Page 48 of The Plan

“Can you just grow up and get on the damn plane?” No way.

“We’re going to be late! Get on the plane, August! V and I already voted on leaving Sire behind. We don’t want a traitor onboard!” Of course, they voted on leaving me off ofmydamn jet. I grab my bag and walk over just to spite the two brats on board.

I make sure to sit as far away from Vidia as possible. I swear I would’ve sat in the bathroom if the toilet was just a bit more comfortable. “Why’d you even come?” She can not be for real.

“I know you aren’t talking.”

“I definitely am. Did you come to support August? Because you aren’t playing in tomorrow's game if you don’t agree with what we talked about.” She says it like she’s happy about it. I swear she better be bluffing because if I have to be on a plane with her for five hours for no reason, someone is getting punched.

“Just shut up, Vidia.” She’s going to talk for the next five hours just because I told her not to.

“Come over here and make me.” My eyes dart to hers, and we hold eye contact for a while. She used to say that all the time, but I highly doubt she means it the same anymore.

“You don’t want me to do that, beautiful.” I give her a smirk but immediately falter at what I just called her, simply out of habit. She rolls her eyes and then opens her computer.

“Asshole,” she mumbles, just loud enough for me to hear.

“Watch your mouth.”

“Go to hell, dickhead.”

“Fuck you!” She flips me off, keeping her eyes on her computer. “Stick it up your—”

“Okay, both of ya need to shut the fuck up,” Hazel interrupts, and I almost tell her to jump off the plane, but I look over at August instead. I should punch him for even letting both of their annoying asses come. I flip him off even though he has his back to me, then turn to the window.

“Sire!” I gasp as Ijump out of my sleep. My shirt clings to my chest from the sweat, and I try to catch my breath, looking around, a bit disoriented. When my eyes land on Vidia, she's still across the plane, but she has a worried look on her face, and August is standing over me.

“Bro, what the hell were you dreaming about?”Same dream I always have.I look away from him and search the plane, trying to ground myself and take in deep breaths.

August rests his hand on my back, but I shrug him off. “I’m fine, August.” He doesn’t look convinced, but I tell him to leave it alone, so he does. I pick up my phone to check the time. How has it only been one hour?

After a while, Hazel and August get up together and go to the back somewhere.

“Since when have your nightmares been back?” Since that night four years ago. That’s what I want to say. It’s the truth, but I don’t want her to feel bad. Not about this.

“Why do you care, Vidia? You hate me, remember.” And it’s easier to hate her back.

“We could pretend I don’t if you want to talk about it for a minute.” There’s a softness to her voice that I haven't heard in a while. I want to pretend she doesn’t hate me, but then we’ll go back to our new normal, and I’d rather not give myself that sliver of hope just to have it snatched away. I got a taste of that after my NA meeting with her, and there’s still a bitter taste in my mouth from the way we just flipped the switch between us.

“I’m fine.” I’m not. She knows I’m not, but the minute is up, so she just shakes her head and goes back to her computer. I get up, needing to be out of my seat for a while. I walk past her toward the front of the plane where the pilot is.

“Hey, Mr. Griffin. Everything okay?”

“Yeah, just bored, and I told you to call me Sire.” Brandon has been flying our plane since we bought it two years ago, mainlybecause August has trust issues when it comes to planes but also because Brandon is super cool and lets me sit up here with him.

At the thought of August, a great idea comes to mind. “Brandon, I need you to do me a huge favor.”

He looks over at me with a worried look. “Please don’t try to bribe me to let you fly the plane.” I do that every time we’re flying somewhere, and his scared ass always says no. He makes it look so easy, and I’m confident I can do it. I actually did do it once. Okay, he left it on autopilot, but it felt like I was doing it so that counts for something.

“Another time, but no. I need you to make an announcement and let them know we’re having some difficulties and need to make an emergency landing.” He starts looking around at all the buttons in a slight panic.

Jeez, I didn’t even touch anything this time. “Brandon, I didn't do anything. August has been pissing me off for a while, and I feel like getting back.”

He stares at me like I’m actually insane for a concerning amount of time. “Eyes on the sky, buddy. Watch out before you hit a bird or something. Are you going to make the announcement or not?”

He shakes his head while grabbing the speaker thing. “I’m going to lose my job because of you one day… Attention all passengers, this is your pilot speaking. I regret to inform you all that we are unfortunately having some difficulties with the plane right now—”

The plane chooses that exact moment to have some turbulence, and I get a bit nervous. August is going to be pissed; no going back now.

---