#2 - Nikki Smith

4. Reunited Part 1

            It was my first ever commercial flight. I think most other people probably have their first flight when they're much older than I was, which made it even more exciting for me. I'm sure there have been plenty of children who flew on an airplane. However, the biggest difference is that most children who fly are on their way to visit family or go on vacation. I'm simply escaping a government and military who presumably believes I'm dead and wants to keep it that way. Not exactly a time for me to dream about beaches, zoos, or amusement parks. Children my age probably look forward to those while on their first flight toward a vacation. Yet, I find myself having the same daydreams. No matter what your circumstances are, we all have dreams and hopes. Some of us just have a tougher time accomplishing them than others.

The flight itself felt extremely quick. I guess I'm used to long car rides, train rides, or even walking around a city. Before I even stepped foot onto the airplane, I knew it travelled much quicker than anything on the ground. However, it felt surreal to be in the plane. Actually, it felt very uncomfortable at first. My ears "popped" when we started getting too high in the air. My stomach also felt like it was going to sink out of my body. All those feelings went away rather quickly, though. It eventually became a more comfortable and enjoyable experience.

When I touched down in Moscow, I had the same plan as last time. I would wait for Nolan to arrive on his flight. He had to have known that it was me that threw the tickets, passport, and cash. This time, I was finally going to see how he would react to me. The thought of it made me nervous. Was he still angry at me? Had he forgiven me?

Another random thing that I came across while researching on the internet was that for a guy to like a girl, she had to play hard to get. I don't really know exactly what it means, but I think if you display that you are sometimes mean and show that you don't care, then there's a paradox that occurs. Boys chase after things that are hard to get. It works when you have a crush on a boy, but I'm not sure that's what I want right now. I just want him to not be mad at me and to be my friend.

When I arrived in Moscow, I went toward the exit/entrance of the airport. Nolan wasn't going to arrive in this terminal. I had to find the point where he was most likely to walk past regardless of which terminal he would be.

I waited about an hour or so. I probably still wouldn't see him for another 30 to 60 minutes, but I decided to try and find some food before he arrived. He would be hungry, so I figured the least I could do was be nice to him. Even if I was going to act mean and act like I didn't care, a small gesture like that couldn't hurt. Could it?

He went out and tried to break into a McDonald's back in Казанb. If I could find one here, that would be perfect! Or would that be rubbing it in too much? He couldn't actually break into the building after all. Ahh, oh well. I figure I should just try it and see where it takes me. I had to be quick, though. I hadn't researched the area like I normally do.

After twenty minutes of searching for businesses around the area, I couldn't find the giant golden "M" that signified McDonald's. This airport was massive, and I had a lot to look through. I figured I should just grab something – anything – to eat and head back. I didn't want to miss him arriving at the airport. I remembered seeing a sign for a place called "Burger King" inside of the airport.

I quickly ran back to the airport. I had two different people try to stop me and ask if I was lost or missing my parents. This is exactly why I don't like to travel during the day. I stick out of the ordinary. I needed to find someone who would pretend to be my parent or something. That would make my life a whole lot easier.

Well, I eventually found the Burger King inside of the airport, but I feared I was going to miss Nolan. I felt nervous standing in line, but I didn't know what to do either. If I stayed in line, he could walk right out of the airport, and it could take days to find him. But I really wanted to surprise him with food. That would be a really nice gesture for him after I... well... intentionally stabbed him. The more I thought about it, the more I felt bad about what I had done. I don't know why it's hitting me so hard now. I didn't feel as bad at the time. Perhaps just the time away from him had made me miss him.