Australia

Chapter Twenty Six

Nick’s POV

So it was official; Joe and Sam are a couple. They were a hand holding, lip locking, and cheek kissing couple. I must’ve fallen asleep. I opened my eyes and looked around. Frankie was curled up on the seat beside me; Kevin was asleep beside him; head resting on a pillow up against the window of the plane. I guessed mum and dad were asleep in the seat in front of Joe and Sam. The two in question were also asleep; Sam’s head on Joe’s shoulder. Both of their eyes were closed. I half smiled at them before looking at my watch. It said it was 6 o’clock. I wasn’t sure if that was am or pm. I was hoping for 6pm; that way the flight didn’t have long to go.

I remembered when Joe offered Sam his shoulder in the limo on the first night we met her. She was freezing, nervous and I could tell she had been frightened to even speak. I doubt that when that happened, she would have thought she would be curled up, snuggled into my brother’s shoulder only a few short weeks later. But over those weeks we all grew fond of her; all in our separate ways. Joe’s made his views clear earlier, when he asked her to be his girlfriend; I saw her as a friend; my best friend. Is it ridiculous that I call her that after only knowing her for a few weeks? I shook my head in response to my own question. Kevin had the little sister he always wanted.

I have to admit; seeing her at the airport was a huge surprise. I was annoyed at Joe for not telling me, but I liked having it as a surprise. They way her face lit up when she saw me was still on my mind. I loved how she made me feel; wanted, loved; even if it was just as a friend; for now.

“Hey Nicky,” a whisper came from across the aisle. I turned to see Sam, stretching and rubbing her eyes.

“Hey, bed head,” I laughed at her.

Her hair was everywhere; half sticking up half flat to the back of her head.

“Shut up,” she told me, flattening her hair down. I laughed at her failed attempt.

“It’s no use,” I said, scratching my head. “It’s stuck like that.”

“No, it’s not,” she glared at me playfully, before pulling her hair into a ponytail with the elastic she wore around her wrist. “Better?”

“I wasn’t complaining before,” I shrugged. “Will you excuse me? I have to pee.” I unbuckled my seat belt and made my way to the small bathroom at the back of the plane. I heard someone following me. I stopped and turned.

“Sam? I don’t need someone to hold my hand,” I smiled at her, jokingly. “I’m a big boy now.”

She took a step to stand in front of me; both of us jammed into the small corridor that took you to the bathrooms. I felt my breath hitch in my throat. She leaned in close to me; our faces just inches apart.

“Hey, if a girl has to go, a girl’s got to go,” she grinned at me; touching her nose to mine; she lightly slapped my face. She walked away. I grinned after her; before following.
I rubbed my head. Being that close to her; was going to drive me clinically insane.

Joe’s POV

Cracking my neck and stretching I sat up straight.

“Sam?”I said quietly.

Was Sam coming with us just a dream? No. It was real. Where is she? And where’s Nick? I unbuckled my seat belt and leaned across the seat; looking in both directions. The sudden urge to pee overwhelmed me and I stood up; traipsing my way to the bathrooms. Both were occupied. The one to the right flushed, I heard the water running and the door unlock. Nick stepped out. He looked at me.

“What?” I asked me.

“Where’s Sam?” I ran my hand through my obvious bed hair.

“Bathroom,” he pointed to the occupied stall across of us. He shook his head and walked back towards the seats. I decided to wait for Sam to come out. When I heard the toilet flush and the water run, I smiled. She opened the door and stepped out.

“Oh, good morning,” she smiled at me.

“Good morning,” I smiled back, placing a kiss on her lips. “How’d you sleep?”

“Good, surprisingly,” she tucked her hair behind her ear. “How about you?”

“Yeah, pretty good,” I smiled at her. “Now, I have some business to attend to.”

She grinned at me before I stepped backwards into the stall Nick had come out of.

Sam’s POV

Seeing Joe all disheveled in the morning was adorable. His hair was all curly and wavy; his brown eyes had a certain sparkle in them in the morning. Well, after sleep anyway. I didn’t know if it was morning or night. I sat back down and noticed the seat belt light was lit above my head.

“Good morning passengers,” the captain’s friendly voice came from the speakers. “We will be landing in Dallas in just a few short minutes; so I request that you buckle your lap belts and return your chairs and lap tables back to the upright positions. On the ground it’s a very balmy 89 degrees; definitely t-shirt and flip-flop weather. Enjoy the rest of your day, and thanks for flying Qantas AIR.”

I smiled at Nick who was smiling at me. Joe walked up and sat back down; buckling his seat belt back up.

“Excited?” he asked me, smiling.

“Yes!” I nodded. “I’m so excited.”

Truth be told, I was nervous as hell. I was going to a country I had never been to before, with a family I knew everything about; but only from blogs and Google. I was scared that the rest of their friends and family wouldn’t like me. I didn’t even know where I was staying. As the plane slowly made its descent, my ears started popping.

“Keep swallowing,” Joe told me, loudly. “It stops it from hurting.”

I smiled thanks to him and did what I was told. What was waiting for us at the airport? What was waiting for me in my new life? I gulped and my ears popped one more time before I felt us touch down on the tarmac. I chewed my lip nervously.

“Hey,” Joe took my hand. “It’ll be okay. Everything will be okay.”

“I hope you’re right,” I told him, half smiling.
♠ ♠ ♠
Pretty sure I don't own Qantas.