Abducted | Book 1 | Vreekar

fourteen |

I sucked in a breath, "Okay. I mean- yes. Yes."

Vree yanked a lever on the floor near our legs, and the jet rumbled and shook into life. 

My breath was shaky as I breathed out. Vree's arms snaked around me, I kept my own hands balled into fists in my lap. He reached for the control wheel in front of us, and with both hands, slowly steered us up from the launch pad.

My heart sped dizzily in my chest.

He began, "Do you have a speed pref-"  

"Fast. Go fast!" I giggled with glee. 

"If you say so." He replied casually, his foot clicked something on the floor, and without second thought the flighter jet shot through the vastness of the stars, nearly taking my breath away.

My organs felt as if it was hovering there inside of me. I was feeling like a little girl riding a roller coaster for the first time, or feeling like I was speeding down an empty highway. 

I screamed with glee, my laughter filling the tiny space around us. One of the computers on the dashboard blinked with nearby rocks and debris that Vree expertly sped through and past.

My body shook with every twist, I let out thrilled yelps as Vree would almost collide with tiny rocks just to poke fun out of me, letting tiny laughs escape him from all the reactions I've been making.

He yanked the wheel, plunging us down down down into the depths of twinkling nothingness, the velocity of the plunge pushing me back against him, and I laughed with delight. 

Adrenaline coursed through my veins, my brain adjusting to all the information I was consuming by the second. 

Sooner or later, the jet began to slow, until Vree made it come to a stop. He flexed his hands, and dropped his arms onto his lap, chuckling with amusement at me. 

I placed both my hands on my drumming heart, laughing and turned a bit to look at him. I saw the glee that danced in his eye, and thought that whatever he was feeling was probably reflected in my face too. 

"That was-" I couldn't find words, so I just laughed again, and he grinned broadly at me.

"I remember the first time I had flown. I was just as excited as you, though I do not think I screamed at all." He tried to contort his face back to his usual seriousness, but his lips twitched in good humor, his uncovered eye alive. 

I threw my head back and laughed. After I quieted down a bit and we transitioned into staring at the still and silence of space.

"It's so beautiful." I murmured. 

I felt him shrug, "Just some rocks. . rocks on fire. . .nothing special." 

I gave a small laugh, "Beautiful nonetheless."

"I do agree." His voice sounded far away, and I glanced at him, realizing he was staring at me.

"What?" I asked. 

Behind the glass of his helmet, I saw his cheeks seem to tint pink again. He tilted his head, avoiding my gaze again, "You remind me of me, when I was younger. Your excitement. I realize I miss that feeling. I seem to have lost it with age."

I tilted my head, "How old are you? Out of curiosity. I can't believe I don't know that." I decided It'd be good to spend this time to get to know him just the slightest. 

"Twenty seven years." He stated simply. 

For some reason, that information made my face hot, "Wow you're old." Was all I could manage. Smooth, Naomi. Real nice.