Lost in You

find there are no lines at security. With our bags in hand, we run to our gate. We get there with a few minutes to spare. I’m asked for a few autographs, mostly from young girls. Alex declines requests for photos.
    We board before everyone else, which I never understood. Being in First Class, people walk by and recognize us, each one staring as they pass by. It would make sense for us to board last. I know people get tired of waiting though, so I get it.
    I’m surprised to see how booked our flight is. Who knew Jackson was a travel destination? The flight attendant hands both of us a drink while we wait for everyone to board.
    “Would you like something to eat?” she hands me a menu just as my stomach growls. Alex starts laughing and asks the flight attendant to come back. I look over the menu and even though I’m hungry, airplane food is so unappealing.
    “It looks gross.”
    “Not in first class.”
    I tell Alex what I want and she orders it for me. The flight attendant tells us that we’ll get it as soon as the captain gives the okay.
    Alex hands me the paper, the same one I thought I left in the hotel. “I called a few that I liked since you didn’t bother to tell me which ones you liked.”
    “Alex—”
    She shakes her head. “It doesn’t hurt to look.”
    She’s right. I look over the list and see that I like them all. Alex knew that though. I look over at her, her eyes closed, but she’s trying not to smile. I bump her arm with mine and she breaks out in giggles.
    “So, are we taking up residence in Jackson for a bit?”
    I want to say no, I do, but I can’t get over how convenient it would be for me to carry on with Ryan and I hope that he’d want me close, at least until he turns eighteen. 
    Once in the air, Alex and I eat and make small talk with the people next to us. They’re from Jackson and overheard us talking about buying a house. The man is a real estate agent and offers to help me find a house. I take his card and promise to call him. The woman is an interior decorator and Alex snags her card right away.
    “You know, that’s the business we should go into.”
    “What’s that?” I ask her.
    “You buy houses and I’ll decorate and we’ll sell them for profit.”
    “Defeats the idea, don’t you think?”
    Alex shrugs and picks up her book and starts reading. I lean back, closing my eyes. I conjure up an image of Ryan and I sitting on my couch, enjoying the privacy of a home. Thinking about him makes me realize that I won’t be able to see Ryan tonight, but tomorrow is a different story.
    I startle when the captain comes on to tell us we’re about to land. I must’ve fallen asleep. Moments later, our plane touches down. The only thing I can think about is Ryan. I pull out my cell phone and text him.
    I’m in town
    I barely put my phone away before it vibrates. I pull it back out and smile.
    I can’t wait to see you. Tell me where and I will be there
    I can’t hide the elation and show Alex the text message.
    “I told you so.” 

CHAPTER 17
    Ryan
     
     
    I think telling Dylan I’d go to Homecoming with her is a mistake, but I can’t change my mind now. She’s told my mom. If I knew she was going to do that I would’ve said no. I’ve always known Dylan to be sneaky, especially with her parents, but I didn’t expect her to burst in after dinner with magazines to show my mom the dresses she’s thinking about.
    I wanted to run into my room and hide under the bed. Instead, I was forced to sit at the table while they gushed over things I have no interest in. I think I took up the art of eye-rolling every time I heard ‘this is perfect’. My mom should’ve had a girl.
    Dylan finally left, leaving me to deal with my mom all by myself. I want to tell her that I really don’t want to take Dylan to the dance and that I only said yes because she’s my friend and I knew it would make her happy.
    But the look on my mom’s face, when she put her hand on my cheek and smiled, I knew I couldn’t say those words to her. I said goodnight and went to my room to wait for Hadley’s call.
    Only Hadley doesn’t call, she texts telling me she is in town. The moment I received her text I wanted to jump out my window and run to her. Unrealistic, I know, but I need to see her. I need to know she’s real and that what I was feeling when she was here is still the same. That the simple touch of her turns my skin into flames. I want to remember the burn.
    I hate waiting. I hate