Alone In the World

Chapter 11: Meeting Irene

After we reached to the airport, we handed our passports and tickets to the receptionist then headed over to the waiting chairs. An anxious Ms. Caroline told me that she was going to the restroom.

As soon as she fled, I took out my Sherlock Holmes novel and turned to the first page of the book. While I was reading, a girl around my age peeked over my shoulder. She had dark brown skin, black hair down to her back, and pretty brown eyes.

She wore a blue striped t-shirt, jeans, and dark shoes. I swallowed hard then blushed fiercely. The girl is really pretty, I thought. When her eyes met mine, I felt my eyes going back on the page.

"Did you read the one about the hound?" she asked. "You know, The Hound In Baskerville?" I looked at her strangely. "Yes," I answered as if it was a stupid question. "Really?" the girl cried. "Lucky, I am still reading The Study in Scarlett and other short stories."

"You read Sherlock Holmes?" I asked. "And Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys," the girl added. "I want to read Veronica Mars, but Mom wouldn't let me." "Do you want me to spoil Study in Scarlett for you?" I asked teasingly. The girl playfully punched me in the arm. "Don't you dare," she playfully threatened. I smiled but rubbed my sore bruise. She sure knows how to handle that left hook, I thought. "So, who are you waiting for?" I asked.

She looked at me curiously. "How did you know-" "Your feet are tapping anxiously," I stated. "You have dark circles around your eyes, and you keep biting your lip." The girl glared at me then stopped her movements. A wave of guilt appeared on my face until she started laughing.

My guilt turned into confusion as happy tears strolled down her face. "What's so funny?" I snapped. "You need to relax, kid." the girl sighed. "You look like you're constipated or something." "Seriously?" I smirked. "You're around my age," the girl stated. "You never go outside much, and are you... running away from something?" I stared at her for a moment then shook my head.

"If you keep wearing one contact lense in your eye and that Chicago Cubs baseball cap," the girl advised. "Then you really look guilty." I closed my book and stuffed it in my backpack. "How did you know-" I sighed. "The reflection on your eye," the girl shrugged. "And you don't seem to be sporty."

I closed my eyes very tightly then opened them. It was the first time that I was caught in the act. "What do you want?" I asked. "Money?" The girl furrowed her eyes. "Do I look like a snitch to you?" she snorted. I didn't answer her question. The girl smiled then leaned her back against her chair then studied me.

"Tell you what," the girl sighed. "As long as you tell me your name, I won't squeal." I shook my head slowly then looked at my jeans. "I can't tell you," I sighed. "It's too dangerous." She let out a sigh then brushed her bangs away from her eyes. "Fine, what do you want me to call you?" the girl asked. "Sherlock?"

I casually did a shrug. "Sure," I answered. "What's yours? Irene Adler?" The girl tilted her head in confusion. "Who's she?" the girl asked. Unable to suppress a confident grin, I said if she had read Scandal in Bohemia  then she'll know what I am talking about. "Do you want to be a detective?" the girl asked. My smirk instantly vanished as her question reminded me of my dead parents.

"Yes," I answered. "Me too," the girl beamed. "I notice this because you don't talk that much." My pale face instantly turned red and stared at her eyes for a moment. Just then, a young blonde woman in a brown trench coat, white dress, and silver heels walked over to the girl and told her that it was time to go.

"Finally," she groaned, getting out of her seat. She turned around to look at me for one last time and said something that made me surprise. You have a grand gift of silence, the girl quoted. It makes you quite invaluable as a companion. "The Man With a Twisted Lip," I guessed with an impressed smile. "What's your name?"

"Nicole Teri Porter," the girl introduced. "But people call me Cole for short." Unaware of our conversation, her mother handed the girl her suitcase and things then walked away. Cole seemed nice and tough to hang out with. I wonder if we will ever meet again. Just then, Ms. Caroline hurried out of the bathroom with an annoyed look on her face.

"I am so sorry, Luke." she apologized. "Those ladies take forever in there." Just then, a PDA speaker came on. "The flight to California starts in one minute," the announcer called. "The flight to California starts in one minute."

Ms. Caroline widened her eyes in amazement then grabbed my arm. I clung my fingers onto the straps as we boarded on to the plane and hurried into the passenger seats.

Before we sat down, I put my backpack into the compartment and watched as a couple of people filled the empty blue seats. After the door to the airplane was closed, everyone stuffed their things into the compartments and got settled in.

All of a sudden, the insides of the plane rocked back and forth then accelerated forward. I saw most people were grabbing their arm chairs and shut their eyes while others just took out some items and tuned out the ruckus.

For me, riding in a plane was difficult, especially when you are trying to come up with ways not to look at the window. I thought about joining the rest of the passengers, who were shutting their eyes until I caught a glimpse of a folded newspaper, hanging out of Ms. Caroline's purse.

It was a black and white picture of Aaron, lying on the ground with his arm and legs spread out. My eyes grew wide as two holes were punctured through his chest.