Chapter Two
Alexandr Miroslav
“Hey, are you alright?”
The voice was far, almost underwater. Almost unheard amongst the loud chokes of laughter and the push and pull of skin. The slam of furniture against the wall, I couldn’t remember which one.
The far wall? The one with the punch hole?
I could feel hands touching me, suffocating me, and I wanted to crawl out of my skin. “Don’t touch me.”
I woke with a start and sneered with a puffy face at the man next to me. He might have found it comical if it’d shown on his face, but he only watched with a passive expression.
I’d let my guard down too quickly, and my mind was all too ready to unleash all that it’d been holding in, forcing me out of my sleep with a racing heart only a couple of hours later. The adrenaline returning in full force.
I didn’t scold myself for making a show of my faults. I did, however, blame the warm blanket and comfortable seat.
I imagined, if I had been placed with the less fortunate, no attendant would offer me a second glance had I been curling up in a much smaller seat in a much colder cabin.
Turning to Evan, I found the bothersome fool still watching me. There’s something wrong with his presence. I didn’t know what, but I was hoping to find out before we landed.
I didn’t need anything from America following me to where I plan on remaining very much alive. Throwing the blanket off me in a rush and getting up, I headed for the nearest restroom. I was restless, and I needed a place to think through my thoughts properly.
I’ll admit, I was nervous.
My legs felt like they would melt right off my body if I took another step, but I couldn’t stop.
Finding the restroom vacant, I entered and slid the door shut harder than I’d intended, wincing with both hands behind my head as my eyes squeezed shut. I hoped I didn’t catch the attention of the entire cabin amidst my nervous outburst.
For a moment, I debated hiding in here until we landed. Already deciding on the best possible position to sit without cramping. But knowing my seat neighbour, he’d probably take advantage of my disappearance and…
An idea passed through my mind like a shooting star, but I was quick enough to catch it, hatching it into a fully formed plan not a moment later.
Upon exiting the restroom, I pulled out the Restoril I’d nicked from an unconscious man in the basement of a drug house I’d once found myself in.
I didn’t mean to search him, but when he’d rolled over on the ripped and torn mattress, the half-full bottle fell out. It really was a matter of finders keepers, considering it wasn’t on his body when I’d taken it.
I didn’t know what it was at the time, but anything in a medicine bottle was of value, given that it could be resold to someone else just as desperate. Or, more importantly, the reason I keep it on my body–to fall asleep more easily.
The flight attendant who’d dealt with the fussy man and his files earlier turned in a start when I poked my head in between the curtains separating the attendants’ cabin and the restrooms, “Oh! Good evening. What can I do for you?”
I watched her put a hand over her chest before smacking that pretty smile back onto her face like a mask, “I was wondering if my friend and I could get some water?”
She glanced at the can she was opening and almost seemed to sag in relief at my request. “Of course, I’ll bring it over right away, sir.”
I eyed the can, dog food from the smell of it, and pulled out the Restoril from my pocket with a pursed lip, hoping to come off as pitiful. “Can you put this pill in my glass? I have trouble sleeping, and well, it needs to dissolve properly…”
I left the rest up to interpretation, but she seemed to understand, thankfully.
Her brown bob moved with her hasty nods as she sent me a sympathetic look. “I understand. No need to worry.”
“Also, I hope I’m not coming off as rather… forward, but are you married?”
“Oh.” A blush warmed her pale cheeks, and she smiled, taking my words as a compliment. “No, no, I’m not.”
I shrugged with a genuine grin, imagining what type of show the fruits of my labour would reward me with. “Oh, that’s great, cause my friend, well, he seems to have a bit of a crush on you. I mean, from the moment he saw you…” I swept my arm across the air in a swift manner. “Gonner.”
Strangely enough, I don’t feel anxious when I set out to do something rather rash. Not when I have a plan laid out. If I can excuse it as being part of a higher purpose, the lies come out quite easily.
She giggled, flattered, before sobering up when what looked to be her senior entered from the pilot’s cabin, narrowing her eyes at me before eyeing the young woman in front of me. “I’ll get your glass of water straight away, sir.”
She spoke quickly, wanting me to pick up on the curt tone in her voice.
“Perfect. Thank you.”
I loitered for a few moments, wanting to be thorough in my execution and hoping to watch her get it done, but she didn’t move, and the situation became awkward when her smile turned tight.
I pursed my lips in what I hoped was a grateful look before turning to walk away, cutting my losses.
Running a hand over my face for my forgotten social skills, I returned to my seat as calmly as I could manage, and watched Evan read a newspaper I didn’t know from where he’d pulled out.
He emitted all the cues of a wealthy man who hadn’t reached will-writing age.
Scoffing at the finance section, straight-faced through the comics, a barely-there glance at the sudoku side.
He did, however, pause when going to turn another page, at an article that caught his eye.
He didn’t seem to read it, only passing over the headline before having had enough and folding the newspaper away more harshly than I bet he intended.
He let out a deep sigh before leaning back to fold one leg over the other.
With the source of his attention gone, he turned to me with a strange look. A creepy look of pity.
Like he would kill me but would be sad about it.
The thought had my mind turning at the realistic possibility of that happening.
“Got any family?”
I sent him a sideway glance, keeping my head forward in clear body language he should be understanding. “No.”
“Huh–not that I’m surprised, or… anything like that. You just look like the type to ‘have family everywhere.’”
He used air quotations and a sardonic tone that I was sure were meant to bait me, reel me in, but I wouldn’t give. If I can get out of questioning by police officers, this was child’s play.
“Mm.”
“Yeah… My father passed away, quite recently. It’s why I was ever on the east coast. Otherwise, I try avoiding it like a director avoids the press after a fraud leak. But, you know, family.”
I went to speak but he continued as if I were a wall, “Of course you wouldn’t know, with the whole family situation. But you know what I mean, I’m assuming.”
It wasn’t a question, but I nodded nonetheless, slightly put-off by the spill of personal information. I was nosy, and I would never stop someone from blurting out a possible piece of leverage.
Except, Evan wasn’t exactly mindlessly dumping his story and philosophies into me, it felt more like he was shoving it down my throat and hoping I’d choke on it.
He leaned closer, tilting his head with curiosity written on the curve of his brows. “What brings you to the east coast? You live there, or is this just a layover?”
My heart’s beating slowly picked up, but I willed it to slow down. I leaned away, my back almost pressing against the cold window, and muttered, “I live there.”
“Alone?”
“With my mother.”
“Ah, but you said you did not have family.”
The next simple lie made its way quickly to the front of my mind.
How long does it take to fill two glasses of water–
“Hi!” I jumped at the loud intrusion and tried forcing away the relieved smile I wanted to send her way. Even Evan swivelled his head up to her, almost as though he were surprised she approached without his notice.
“Two glasses of water.” She placed one on Evan’s open tray before sending me a wink and handing me my cup directly into my hands. I forced a smile, ignoring the growing turmoil inside me as Evan watched her gesture.
What he caught could be good if he interpreted it how I wanted him to. I didn’t expect her to wink, but it might work in my favor.
I didn’t like leaving things up to chance, which is a contradiction to my style of plan–execution; the circumstances often did not provide me with such luxury. So, this is what I was forced to work with.
I tamped down the grin threatening to show when she placed her gloved hand on his shoulder, suddenly feeling giddy. He looked stunned when she blinked rather slowly. “If there is anything else I can help you with, you let me know.”
He glanced at her hand on his shoulder, and I contemplated switching our drinks right then, but I couldn’t be sure he wouldn’t catch me, so I waited.
When she straightened with a Cheshire grin and disappeared behind the curtain, he looked rather out of it.
Finally, something that could shut him up.
The chuckle that slipped out from between my lips seemed to snap him back to the present, and suddenly, he was no longer just a simple, too curious seat neighbour. His cold stare froze the amusement off my face, and I was immediately on edge.
“What did you put in my drink?”
He didn’t seem to be asking but rather demanding an answer from me.
“Nothing.” My voice sounded small in my own ears, but I chose not to give an inch.
“Then give me yours.” He lifted his own and inspected it with less interest than I would inspect my late mother’s closet.
I recoiled and curled my upper lip. “N-no, it’s mine.”
“Then why’d you ask for two?”
“What?” I held my glass close to me as though I were protecting it and looked on in confusion.