Chapter 9

'Passport?'

'Check'

'Ticket?'

'Check'

'Camera?'

Nellie rolled her eyes.

'Shanna, of course I've got my camera. I never leave the house without it.'

'You never know!' She replied defensively. 'Anyway, it looks like you've got everything. Come on, let's get your ass downstairs. Blake should be here any minute now.'

Nellie rolled her eyes once more. Shanna could be such a mother hen sometimes. She picked up her duffel bag and followed Shanna down the stairs.

As Shanna had predicted, Blake was stationed in front of their building, drumming his fingers against his steering wheel. As he saw them approaching, he got out to help Nellie with her belongings.

'Hey!' He greeted them. He took Nellie's bag before turning to Shanna, 'Nice to meet you, I'm- Shanna?' He hadn't recognized her from afar, and nearly stumbled by surprise.

Nellie and Shanna laughed as they watched Blake.

'Hey Blake,' Shanna smiled. 'Me and Nellie are roomies now.'

'You didn't tell me.' Blake turned to Nellie.

'Well, you didn't ask.' Nellie retorted, still laughing at Blake's flabbergasted expression.

Blake ran his fingers through his hair. 'This is so weird.' He sighed.

'Tell me about it.' Shanna said. 'I see Nellie walk into the café I work in, and then, to add on to the shock, she tells me that you're her boss.'

'How long has it been since the three of us have been together?' Wondered Nellie.

They all paused, trying to remember.

'I think it was at Blake's back to school party in freshman year.' Nellie said, instantly regretting her previous question.

There was a silence as they all remembered the eventful night.

'You're sure about this? Shanna questioned Nellie as they entered Blake's house where the party was already in full swing.

'Shanna, don't worry about it.' Nellie said reassuringly. 'Blake's our friend, and if any of his jock friends annoy us, he'll help us.'

Shanna shot her an incredulous look. Nellie rolled her eyes, knowing fully well what her best friend was thinking about. 'Look, Blake couldn't have stopped that from happening. It's some ritual thing they have for all the people that join the glee club.'

Nellie had been slushied at the beginning of the week, and even though she kept insisting that a few slushies wouldn't get in between her and Blake's friendship, Shanna couldn't stop herself from thinking that with Blake's jock status and Nellie joining the Glee Club, their friendship was bound to suffer sometime soon.

Shanna quickly dismissed the thought as the searched for Blake. They found him in the kitchen, chatting with some of his friends, being the ideal host, with a drink in hand. He interrupted his conversation as he noticed them entering the small kitchen, turning around to properly greet them.

'How are my favourite girls?' He asked. He had obviously already been drinking, the smell of alcohol wafting from him as he hugged each of them in turn. Shanna sighed as she saw a blushing Nellie step out of his arms. Her crush on Blake had only increased over the summer, and Shanna was genuinely worried for her, scared that she was going to get hurt.

Shanna and Nellie spent the rest of the party sitting outside, near the pool, gingerly holding their drinks, too scared to initiate conversation with anybody. Blake had left them to drink some more, joining in with everybody else. They were talking about leaving when a burly jock approached them, an evil grin plastered on his face.

'Look at what we have a here.' He chuckled mischievously. 'Aren't you the new glee freak? And that must be one of your loser friends. What are you even doing here?'

'Blake…he…he invited us.' Nellie stammered, the fear apparent in her voice.

He laughed before saying 'As if. Blake would never invite losers like you.'

'We're his best friends.' Interjected Shanna, her temper rising. She wasn't going to let this brute bully Nellie around.

'Blake Edwards? He doesn't have time for freaks like you. Now leave or else. We don't want losers like you here.' He said menacingly.

'Or else what?' Shanna stood up, getting angrier by the second. 'We're not going to leave just because some jerk told us to.' Nellie tried to stop her, but it was already too late.

'What did you call me?' He took a step forward, scaring Shanna out of her wits He picked her up, walked towards the pool, and threw her in. He walked back to where Nellie was crouching, where she was trying her best to hide, but he did the same and picked her up and threw her in, making her join Shanna in the ice-cold pool, surrounded by people laughing at them and mocking them.

As they walked through the house towards the front door in order to leave, drenched to the core, and their carefully chosen outfits ruined, they were stopped by Blake. He was still drunk, but he seemed to be sober enough to realize what had happened.

'Guys, I am so sorry. It was just a joke.'

'It's ok, don't worry-' Nellie started, before Shanna interrupted her.

'No it's not.' She said to Nellie, before turning to Blake. 'Well I'm not laughing. I'm freezing, and I'm probably going to catch a cold. This is also my favourite dress.' She gestured at her ruined piece of clothing.

'It's just a dress. You can just-' Shanna slapped him across his face, stopping him from finishing his sentence. Nellie and Blake stared at her in shock, Blake touching his stinging cheek.

'You've turned into such a jerk, Blake. I don't know what happened. You've finally gotten the popularity status you've always craved, but I guess it came with a price.'

And with that, she walked out, tugging Nellie behind her.

There was an awkward silence.

Blake cleared his throat. 'Well I think we should get going.'


Planes. Even the word sent shudders down her spine. She thought she had gotten over her phobia of planes, after flying in them multiple times to and fro between home and college, but as she entered the flying vehicle, she felt the fear she had thought she had quenched rising in her. As she sat down in her seat, she tried her best to distract herself, but that was near impossible since she was sitting in a window seat, and she had a clear view of the runway they were going to take off on.

'Ladies and gentlemen, would you please fasten your seatbelts. We are preparing for take off.'

Nellie gulped and tried her best to fasten her seat belt with her shaking hands.

'Would Nellie Stromberg please make her way to the principal's office?'

Nellie looked up from her English textbook as she heard her name through the intercom. She turned to her neighbor, Blake, who just shrugged at her.

'Don't worry about it. I'm sure it's just because of your perfect grades or whatever.'

She laughed softly, knowing fully well that Blake was jealous of her near-perfect grades. He smiled reassuringly as she stood up to go to the office.

She knocked on Principal Figgins' door and entered, She gasped as she saw her parents sitting at her principal's desk, tears flowing down their cheeks. Panic rose in her as she tried to comprehend the situation.

'What happened? What's going on? Why are you crying?' She had never seen her parents cry before.

'Nellie, please take a seat.' Said Principal Figgins, gesturing towards a spare seat next to where her parents were sitting.

Nellie sat down, looking at her parents questioningly. Her mother spoke, and through her many hiccups and tears, Nellie could just about make out the fateful words. 'It's Jamie… her plane… it…it crashed…Jamie…she's…she's dead.'

'Nellie… Nellie, are you ok? Nellie, look at me.'

Nellie opened her eyes, to see Blake shaking her by the shoulders, his eyes clouded by worry. She looked around, and realized that she must've fainted.

'You're as white as a sheet! What's wrong?' He searched her eyes, trying to find an answer to his question, when he suddenly connected the dots. 'Oh my God Nellie, I am sorry! I should've known' His voice shook from worry. 'We should switch seats. Come on.'

He unfastened his seatbelt, oblivious to the stewardess' protests, stood up, and picked Nellie up, putting her in his seat, and sat down, closing the window.

'Feeling better?'

Nellie nodded. She was surprised by how worried Blake had been, as if he was genuinely concerned.

The rest of the flight went by much better, Blake taking care of her. He held her hand during take off, muttering reassuring words in her ear, and during the whole time they were in the air, he constantly did his best to distract her, talking to her relentlessly and cracking jokes, trying his best to make her feel better. Nellie smiled; it was as if the old Blake was back.

A.N.: Hi guys :D this story has hit 2,000 views! Thank you so much :) Also, I would like to ask you a favour: Since I'm not from the US, I was wondering, could you maybe tell me what kind of sporty events tend to happen in Arizona? I tried to google it, but I couldn't find much, and I need something for the story :) Thanks. And thank you so much for the reviews :D