Tumors And Hearts
Day 44 – Birds of Paradise
Xx-nikki-xX
I woke up the next morning and groaned. Not from my head hurting but from what had happened yesterday with Shannon. I still didn’t know if I should believe him or not.
Manda was already getting ready when I headed into the bathroom for a quick shower. Today everyone was flying back home. Shannon, Matt, Jeff, Chris, Alex, Manda, and I were all scheduled to be on the same flight to Tennessee later that morning. Then Matt, Jeff, and Shannon would get on a flight to North Carolina. Chris, Alex, Manda, and I would get on a plane to Chicago where I would go home and they would make another connection to Detroit.
I took a quick shower and headed out our room. Manda and I finished getting ready and headed down to the lobby. We ended up sharing a taxi to the airport with Beer Money.
We said goodbye to James and Robert and met up with Chris and Alex at the gate where our flight was going to board. Once Manda and Chris were busy with their own conversation Alex turned to face me with a concerned look on his face.
“So, uh, how are things with you and Shannon?” Alex asked.
I sighed. “I don’t really know right now.” I said looking at the floor.
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine.” I said with a failed attempt at a smile.
Alex gave me another concerned look before wrapping me in his arms. I sighed again before hugging him back.
I suddenly remembered the conversation I had last night with Manda, Lauren, and Jamie. To put it in simple terms, Manda told me that Alex had really liked me for a while now. He was hoping that if things didn’t work out with Shannon that he and I could get together.
Not wanting to give him the wrong idea, I stepped out of his arms. I turned in time to see Matt, Jeff, and Shannon coming our way. Shannon looked depressed and it hurt to know that it was because of me. I wanted to talk to him and try to comfort him, but I still didn’t know if I could trust him or not.
I locked eyes with Shannon and turned back to face Alex. We talked until our flight was called to board. We grabbed our carryon bags and headed through the terminal a little ways behind Matt, Jeff, and Shannon.
After stepping on the plane I remembered that I was supposed to sit with Shannon. Mentally cursing myself I walked down the aisle.
Matt was stuffing his carryon bag overhead and smiled at me when I stopped next to him.
“Still gonna sit with us?” he asked taking my bag.
I nodded before plopping down in my seat next to Shannon. Without even talking to him, I pulled out my iPod and started blasting I Set My Friends On Fire by Aiden. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Shannon staring at me. I could tell he was depressed and really wanted to talk to me, but I really didn’t want to talk to him right now.
Matt finished stuffing our carryon bags in the overhead rack and took his seat on the other side of me. Jeff was sitting on the other side of Shannon. I considered asking Matt to switch me seats but decided not to because I knew that would hurt Shannon too much.
I kept my earphones in and my music blasting as the plane took off. The song ended and All Hope Is Gone by Slipknot started playing.
My phone vibrated and I saw I had a text from Alex.
there’s an empty seat back here if u dont want to sit with shannon
I was seriously thinking about moving back there with them when I got another text. It was from Shannon. I hit the view button and the screen of my phone was covered with a giant picture of a bouquet of Birds of Paradise – my favorite flower. Underneath the picture was a text with three words.
i love you
I smiled and texted Alex back. no thanx. ill b fine
All Hope Is Gone just finished playing and Everywhere I Go by Hollywood Undead started playing in its place. I shut off my iPod and pulled out my earphones. I turned to face Shannon. He had his back to me and was talking to Jeff, his phone in his lap. I locked eyes with Jeff and smiled faintly.
I gently put a hand on Shannon’s shoulder. He turned around to face me, biting his lip.
“I’m sorry Shannon.” I said. “I should have believed you.”
He smiled and wrapped his arms around me. “It’s okay Nikki.”
I leaned into his embrace – over the painful armrest – and kissed him.
I woke up the next morning and groaned. Not from my head hurting but from what had happened yesterday with Shannon. I still didn’t know if I should believe him or not.
Manda was already getting ready when I headed into the bathroom for a quick shower. Today everyone was flying back home. Shannon, Matt, Jeff, Chris, Alex, Manda, and I were all scheduled to be on the same flight to Tennessee later that morning. Then Matt, Jeff, and Shannon would get on a flight to North Carolina. Chris, Alex, Manda, and I would get on a plane to Chicago where I would go home and they would make another connection to Detroit.
I took a quick shower and headed out our room. Manda and I finished getting ready and headed down to the lobby. We ended up sharing a taxi to the airport with Beer Money.
We said goodbye to James and Robert and met up with Chris and Alex at the gate where our flight was going to board. Once Manda and Chris were busy with their own conversation Alex turned to face me with a concerned look on his face.
“So, uh, how are things with you and Shannon?” Alex asked.
I sighed. “I don’t really know right now.” I said looking at the floor.
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine.” I said with a failed attempt at a smile.
Alex gave me another concerned look before wrapping me in his arms. I sighed again before hugging him back.
I suddenly remembered the conversation I had last night with Manda, Lauren, and Jamie. To put it in simple terms, Manda told me that Alex had really liked me for a while now. He was hoping that if things didn’t work out with Shannon that he and I could get together.
Not wanting to give him the wrong idea, I stepped out of his arms. I turned in time to see Matt, Jeff, and Shannon coming our way. Shannon looked depressed and it hurt to know that it was because of me. I wanted to talk to him and try to comfort him, but I still didn’t know if I could trust him or not.
I locked eyes with Shannon and turned back to face Alex. We talked until our flight was called to board. We grabbed our carryon bags and headed through the terminal a little ways behind Matt, Jeff, and Shannon.
After stepping on the plane I remembered that I was supposed to sit with Shannon. Mentally cursing myself I walked down the aisle.
Matt was stuffing his carryon bag overhead and smiled at me when I stopped next to him.
“Still gonna sit with us?” he asked taking my bag.
I nodded before plopping down in my seat next to Shannon. Without even talking to him, I pulled out my iPod and started blasting I Set My Friends On Fire by Aiden. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Shannon staring at me. I could tell he was depressed and really wanted to talk to me, but I really didn’t want to talk to him right now.
Matt finished stuffing our carryon bags in the overhead rack and took his seat on the other side of me. Jeff was sitting on the other side of Shannon. I considered asking Matt to switch me seats but decided not to because I knew that would hurt Shannon too much.
I kept my earphones in and my music blasting as the plane took off. The song ended and All Hope Is Gone by Slipknot started playing.
My phone vibrated and I saw I had a text from Alex.
there’s an empty seat back here if u dont want to sit with shannon
I was seriously thinking about moving back there with them when I got another text. It was from Shannon. I hit the view button and the screen of my phone was covered with a giant picture of a bouquet of Birds of Paradise – my favorite flower. Underneath the picture was a text with three words.
i love you
I smiled and texted Alex back. no thanx. ill b fine
All Hope Is Gone just finished playing and Everywhere I Go by Hollywood Undead started playing in its place. I shut off my iPod and pulled out my earphones. I turned to face Shannon. He had his back to me and was talking to Jeff, his phone in his lap. I locked eyes with Jeff and smiled faintly.
I gently put a hand on Shannon’s shoulder. He turned around to face me, biting his lip.
“I’m sorry Shannon.” I said. “I should have believed you.”
He smiled and wrapped his arms around me. “It’s okay Nikki.”
I leaned into his embrace – over the painful armrest – and kissed him.