The First Flight ❀ COLIFER

Chapter 7 ❀ Atlanta (part 1)

*** ATLANTA, TWO MONTHS EARLIER ***

Jen's POV

"Make yourselves comfortable, guys. It's going to be a while before we get there."

"Sure we will," Colin replied to Adam as he scooted over to the window seat, shooting me a teasing look because we'd been talking about our seat preferences minutes before we got on the plane. I told him I preferred the window seats.

So of course he sat down by the window.

"How am I going to survive this flight with you," I sighed dramatically. I sat down in the booth next to him and dropped the bag that was my carry-on luggage at my feet.

"You do realize you could switch places with Adam or Eddy, right?"

I looked from Colin to the two booths were Adam and Eddy were installing themselves, a little bit behind us. "I know, but Eddy snores," I whispered back, causing him to grin as he dug a pair of headphones out of his bag.

I don't know why, but I had a ridiculous smile on my face when I bent forward to grab my book. I'd felt like this ever since the cab took us to the airport, and I wasn't sure if the energy drink was to blame or the fact that Colin had been unusually cheerful today.

Probably a combination of both.

Once I found my book and got settled, the plane was already starting to take off. For once I wasn't dreading the flight to Atlanta, which would take about seven hours with one overlay in Dallas. My thoughts were already there, wondering how tomorrow would go and how the audience would react when we showed them the first episode of the second half of the season.

I didn't realize I let out a snort until I saw Colin raising his eyebrows at me.

"What?" I asked innocently.

"Is your book that entertaining or are you just randomly letting out a shriek of happiness?"

"I just remembered that time you fell over in the mud and couldn't get back up. Does that ring a bell?"

He cracked a smile at first, but then he pretended to be serious again. "Yeah, whatever."

I slightly shook my head as I focused my attention on the book again. We weren't just flying to Atlanta to show the fans the new episode. We were going there because of aTVfest, an event that was organized by the University for Creative Careers. This time it was just me, Colin, Adam and Eddy, which added to the intimate atmosphere of it all.

Knowing Colin would be watching me when I accepted the Spotlight Award after the panel gave me a strange and warm feeling inside— it made me feel less lonely than I had felt in the last few months.

We were in the air for about half an hour when I started to feel sleepy. I closed my book and put it on the little table. Then I leaned back, sighing contently because we were flying in first class, but Colin noticed. I opened one eye when he pulled the headphones out of his ears.

"Hey, Jen?"

"You know I'm guaranteed to go into grumpy mode when you wake me up from a nap," I pointed out.

"I know." Then, after a moment of hesitation in which he was evidently trying to decide if he should say it or not, he let it out anyway. "I still like the grumpy version of you, though."

I wasn't the only one who was surprised by that. I immediately broke eye contact and stared at his television screen, because that was the safest option. I know he was blushing when it dawned on him what he said.