Chapter 5

A snowstorm in Buffalo made for a cautious landing. All the passengers cheered as the plane came to a halt on the icy tarmac. It was a bit bumpy, and many feared the landing would result in a crash. It didn’t. The usual routine ensued before the passengers began debarking.

Zoe breathed a sigh of relief as she unbuckled. Gael had already risen from his seat and was pulling his travel bag from the overhead compartment. She stood, easing from the seat, grateful for finally being able to stretch her limbs.

She allowed him to move along before reaching for her luggage. Pulling on the handle at the side, she yanked it, but it seemed stuck. Unable to see what was preventing it from coming out, she continued pulling at it. Her frustration was beginning to rise when someone from behind her reached across and gave a hard pull.

A loud rip came from above, and a grunt sounded behind her. Twisting, she opened her mouth to protest when her eyes made four with dangerous blue ones.

“You!” she snapped. “You tore my luggage.”

“I was only trying to help,” he retorted, pulling it from overhead and setting it down. “See, now it’s free.”

“I never asked for your help.”

“Alright,” he grunted, picking up the case and lifting.

“What are you doing?”

“Putting it back,” he casually replied.

Rolling her eyes, she snagged the handle and pulled it away. “What are you … ten years old?”

“No need to thank me,” he returned, brushing past her.

She watched him walk down the aisle while putting on his scarf. Dressed in a long black coat, he seemed to swallow up even the exit of the craft. She tore her eyes away from him to her suitcase.

Heat crawled up her neck as her ire inflated at his unapologetic attitude. The jerk tore her luggage and didn’t even show remorse. She watched as he sauntered down the aisle toward the exit where a line had formed.

The icy air began seeping into the plane. Zoe knew she needed to warm up as her nostrils started to burn. She loved everything about winter except that she always got sick. Quickly, she unzipped the case and pulled from it a warm faux fur coat. This was one of the few high-priced items she actually spent her own money on since most of the clothes she wore were gifts from endorsements.

A hat matching the coat, she pulled from the deep pockets. Placing the hat on her head, she tucked the piece of hair hiding her face underneath the rim. She then pulled out her scarf and wrapped it around her neck to help warm up. Running her finger across the rip, she figured it wasn’t big enough to spill her items. The tear was about two inches long where it appeared that something small and sharp had caught it.

Zoe was almost the last one off the plane, meeting the icy NYC air. As she stepped from the craft, she pulled the coat around her, suppressing a sneeze. It was snowing heavily, slowing the pace of the passenger who had debarked the airline already. She could make out Gael close to the back of the group trudging through the heavily falling snow. A howling wind almost snatched her hat so that she had to release her hold on the coat and place the hand on her head.

It took longer to reach the building than usual. Glad that she was finally inside, she blew a hot breath on her hands as a shudder ran through her. She could feel her sinuses acting up by the urge to sneeze.

After the arrival process, she bundled into the lounge with everyone else who was waiting to leave the airport. A few minutes inside, she tried to use her cell to call Florine, but the line came back vacant. It seemed the service was down.

“Hello passengers,” a male voice came over the airport communication channel. “This is the airport administrator. Due to the inclement weather, in compliance with the aviation department, we have closed all main entrances and exits to the airport. All flights and shuttles have been postponed until further notice. We apologize for any inconvenience caused; however, our objective is to keep all passengers and staff safe at this time. Please bear with us as we keep you updated.”

A noise erupted in the building, indicating the disappointment people felt at the closure of the airport. To appease the passengers, airport staff began wheeling out trolleys with hot beverages and sandwiches. It was a smart move, as the cafeteria could not handle so many people.

Soon, almost everyone was munching on the sandwiches or sipping from the hot cups. Seats were so hard to find that some people even had to make do with their luggage. Even Mr. Devil himself was lounging about. Not that she cared. It was just that she caught him staring at her as if he was seeing her for the first time.

He was quite a few meters away, or she would have asked him what he was staring at. The thought flashed through her mind that perhaps he’d recognized her. She turned away, telling herself she didn’t care whether he recognized her as the girl he rejected. Determined to put him from her mind, she found a corner to have her coffee while she waited for the weather to clear.