t be stuck between Adam and I the whole flight, but she hadn’t sat down yet. Instead, she was standing in the aisle holding her bag above her head. She attempted to shove it in the overhead compartment, but it kept falling back down and hitting her in the head.

“Here,” I said, standing up. “Let me help you.”

“No, it’s okay,” Scarlet insisted. “I can do it.”

I watched for a few seconds while she tried and failed to put the bag away. Trying to keep the smile of amusement off my face, I took the bag from her gently.

“I’m taller,” I explained, “It’ll be easier for me.”

Scarlet smiled shyly and released the bag. Stepping to the side, she watched me stow her bag safely away. When I was done, I grinned and slid back into my seat. Scarlet was beat red when she sat down beside me. I fought the urge to laugh, yet again.

I wasn’t just amused by her, I was intrigued. Every time her cheeks flushed red, I found it incredibly alluring. She had no idea how gorgeous she really was, and I could tell from her nervous demeanor that she hadn’t traveled much in her life. This trip to New York was probably her first time leaving France. I was glad she was on my flight, if only so I could witness her experience firsthand.

I’d only just met Scarlet, and already, I wanted to know more about her. I was suddenly thrilled by the prospect of a long flight because it meant I would have time to talk to her. She was sitting beside me and wouldn’t have anywhere to go. As the rest of the passengers boarded the plane, I subtly watched Scarlet out of the corner of my eye. She was glancing around the plane, taking everything in with a vague smile on her face. Her green eyes were alive with energy, and her hands were shaking on her knees. At first, I thought she was nervous to fly, but I suddenly realized it wasn’t nerves that kept her moving. It was excitement.