I raised my elbows over my face, desperately attempting to navigate my way through the crowd, who were swarming around like bees in a hive. There was an emergency evacuation due to the atomic war and it seemed like the whole country was in this damned airport. I followed closely behind my parents, not wanting to lose sight of them. I'd never even been in an airport before, never mind on a plane. The three of us were almost at the gateway, when my parents were called by airport security. I tried to follow them, but I felt a hand on my back pushing me forwards, towards the daunting gateway. The wrong gateway.

"This way Miss! You're disrupting people. Go through quickly or you'll miss your flight!" I turned and saw a woman who I presume was an air hostess. She wore too much makeup and her red lipstick made her teeth look yellow. I hoped mine didn't do the same. I was snapped out of my absent-minded thoughts when I saw that she was guiding me out of the airport and into a plane before I could even open my mouth.

"But this isn't my flight! My parents are here- they're just talking to that man. They'll be looking for me," I protested, getting dragged into the plane.

"You'll see them soon." She looked me over, from my neat, shiny black shoes, to my ruby red dress, up to my tight brunette curls with a ruby red bow to match the dress. "I'm sure parents like yours will make sure you're well provided for- and this is an emergency situation after all." She made a horrible clicking noise, "we're at war and this is no light matter." She said it slowly, as if dumbing it down so that I would understand.

"But where is this flight even going? You don't even know my parents."

"All flights are going to the same place, sweetie."

"But where is the same place?" My protests were unheard as I was guided to a seat. The woman gave a tight smile and left, after ruffling my hair and much to my annoyance, probably messing up my curls.

I sighed loudly, still clutching my faded pink suitcase, unaware of my surroundings. I groaned, hiding my anxiousness through anger. I lowered my suitcase to the ground, placing it cautiously beside my feet, took a deep breath and inconspicuously scanned the plane's passengers. No adults was the first thing I noticed, except of course, the staff. Next, there didn't appear to be any other girls. Every single passenger appeared to be a boy, some around my age, some slightly older, some as young as about five. I was fifteen. They were all wearing school uniforms, all the same school. So not only was I the only girl, but I was the only one who didn't know anybody.

Oh well, it was only for a few hours. Then I would be with my parents again.

I heard a cough beside me and suddenly remembered that I wasn't alone in the aisle. I turned and saw a fair-haired boy smiling timidly at me.

"I don't mean to sound rude, but what are you doing on this flight?" he asked, looking at me with gleaming green eyes.

"Honestly, I haven't got a clue." I offered a half-hearted smile, but honestly I just wasn't in the mood for conversation.

He looked at me, presumably hoping for me to expand and give some sort of an explanation. "I was with my parents and we were just walking through the airport, but they got called by security for some reason. Bloody airport was far too crowded and I couldn't even go with them," I huffed. "Then next thing I know, some woman is pushing me onto this plane, not listening to a word I'm saying. She treated me like a street rat, said I was getting in the way. She just wanted to get rid of me. I mean, can she even do that?"

Apparently, I was in the mood for talking after all.

I realised I had been looking down the entire way through my rant, tugging at the skirt of my dress. I looked back at the boy and saw that he was still watching me. "Sorry," I muttered, biting my lip. "Just stressed out I suppose. I didn't mean to sound like a brat."

He gave a light chuckle. "You don't, I get it. Sorry for bringing up such a sensitive subject."

I opened my mouth to give a sarcastic reply to his over-worriedness, but I saw a smirk on his face and noticed him failing to stifle a laugh. His laughter was infectious and I couldn't resist joining in. "That's quite alright, however I may have to get my own back eventually- Just thought I should warn you," I smirked. I was not about to be outsmarted by a boy.

"Oh really? May I at least know the name of my possible tormentor then?"

"Audrey," I smiled. "And my tormentee?"

"Ralph."


Ralph and I talked until roughly an hour into the flight, when I brought out my copy of Wuthering Heights and began to read it over again. It was a controversial book, but secretly I think that drew me to it more.

I heard loud snoring and angrily snapped my book closed, turning around. I looked at Ralph, but saw that he was awake. I traced the source of the snoring to the seat in front of me. I looked at Ralph, raising my eyebrows, he simply shrugged in response. "Wake him up," I ordered. Ralph complied, leaning forward and poking the boy's head.

"She wants you," Ralph told him with a smirk. The boy poked his head up from his seat and looked at me questioningly. He wasn't dressed in the same uniform as Ralph, instead he was wearing a black robe and a square black cap with a silver badge on it.

I gave him my sweetest smile, "What's your name?"

"Maurice," he replied, grinning sheepishly. "What 'bout you, beautiful?"

I resisted the urge to visibly cringe. "I'm Audrey," I answered in my most saccharine tone. "Hey Maurice, could you be a darling and do me a huge favour?" I smiled at him, blinking innocently.

"Anything," he breathed.

"Shut. Up." I answered, turning my head sharply and opening my book again to resume reading.

I could see his dumbfounded look from the corner of my eye, causing me to smile slightly, particularly when I heard Ralph laughing and a few boys near us excitedly whispering.

I felt tapping on my back, so I closed my book and put it back into my suitcase, then turned around. The seats were too tall to easily see who was behind me, so I sat up on my knees and poked my head up to see who had tapped me. It was a boy with crimson-coloured hair and steely blue eyes. He was wearing the same as Maurice, nly the badge on his cap was Gold. There was a smirk playing on his lips as he looked at me, and his blue eyes burned with roguery. "May I help you?" I asked, breaking the silence.

"Did you tell Maurice to shut up?" I swear, if Maurice is his 'buddy' and he's about to give me a 'talking to', I am seriously going to punch him. Or get Ralph to.

He snorted with laughter. "Nice. He needed shutting up." I smiled in response, pleased that I wasn't getting a 'talking to'. "So what's your name anyway?"

"What's it to you?" I rebuffed. Sure he was cute, but he seemed like trouble even just from the look in his eyes.

"Well it's not everyday that I get to sit near a cute girl," he replied flirtatiously. "Especially in a school where the closest thing to a pretty girl is Ralph," he added, sniggering.

I turned to see Ralph's reaction, but he just rolled his eyes. He was sitting properly, facing the seat in front of him, so Jack didn't see his response. I covered my mouth to try and muffle my laughter, but it seemed to be unsuccessful, just making my amusement more obvious. I shook my head at the crimson-haired boy and turned back around to speak to Ralph again.

"You really won't tell me your name?" the boy's voice called from behind.

I smiled to myself. "Not unless you tell me yours first."

"Jack."

"Audrey."

I looked to Ralph pleadingly and he grinned in response. "Tired of getting bugged by him?" he asked teasingly, in a lowered voice to keep Jack from eavesdropping.

I caught on and also spoke in a quiet voice, "Nowhere near as enjoyable as talking to you."

"Glad to hear it," he grinned, his green eyes gleaming with good nature.


"Do you feel that?" I asked Ralph after some time had passed.

"The shaking?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

I nodded.

"It's just turbulence, no need to be afraid."

"Do I look afraid?"

"Yes." Maybe because I was.

I gave him my best withering glare, but he simply shook his head and asked if I had been on a plane before.

"Of course I've been on a plane,"I replied, feigning confidence. My ears were popping like mad. Gee, I wish I had some gum.

He looked at me dubiously and made a remark about my anxiousness.

I was about to reply, when the shaking got worse. "This is not normal. I'll bet I've been on planes much more than you have and I ensure you that this isn't supposed to be happening." I was getting flustered. I tended to lie when I got flustered. As I already said, I'd never been on a plane before and that was probably transparent.

He didn't seem inclined to respond, but he didn't have to. There was a voice telling us something through a megaphone, my head was spinning too much to hear. Oxygen masks were lowered down and before I could even think to put one on, I felt someone putting one on for me.

My mind was foggy, everything was blurry and I felt dizzy.

What was happening?


A/N

So what did you think? Feedback would be appreciated and I'm open to any ideas for how this should go. I've also aged the characters up for the purposes of this story. Anyway, please review, follow, favourite and all that. Thanks for reading! xxx