We Must Be Careful Who We Pretend To Be

"Will, man, what's wrong?" Rob asked.

Will was sitting with, Rob, at the same pub he had taken Abby to the first time she visited. He was out of it and his mind was obviously somewhere else.

"Nothing, it's cool."

"So, are you going to tell me why I had to pick up your girlfriend's stuff?"

"Not my girlfriend," he answered dryly, swirling his beer in the mug.

"So, when are you going to tell her how you feel?"

Will ran his hand through his dark hair and looked at the floor.

"She wants to be with me."

"Congratulations man."

"I turned her down."

"What the hell, Will? You've wanted to be with this girl since the moment you laid eyes on her. Why would you turn her down?" Rob cried.

"I know, I know. Reality started to kick in. She's so young, and way to good for me."

"Will, you met your match in Abby and you know it. And she's only six years younger. It's not that big of a deal.

"She scares me a little. And to add to it, she got offered that job with Decaydance in LA. I can't hold her back."

"You dipshit, maybe it's because you haven't had a girlfriend in 10 years. It's not like girls don't notice you, they do all the time. You've just never given any of them the time of day. You're just going to let her go? The first girl you've cared about since Ashley? It doesn't make you irritated to think of her moving to LA and working for that Fall Out Boy she has a crush on?"

"I'm shy. Sorry! I really like sitting at home. I'm not into clubs, I'm not into the singles scene. It's just easier to be alone. Abigail flirts with me, and I'm at a loss for words. She likes me, and she has for a long time. I'm just too much of a fuck-up to be with her. She needs to do what's best for her. Wait, she has a crush on that guy?"

"Of course! So, does Ellie. But, Ellie won't have any access to him."

Will downed the rest of his beer. "I'm going to the bathroom."

He got up and left. Rob gazed at his phone lying on the table. Quickly, he picked up and dialed Ellie's number.

"Will, what the hell?" Ellie cried.

"We all seem to be saying that a lot lately," Rob said dryly.

"Rob! I thought you were Will. What's up?"

"Where are you?"

"Our flight was cancelled, the next flight to San Fran leaves in an hour."

"Do you think you can get her out of the building?"

"What? No. The flight is going to start boarding in about half an hour."

"Fine, don't board until the last call, got it?"

"Rob,"

He cut her off. "Babe, just do it."

Rob hung up the phone just as Will walked back up.

"I fucked up, didn't I?" he said, flopping onto the barstool. "Dammit! Why do I always do this?"

"She's still here Will," Rob spoke with caution.

"What? No, her flight left an hour ago. I know, I booked it."

"Dude, don't get mad at me, but I called Ellie." Will looked up with hope. "Their flight was cancelled. But, they're leaving in an hour."

"Are you up for a trip to Logan?" Will asked eagerly.

"I certainly am."

They paid their bill and literally ran out to Rob's car. Rob peeled out of the parking lot and they made their way through the tunnel to Logan International. They got to the terminal.

"Umm, Will, we don't know what flight they're on since the other one got cancelled."

"I booked on United, we should be able to figure it out."

"And they won't let us to the gate."

"I'll just have to buy a ticket."

Will jumped out of the car and ran to the ticket counter. He waited in line anxiously, then ran up to the first available person.

"Hi, this is going to sound weird, but I need to get on the same flight as my sister. Her flight, flight 49 to San Francisco was cancelled. I don't know what flight she was put on."
Will smiled, turning on the charm. It usually worked as he was rather charismatic. But, the agent only stared at him with one eyebrow raised. All of a sudden Will's phone beeped. He flipped it open to find a text message from Ellie. It said, "flight 106."

"She always comes through for me," he said with a grin. "I need a ticket on flight 106 to San Francisco."

"I'm sorry sir, the flight's full."

"Then put me on standby," he returned with intensity."

"Ok."

Will stood there impatiently, waiting for the agent to get everything done. Finally, she handed him his ticket and he took off to find the gate. He searched the gate when he got there, collapsing into the seat. He watched as the flight attendants closed the door and the airplane taxi out onto the runway.

"I'm too late, they're gone," he thought, running a hand through his hair. Defeated, he walked back out to where Rob was waiting in the car.

"Did you make it?" Rob asked.

Will just shook his head, "Just drive."

"I'll take that as a no."