Grounded

When Nathan and Isobel met Sasha, Alastair, Brent and Rosa

This was originally posted in the Wattpad Block Party but I've since received requests to also post it on my profile. It combines characters from three of my stories but this is to be read as a completely separate short story, set in a "parallel universe" where the events do not have any impact on the books that each of these characters belong to. That way, you don't have to worry about spoilers! I hope you enjoy :)

Typical British summer, Isobel thought with bitterness as she gazed out of the departure lounge's glass wall, watching the torrential rain bounce off the tarmac outside. The runway, which had been in clear sight just half an hour ago, was now invisible, hidden behind the layers of rain and haze.

She jumped as a sheet of lightning illuminated the darkened sky, swiftly followed by a loud rumble of thunder that was clearly audible despite the noisy atmosphere of the airport.

Sighing to herself, Isobel leaned back in her seat. It had been over forty-five minutes since a plane took off and she accepted the fact that it was likely to be much longer before she was finally airborne herself. As much as she didn't fancy taking off in a thunderstorm, she was frustrated that it had come to this: her holiday was supposed to take her away from the very same weather that was keeping her grounded in London.

Isobel turned her attention to her boyfriend, who was engrossed in the copy of Cosmopolitan that she'd recently bought from W H Smith.

"Save yourself something to do on the flight," she said dryly.

"Don't you worry about me, Bella," Nathan replied. "I'm a master at entertaining myself. And, if all else fails, we can always join the Mile High Club."

"Sorry to disappoint you," she said, "but I am not going to be joining the Mile High Club."

Her boyfriend chuckled to himself but didn't lift his eyes from an article about how to maintain a healthy head of hair.

"And anyway," she continued, "I really don't understand how people get away with that. Surely it's obvious if two people sneak into the toilet together?"

"Night flights and staggered visits."

His tone was casual, his response far too prompt. Isobel simply rolled her eyes at his apparent knowledge and turned her attention to a young businessman who had moved to stand in front of the glass wall with his hands on his hips as he glared at the raging storm battering the stationary planes.

After a couple of minutes of angry observing, he marched over to the stewardess who was attending the desk at the gate. The distance was too great to overhear what was being said, but it wasn't necessary-from the way he gestured to his watch and waved towards the weather, it clear he was complaining about the delay.

Unsuccessful, he returned to the seat opposite Isobel and Nathan, sitting beside a pretty brunette who was scrolling on her phone.

"Can't you go over there and work your magic?" he asked her.

She glanced up from her phone. "I doubt even my supreme flirting skills are enough to bypass airport security."

Isobel smiled at the dry attitude of the businessman's companion; it was clear she was used to his unrealistic demands. Another flash of lightning drew her attention away from the couple. The rain now seemed even more violent than before, and Isobel resigned herself to the fact that she wouldn't be flying any time soon.

*

"I was hoping to be up in the air by now," Alastair said, tapping his foot against the marble floor in restlessness.