A/N: Hey guys! New fic. Not sure if I will continue, let me know what you think.
Hottie12oclock
--
Disclaimer: Characters are Tammy's!
--
Daine stared out the window of the over-crowded airplane, the surrounding clouds settling her into a dream-like state. The first four hours of the 8-hour, trans-Atlantic flight had been hell - mothers unsuccessfully attempting to lull their very unhappy infants, small children incessantly kicking the back of her chair, neighboring passengers fouling the air with their halitosis. The rather large man sitting beside her fell asleep, his head falling to rest on her shoulder and his jaw flapping open to gag her with breathy odor. Daine had gently pushed him off until he slumped over the other armrest, hanging into the aisle. Bad luck at breakfast time, Daine had thought. His head will become a speed-bump for the food trolley…
Finally, the inhabitants of the metal bird seemed to come to a treaty; babies slumbered on the breasts of their mothers, children wore out their sugar-buzz, and Daine sighed thankfully. Now she could, at last, get a wink of…
"Miss; coffee, water, or soft drink?" Daine groaned to be pestered. "Miss?" the voice called again. She peeled one eyelid back to grab the extended breakfast tray and a bottled water. Unfortunately, the savages had awoken as well and now were back to their old games of yelling and rocking Daine's chair.
She couldn't take it anymore. "Knock it off!" she snapped at the pig-nosed boy behind her. His legs paralyzed instantly, eyes growing round in surprise. Groggy and quite grumpy, she threw her breakfast onto the fold-down tray, pulled out her iPod, and tuned out the noise.
Something hard bumped her shoulder, jostling her awake. All around her, people were decked with carry-ons and other necessary commodities for flight.
"Shit!" Daine cursed, stashing her uneaten food in her bag and jumped into the aisle. She impatiently rose onto her tip-toes, trying to see over heads. She was the last in the impossibly long, lethargic line.
"Bloody fabulous," she muttered haughtily. She had an interview at Corus School of Medicines at 11:30 sharp. Daine glanced at her wristwatch, swearing yet again when she read 9:47. While scooting up the isle, her purse strap caught on an armrest, jerking her body back and ripping the handle from the bag. The contents scattered across the floor.
Daine moaned, closing her eyes and lifting her face towards the sky. Why me? By the time she had restored the contents of her bag, the rest of the passengers had left. She hurried down the aisle, clutching her purse to her stomach. As she approached the first-class section, her phone began to ring; Daine dug through her purse, turning full attention to the inside of her broken carrier and collided full into something - or someone.
"Oof!" she and the stranger grunted as Daine was knocked to her butt, left scowling up at a very tall, very handsome man. "I'm terribly sorry," her victim apologized, glancing around at a few things he'd dropped as well; a laptop bag lay on the seat, a portfolio had fallen, papers askew, but he still clutched a worn leather case in his hand. Daine's expression softened as their eyes locked; she still sat, propped on her arms as he half-extended his hand.
He wore black slacks, white shirt and blue tie, jacket slung over the back of his chair. His raven-black hair was tied back, Daine assumed, for it disappeared behind his head. In his chocolaty eyes, still locked with Daine's stormy-blue orbs, she could see kindness and intelligence. Suddenly, he smiled, extending his arm fully to help her to her feet.
"Again, I apologize sincerely. I really am quite oblivious to my surroundings and a little rushed to get off this plane." His voice was warm and comforting. Daine stared. "Erm…I'm Numair, Numair Salmalin."
Daine found her voice. "Oh, really, it was my fault entirely - I got distracted by my mobile and my bag broke and I have this thing…" she sputtered at once, stopping when she realized she was blubbering. "Daine," she stated simply.
Numair smiled, unable to tear his gaze away from this beautiful creature standing before him. Her smoky brown curls were pulled back to a messy mass at the base of her neck, a few errant wisps sneaking their way out of the hair band to frame her face and give her a slightly untamed look. Her eyes, the first thing he'd noticed, held fire, determination, and perhaps a secret - he couldn't determine. As Daine bent to collect her belongings and he was forced to break eye connection, Numair noticed she was dressed comfortably (practical for long flights) in pink Adidas shorts and a white tank top. Despite her slightly disheveled appearance, he noted how she still maintained an easy beauty, far surpassing that of a woman who had spent hours in front of a vanity.
The young woman stood up. "Well, I had better get going. I have an appointment I really must make," she excused herself, but didn't move. "I apologize for the bump." Numair noted her slight accent.
He snapped out of his daze. "Oh, yes, not a problem at all," he turned to gather his coat and laptop. "Well, what brings you to Atlanta? I'm actually a - " he stopped abruptly when he realized she'd gone already. He sighed, the single remaining passenger.
--
Daine's stomach growled fastidiously, demanding food. She had just exited the restrooms, where she had changed into black dress pants and a white blouse, something a bit more appropriate for an interview with the most exclusive, prestigious medical academy on the east coast. Every year, the Corus School of Medicines only admitted 800-900 new students. Daine was applying into her junior year, as she had already acquired an associate's degree at a neighboring school. As she headed toward the food court to grab a coffee, she reviewed important notes in her head. Determination, extreme passion for veterinary medicine, and named as one of three Future Medical Leaders in the southeast. After completing a study on a rare Brazilian primate and excelling in invasive veterinary surgeries her second term, she had been presented with this award. She and the other two, one from her previous school and one from Duke University, studied with the other Future Medical Leaders from across the country in an elite summer program. She was also awarded with a scholarship amounting to 50,000. That would save her grandparents some cash, for they funded her schooling - now all she needed was to be accepted into her dream school.
She slid into the queue at the Coffee House, still awkwardly clutching her carry-on. To save time and hassle, she had sent her extra clothes through Fed-Ex to arrive at her apartment in the morning; she absolutely despised luggage claims - the airlines seemed to always either lose her bag or unload it last, leaving her to wait for ridiculous amounts of time. Finally, she was greeted by the cashier. Ordering a vanilla latte, she dug cash out of her bag and turned, coffee in hand, to collide - yet again - with a very tall man.
Numair hissed as a burning liquid stain spread across his dress shirt. Daine, panicking, rushed to grab some napkins and proceeded to wipe at the mess, apologizing profusely the entire time. As soon as he had recognized her, Numair smiled. Now he watched with amusement as she desperately attempted to remove the stain.
"Oh, for the love of…that's the second time I've bumped into someone today, I really should just look out - " she was silenced by his light, pleasant chuckle. Looking up, she realized that not only had she had two run-ins, but also with the same victim. "Oh," she sounded pleasantly surprised.
Numair found his eyes locking with hers for the second time that fateful morning, only she had changed. Applied some make-up and traded her comfortable outfit for a more sophisticated ensemble, very nice, he thought.
"I'm so so so so SO sorry!! I promise, I really will be more careful!" Daine apologized.
"Quite alright! I think I needed some color anyhow," he responded humorously. Daine smiled, glad for the forgiveness. For some reason, she couldn't help but wonder at their meetings. Maybe it wasn't just coincidence, maybe…
"Look, I don't usually do this, but maybe if you have free time we could grab lunch or something, you know, nothing formal," she wrote her number on a napkin and gave it to Numair.
"Numy!" called a woman standing near a pillar. Numair turned, and Daine raised an eyebrow at the nickname. She peered around Numair's obscuring figure to catch sight of a tall, well-developed (or maybe surgeon-developed) blonde woman in heels and large bejeweled shades, clutching a Gucci handbag and resting one manicured hand on her hip. At this, Daine raised not one, but both her eyebrows. Then, she noticed that Numair held one coffee and had been reaching for another on the counter when she ran into him (again).
Stupid, stupid, stupid! Daine chided herself. How could she ever think that a guy with the looks of a god would be single and interested in her?! Numair gave Daine one last, slightly apologetic smile and left to greet the woman.
"Is this non-fat?" Daine heard the woman ask. At Numair's negative, she plastered on a smile/grimace and slipped the untouched beverage into a nearby trashcan. "Numy Bear, you really ought to know better." As they exited the building, Daine saw the lady hook her arm through his, creating the appearance that Numair was her escort, not significant other. But, just before the couple disappeared from Daine's view, she noticed that he slipped a napkin into his jacket pocket, the movement unnoticed by the other.
Sighing to herself, Daine left the airport, alone with a broken bag and only half a latte.
