Page 2 of Balance

“Obviously there’s a problem here,” Matthew yanked the words out of my brain and hurled them at the poor innocent flight attendant. “This maniac won’t get off me.”

“Maniac?” Yeah, I could see it, but that didn’t mean I had to take it. “I wouldn’t have to be on you if you weren’t in my seat.”

He tried again to push me off, but I held firm, making sure there was no way he could dislodge me without getting super physical. A gentle nudge wouldn’t do it. He’d need a crowbar.

“It’s. Not. Your. Seat.” Matthew, it seemed, was made of steel because he launched me out of his lap like his arms were spring-loaded. I flew off his lap like a cork popping out of a bottle of champagne and like a cork, I ricocheted off the seat across the aisle, smashing my face against the back of another seat.

The plane was suddenly louder than it was before. The other passengers, having witnessed our little tussle, were growing impatient. As was the flight crew.

“Sir, are you okay?” one of the flight attendants asked, because there were two here now.

I managed to get to my feet and my carry-on was handed to me by a lovely woman who had caught it when I’d gone flying. I mustered up my last shred of dignity and turned to Matthew.

“You’re. In. My. Seat,” I said through gritted teeth. My jaw clenched so hard I worried I might crack a molar.

“Sir,” one of the flight attendants tried to get my attention, but I ignored them so I could glare at Matthew, wishing looks really could kill. “Sir,” they tried again, but it was the sharp, no-nonsense tone of their third attempt that snatched my attention. “Sir!”

“Sorry.” I whipped my head around to face them.

“We’re going to have to ask you to get off the plane.”

“What?” I hated that my voice had gone up an octave and had squeaked out of me, sounding every bit like I was out of my mind. My boarding pass trembled in my hand as I tried to show it to the flight attendant to prove my point.

Matthew smirked at me and gave a little wave, but the flight attendant turned to him next. “You too, sir. The airline has a zero-tolerance policy for violence.”

“Great! So kick him off. He pushed me. You all saw it.”

“I pushed you because you sat on me. Who does that?” Matthew stood and grabbed his bag from the overhead compartment. Like a good little boy. Like Mister Fucking Perfect. Mister, sure I’ll cooperate all of the sudden.

“Look, he’s leaving. That means I can have his seat.” I tried reasoning with the flight attendant, but she just shook her head.

“You either deplane willingly, or we’ll have the police come and escort you off in handcuffs. If you leave quietly, the airline will rebook your flight. If you resist, you risk being put on our no-fly list.”

Fuck my entire life. My whole, entire life.

I was single. On Valentine’s Day. Across the country from home. And now I was going to be stuck in an airport for God only knew how long. Maybe the single part wouldn’t have bothered me so much if I hadn't just flown across the country to watch my friend get married to his childhood sweetheart. Loneliness hit different during someone else’s wedding.

Getting off the plane was the last thing I wanted to do, but a final look at the expression of the flight crew let me know that I was on the very thinnest of ice. Paper thin. Rice paper thin. One wrong move and I was going to end up in airport jail.

Reluctantly, I headed for the exit where thankfully the plane still attached to the jet bridge. I walked off the plane, pretending to not hear the round of applause and cheers that erupted when I disappeared through the cabin door.

Airport security was waiting for us, just in case we chose to misbehave.

Matthew motioned to me. “He’s the one who can’t control himself.”

“I’m the one? You shoved me.”

Airport security guy was fucking scary, though. He had the face of a UFC fighter that had been through some hard rounds in his life. His nose had been broken several times by the looks of it. His mouth was wide, giving him a menacing appearance. All it took was one hard stare from his steely eyes for my bowels to turn to water.

“Sorry,” I said quickly, trying to appease the giant, angry-looking security guard.

He escorted us to the gate and stood nearby as we talked to someone from the airline. Well, as Matthew talked to them. I stood by in silence wishing I could go back to the moment I realized he’d been in my seat and do everything over again. But if we were going back in time, let’s be real. I’d go back in time and get on that flight before him and then he’d be the one shit out of luck, and I’d be on my way home.

“The best we can do is book you both for tomorrow. All the flights until the four PM departure are overbooked, but that one still has seats left. I can put you both on it.”

“Four PM. As in the afternoon? Tomorrow?” The flight was six hours. With the time difference, I wouldn’t get home until one in the morning.

“That’ll be fine.” Matthew glared at me. “Right, Troye?”