Playing With Fire

Chapter 2

This is the first time that I am here at the airport. I have never flown anywhere as I didn't have much money with me when I was younger. Heck, I didn't even have money to visit interesting places in my own hometown.

People were rushing in and out of the airport, wheeling a luggage bag with them while talking on the phone with their free hands. They seemed busy.

I had checked in and got myself a boarding ticket. I still had about thirty minutes before the calling time so I decided to get myself some snacks to keep me occupied during the nine-hour flight.

I walked into a small shop and started to look through the goods that were displayed on the racks. My eyes bulged out from its sockets whenever I checked the price tag on each item. Their prices were sky-high.

I instantly regretted walking into this shop.

I didn't order any in-flight meals as that seemed overpriced to me. I was hoping to get some cheaper food here in this shop but no, they had to sell a sandwich for fifteen dollars.

Knowing I have no other option, I begrudgingly grabbed two sandwiches, mentally calculating how many hours that I had worked to get the money that I am about to pay for the sandwiches. I wished I had stopped by a roadside shop to get some snacks earlier.

I reluctantly walked to the cash register and stood in the queue, waiting for my turn to pay. I was the fifth in line so I decided to look around for a bit as I had nothing to do.

I looked out from the shop and via the transparent window, my eyes fell on an attractive man. He was wearing a suit and was talking to the other guy who was with him. It seemed like he was upset about something.

I let my eyes stray away from him and then found myself gazing at an adorable toddler, eating a cone of ice cream like it was the most delicious thing on earth. I smiled, it was such a cute sight to witness.

Before I know it, it was my turn to pay. Smiling tightly at the cashier, I pulled out my purse and grabbed two twenty-dollar bills that I had cashed out from the ATM earlier.

"Would you like to donate to the charity miss?" The cashier asked me with a friendly smile on her face, pointing at the little poster they had next to the cash counter, "The money will go to the needy students-"

"Yes," I nodded my head, not wanting to hear the rest of it. "Please keep the change for the donation," I said, smiling politely now.

Yeah, I am the one who probably needs charity but the students need some help. I may not have much money with me but I have plenty to share.

Besides, I grew up with a roof over my head and food to eat when I get hungry because someone out there is constantly putting money into these boxes.

The cashier smiled at me, "Okay" She nodded her head as she put my sandwiches in a biodegradable bag, "We are giving away free chess set for each donation we get. Here you go" She said, putting in a small chess set into the bag as well.

"Thanks" I muttered under my breath and took the bag from her before walking out of that shop.

I looked down at my watch and cursed under my breath. I better run right now to catch the flight. Wheeling the only bag that I have, I started to run towards the check-in gate. I showed the officers on duty my passport and boarding pass before clearing out the immigration area.

I was running blindly, turning my head to the left and right to spot the signboards to see if I am going the right way or not. If I didn't enter that expensive shop earlier, I could have walked calmly towards the gates now.

I was too preoccupied with scolding myself that I did not see the man who was walking in front of me. I tried to avoid crashing on to him but I was too late.

I hit my body against his back and fell down, landing on my butt painfully. The things that I was holding in my hand fell out from my hands, landing a few feet away from me.

I let out a pained moan before looking up at the man that I had crashed onto nervously, "Oh, I am so sorry!" I apologized right away, "I didn't see where I was going" I admitted my fault before he could start screaming at me.

The man that I ran into was actually the same guy that I saw from the shop earlier. He was wearing a pair of coolers so that hid eyes from me, thus, I don't know if he was angry with me or not. He was tall and the fact that I was still sprawled on the ground only made him look more intimidating.

The guy who was standing next to him took a threatening step towards me but the man stopped him by simply raising his hand in front of him. The other guy looked a little surprised by that man's behavior but took a step behind, obeying the man's wish.

The man himself took a step towards me and I held my breath in anticipation. I was ready for the worst when he simply held out his hand in front of me, "That's okay" He said, waiting for me to take his hand.

I took a second to really look at his face. He was tan like he had a good amount of time out in the sun before he came here. His features were sharp. He had a straight nose with plump lips. His beard wasn't thick. It was well groomed at made him look more attractive as if he wasn't in the first place.

Unfortunately for me, he was still wearing the coolers so I couldn't see his whole face.

He cleared his throat and my cheeks went red in embarrassment. He knew that I was blatantly ogling him and I wished that the ground will open up and swallow me alive now.

I put my hand in his and he pulled me up swiftly. I scratched the back of my neck awkwardly when he let go of my hand after making sure that I was standing steadily on my own feet.

"Here, let me-" He said and I looked just in time to see him bending down to pick up the sandwiches which have flown off from the bag.

I shook my head, "There's no need for that-"

He had already retrieved everything from the ground."I think these sandwiches are dirty now" He said, turning around to look at me, his lips were pulled downwards into a frown, "They came out from the box" He said, handing me the bag and my luggage.

Gone my forty dollars just like that. I knew it was a mistake to walk into that shop. Well, serves me right for running around like a madwoman and bumping into people.

The guy who was with him was just watching the both of us with his mouth slightly ajar. Well, that's not weird at all.

"Um, I am sorry again" I apologized once again before walking away from him, bumping into a wall next. I ground my teeth together and walked away without looking back at him.

But I swear I heard him chuckle before I walked away. I flushed like crazy at that.

Eventually, I found the gate and squeezed myself into the gigantic flying metal box. People were still looking for their seats and I patiently waited for my turn as I tried to catch my breath from all the running that I had done. I am pretty sure that my seat is the farthest anyway.

Once I found my seat, I put the luggage in the compartment like everyone else before putting my hand over the seat, just to feel how they felt against my skin.

It was my first time on a plane and I was low-key excited.

But as soon as my hand touched the seat, I pulled it back right away as it had burned me. I know that it is my first time but I am pretty sure the texture wasn't supposed to feel like that.

A stewardess walks past me and I quickly reached out for her help, "Excuse me, I think my seat is wet and tacky" I said, pointing at my seat with a confused expression on my face.

The stewardess stopped to inspect the seat but before she can say anything, the woman who was sitting behind my seat cleared her throat, "Actually, that's because of us" She started with a pink face. "I am sorry, she was playing with the bottle and somehow she unscrewed it and dumped the orange juice onto the seat" She admitted, looking really sorry about it.

I looked to her left to see the girl who was eating ice cream earlier when I was in the line in that shop, sitting next to her, not seeming guilty even in the slightest.

"Oh never mind" I sighed. It was an accident and I can't simply blame her. I knew how hard is to take care of a toddler, "I guess I will just have to sit on it then-"

I started to sit but the stewardess stopped me from doing so, "No miss" She said, shaking her head at me, "We have an empty seat at the business class section and will be pleased to have you there as a sorry for this inconvenience" She smiled at me.

I smiled back at her but then shook my head, "It's okay-"

"We insist, miss," She said, interrupting me, "After all this flight is all about making our passengers comfortable" She continues with a professional smile on her face.

I thought about it for a second. I know for the fact that I can't sit on a sticky chair for the next nine hours so I slumped my shoulders in defeat."Okay then" I said, taking out my luggage from the compartment, "I guess there's no problem in doing that" I mumbled to myself.

She smiled at me cheerfully and lead me to the front again. Most of the passengers were already seated so it made us easier to walk on the narrow line.

The stewardess held out the curtains for me and gestured me to go in. I smiled and took a step in, my eyes widening at what I am seeing. We have entered the business class zone and now it makes sense to me why they charge so much for a business class seat. This is a luxury. The stewardess lead me to the front and finally turned around to look at me, "Here's your seat, miss" She announced politely and I nodded my head.

She helped me with my baggage after that. The business-class seat does look much comfortable with bigger seats and plenty of legroom, "We hope you have a pleasant journey with us" The stewardess said with a bow.

"Thanks," I said and she smiled. She left me after that, walking away gracefully.

I sighed and leaned my back against the seat. The opposite seat was still empty. I hoped no one sits there because I would be uncomfortable as I will be facing them during the nine-hour flight. I wouldn't be able to even take a nap peacefully.

But if I am not mistaken, I heard the stewardess say that there was only one empty seat in here. So that meant the seat opposite to me has a passenger for this flight.

Great.

I shouldn't be complaining actually. I got upgraded into a business class seat for free and that too, on my very first time on a plane. I should be grateful for that.

Since I had nothing else to do, I took out my phone and started to read the book that I had picked out to read for this week.

"I didn't expect to see you here as well" I heard someone say after a minute or two and I looked up from the phone to see the man that I had bumped into earlier standing in front of me.

He smirked down at my reaction before coolly plopping down on the seat and crossing his legs.

Well, I definitely did not expect him to be the one who will occupy the seat.