Chapter Twelve
The four students sat two by two in the airport provided lush black cart, Victoria was holding the leather handle tightly not trusting the speedy driver or the narrow, open vehicle at all "We're so lucky we snagged the cart" Teddy explained swirling on the seat freely to eye a cautious Victoria and anxious Daniel "This way we didn't need to walk all the plane,"
Lucius jumped in, spinning a little more cautiously to face Victoria "Unlike when we got here the for the first time and the cart hadn't been available; It had be a night flight, we'd been drinking a lot of whiskey and that hungover walk had near killed me." She laughed at the pair of spoilt rich kids as they chattered about that hangover and the rain they suffered through that morning.
Victoria sat behind the best friends realising once again that her rural country-home, public-school background in Ireland was so different to their cart driven, imported designer wearing, matured whiskey drinking, expensive apartment living lives. The cart turned a corner and Daniel trembled beside Victoria as his nerves sky rocketed, glancing at Daniel she noticed that his gaze was locked onto something, bewildered at his alarmed expression she turned at found what Daniel was staring at.
Victoria's jaw practically hit the floor and Daniel paled even further as the cart made it's way over to the sleek, grey private plane. Teddy watched as Victoria's eyes flittered around the private wing of Logan International airport with an amused grin.
He had refused to give any hints to her as they fast tracked through security and then when Victoria changed tactics and tried to get Lucius to tell her what was going on but he was too preoccupied searching for the morning newspapers in the shops to give her any warnings. And Daniel was too nervous about the flight to be any use to the inquisitive little blond.
"And she's speechless" Lucius teased, turning to gaze the wide eye'd irish amused, "It's refreshing." he stated with a soft chuckle under his breath as the certifiable driver slowed down. "Hey Vick, do you think you could afford the ticket's cost now?" he laughed with a wink, stepping off the cart as it slowed to a stop.
"What? How?" she asked Teddy confused as she stared at the thin, modern private plane before glancing back at him, "Does your dad work for a airline or something?" She asked gazing over the plane for any sign of a company logo, but the plane's exterior was just a sleek grey with a darker grey on the wings.
"Yeah, well no, kinda?" Teddy sighed scratching the back of his neck at a loss, he'd hoped Victoria would have figured out who his dad was without his help or that at least one of the girls would have broke the the news to him. He knew for certain that Charlotte knew who he was, she always poked jibes about his dad's lack of a Harvard degree. "It's a long story" he mumbled, eyeing past her to the driver as he start to sort their luggage "Let's get in side before we all freeze" he explained glancing at Daniel who was shivering from fear rather than the cold.
"I can't fucking believe this" Victoria laughed as they stepped up the stairs ignoring the bitter wind as it whipped her hair around her face. "This is so crazy Teddy!" she muttered glancing across the tarmac spotting the watch tower. with a laugh she walked into the plane, a beautiful, blond hostess greeted her "Hello" Victoria smiled noticing that the women looked flawless, she shrugged off the thought too excited about the private jet before walking through a wide hall, finding a cream carpeted a luxurious lounge area with couches, a television, telephone and a table. "Wow" she murmured fingering the silk curtain above the plane's narrow windows, Victoria eyed the immaculate table setting before exploring deeper into the plane and found something more familiar. Rows of two chairs either side of the plane set up like a normal plane only instead of the horrible stiff plastic and cheap cushioned chair this plane was furnished with huge, revolving leather armchairs. "This is insane" Victoria whispered as Lucius chuckled at her bewildered expression.
Teddy smiled at her as he sat down in his favourite seat by the window. Teddy had known that this would be a great deal of a culture shock to Victoria since she was a scholarship kid and the little he'd heard about her childhood in Ireland hadn't been anything like his. "This is my life" Teddy pointed out lightly and slightly awkwardly as he glanced around the familiar family jet, his dad having bought it sometime after Phoebe was born.
"Yeah I guess it is," Victoria laughed eyeing the compartment with appreciation, she thought of her, so far barely touched, bank account and all the possibilities she could do with it. Victoria stepped further down the plane and found a bedroom and laughed shaking her head. She had never thought of travelling and now, as she peered into the huge bathroom shower included, places like Morocco, Mexico, Budapest, Russia, Japan and Dubai where filling up her day dream thoughts. She returned to the boys and couldn't get the smile to leave her face "I can't get over this!" she pointed out watching as two more suited people put away bags, "Is one of them like the pilot?" she asked Teddy confused, Teddy glanced down the plane and found he burst out laughing finding Sawyer and Payne.
"This is sweet!" Daniel commented, his colour still drained from his face but excitement was in his eyes as he sat down beside Teddy and dumped his rucksack at his feet. Victoria watched as Teddy walked over to the two suited men and shook their hands, "Who's that?" Daniel asked confused, Lucius glanced up from his newspaper.
"Payne and Sawyer, I think they're just here to bring us home" He explained unbothered. "security I think?" Victoria was going question Lucius more but Daniel turned a shocking shade of green.
"You okay?" Victoria asked alarmed eyeing Daniel sweating brow as his heart jumped when the planes engines started. Daniel glanced out the window noting that the plane wasn't moving and took deep breath, squeezing the arms of his chair tightly.
"Just flight nerves" Daniel explained as Lucius moved from leaning against one of the huge chairs to slid in behind Teddy and Daniel's row. Victoria glanced at the empty side of the plane and decided to sit by a window alone, "Don't you hate flying?" Daniel asked with a pant as the plane jerked forward.
Victoria laughed and shrugged as she slid into her own seat eyeing all the different buttons finding the way to unlock the chair so it could swivel. "I wouldn't know I have a flight ritual I can't break" Victoria pointed out as Teddy returned a smile fitted on his lips, Lucius cocked an eyebrow over at her as he stood to pull off his winter coat, she grinned unwrapping her scarf. "Eat, drink, sleep. Landed."
"Serious?" Teddy asked dropping into his seat and grabbing the safety belt to buckle himself in quickly, "Always?"
"Yeah, I just pass out." Victoria laughed locking the chair back into place and grabbing her safety belt, "I slept through a storm over France once."
The plane started to turn and Daniel tensed. "Would you like me to go through the safety prodigal Mr Grey?" the flawless hostess asked politely. Victoria laughed behind her hand, she'd never heard him called that before, and with the way he was so formally dressed she couldn't take, Daniel glanced at her warily.
"No thank you, maybe we could get Daniel something for his nerves before we take off?" Teddy asked seriously and the hostess glanced at Daniel concerned, Lucius kicked his legs out hitting the back of Teddy's chair and Victoria watch as Teddy tried and failed to hide his irritation with Lucius as he spoke to the hostess. "Thank you Yvon"
"No problem sir" she replied and returned back to the front of the plane.
A little while after Daniel took a mild sedative from Yvon, the plane took off and he didn't have a heart attack like Victoria had been almost sure he would have had without the tablets. And now a half hour up in the sky, free to move around the plane the four friends were doing their own things bored or unconcerned with light conversation. Lucius was reading his news papers still sitting in the leather chair, Daniel was busy on his handheld gaming conceal stretched out in the lounge area and Teddy was sitting at the table typing on his laptop while Victoria had decided to stretch out on the bed with her tattered copy of 'Pride and Prejudice'.
It was a while before Yvon ventured into the depth of the plane to reach Victoria, "Would you like a drink Miss Smith?" she asked politely, her eyes fixed on the younger girls horrible clothes. Startled, Victoria's finger let her book slid from her fingers from the shock of the hostesses presents.
"I'll come up front with the others" Victoria explained still a little dazed, Yvon nodded and disappeared again. Victoria huffed and pushed herself off the huge bed, deciding that Yvon had been rude as she strolled through the plane, all the boys had migrated into the lounge.
"Mr Grey? Anyone drinks?" Yvon asked as Victoria pushed Daniel's feet off the end of the couch so she could sit down.
"Love a soda" Daniel explained as he eye'd his game intently, Victoria peered to see what game he was playing but he just pulled the console away from her view.
"Just water" Teddy smiled before flickering his eyes back to his laptops screen.
"Coffee please" Lucius all but growled as he flicked the board sheet's page.
The hostess turned to Victoria with her fake bright smile as she eye'd her clothes again with distaste. "Actually could you show me where my bags are? I need to change" She explained placing down her book.
Teddy glanced over at Victoria eyeing her comfortable long, band t-shirt and leggings "It's nearly a six hour flight" he pointed out confused to why she'd want to get all dress up so early. "You've loads of time to change yet"
Victoria shrugged trying to shake off Yvon's obvious belittlement of her travel clothes "I'm planning on sleeping the rest of it"
"This way Ms Smith," Teddy laughed at the title Yvon used and Victoria gave him a glare ruined by her own laughter as she followed Yvon to the middle of the plane.
Victoria quickly pulled out her bags shivering from the stares of two intimidating and suited men then rushed to the bedroom to change, the boys not picking up on her change in demeanour. Victoria's thoughts were racing, who were those men? Did she pack anything suitable for a formal dinner? What were Teddy's parents like? It hit Victoria how overwhelming this trip had become, she was on her way to Seattle to meet Teddy's family.
Only weeks ago she thought she might go with William to Texas to meet his family. This was a completely different situation than going to Texas, for starters she was almost positive that she would have been taking a normal fucking plane. And then Teddy was only a friend and that wasn't going to change anytime soon since she certain that he didn't want her like she wanted him cause everyone knew that if Teddy Grey liked a girl she'd end up in his bed before she even knew how it happened and Victoria absolutely refused to make their friendship awkward by telling him about her stupid feelings.
Standing up Victoria grabbed her bag growing more upset as she searched for a semi-formal dress and heels. Huffing she roughly yanked out a dark grey, sheath dress and a black boot heels and quickly got changed. Trying with all her might not to let her tears fall as she reached for her make-up mag and hair clips, she knew that Teddy was great even if all he'd ever be is just as a friend but it was hard for her to be so close to him and not be able to move their relationship further like she had been capable to do with William. But Teddy was more important to her than her stupid fling with William. She wished that she could be able to see Teddy the way she seen Lucius or Mathew, as just a friend.
Returning to the room she quickly returned bags, both men now hovering over a laptop too distracted to be intimidating. "Can I have a beer and some peanuts, please Yvon?" Victoria asked catching Yvon's appraisal for her new outfit.
"Of course Miss Smith" Yvon nodded and turned to the front of the plane.
"Don't you dress up well" Lucius commented tauntingly as Victoria returned to the Lounge, her heart dropped what was wrong with her outfit?
"She looks great" Teddy defended, spotted the confused expression on Victoria's face, throwing some sweets at Lucius. "You look great!" he told her as he watched her slide back into her seat curling her legs under herself and biting her lip, the tight dress called to him in ways he refused to act on and her stained lips taunted him for it.
"Thanks Teddy" she muttered flicking open her book lethargically flickering her eyes over the words not really reading then the hostess appeared with her order. Saying thanks Victoria took a handful of nuts and began eating while she pretended to read.
"Bit early isn't it?" Daniel teased eyeing her alcoholic drink, "Not even past noon yet"
"Is in Ireland" Victoria countered lightlyLucius laughed at her folding over his newspaper. Her friends pulled her out of her downer as they tried to figure out what time it was Ireland she grinned taking a long sip of her beer while they debated it.
Teddy eye'd Victoria amused for a few minutes while she explained the time zones to Daniel, who was finding it all very confusing. Lucius called for a film and stuck on a DVD but it didn't take very long for Victoria to shift on the couch and fall to sleep, her heavy breaths telling the boys she was asleep. The three of them watched the film and sometime during the flight Victoria woke in a daze to use the bathroom and instead of returning to the lounge she curled up on her leather chair an fell back to sleep. Free to be loud again the boys started to drink beer while playing some poker.
Teddy had been glancing threw the cabin down to Victoria every now and then during their game and Lucius called him on it, Teddy rolled his eyes and catch Yvon's attention. "Sorry Yvon, could you get Victoria a blanket" Teddy explained pointing to the sleeping girl, Yvon nodded and disappeared.
"Considerate of you" Lucius murmured, eyeing his friend over his hand of cards.
"She might be cold" Teddy pointed out seriously, not taking any shit from Lucius right now. Lucius noted the irritated under tone in Teddy voice and decided to play up on him.
"Did you know Victoria is Teddy first girl-friend?" Lucius told Daniel amused, his eyes alit with humour as Daniel glanced over at Teddy amused.
"Nope" Daniel smirked, cocking an eyebrow at Teddy faking confusion "so do you know the difference between girl friends and girlfriends"
"I have other girls that are my friends" Teddy snapped hotly, glaring at Lucius. "And of course I knew the difference between girls and girlfriends" he explained casting aside Daniel's jeer.
"But Phoebe and Ava don't count" Lucius chuckled knowing exactly where Teddy's head was at, "And girls who you're friends with now after having sex with doesn't count either"
"Right so maybe I don't have any girls that are my friends apart from Victoria" Teddy pointed out unconcerned "so what?"
"I don't think you know the difference" Daniel argued a little serious now, Teddy eye'd him bewildered. "Girls and girlfriends"
"And why wouldn't I?" Teddy argued moodily glancing over at Victoria who shifted in her seat as Yvon placed a blanket over her carefully.
"Cause you should treat her like one of the lads" Daniel pointed with his thumb behind him, Lucius remained quiet eyeing Teddy carefully.
"Isn't that what friends do?" Teddy pointed out dropping his cards to the table to pick up his beer "You treat her the exact same"
"Not always, and I'm not the one who likes her" Daniel stated dropping his cards facedown onto the table too and grabbing some nuts.
"I don't.." Lucius flung his cards on the table distracting Teddy.
"Don't you dare deny it now, your stupid excuse all along was that you were group partners, well the semester is over and you don't have that excuse anymore" Lucius snapped standing up with a irrupted eye roll, some how he's plan to annoy Teddy had back fired. "Don't you dare go looking at her the way you do then try to deny you that care for her"
"She's my friend of course I care for her" Teddy pointed out seriously a little defensive about Lucius's comment "Victoria doesn't want me as anything more, telling her I find her attractive would just mess everything up and I value her more than that"
Daniel chuckled and stood also glancing into the other room to Victoria then back at the younger man "Or maybe you two could be great together if you manned up and gave it a shot" The pair of boys moved to the couches fixing the telly to watch an other film. Teddy thought over what Lucius and Daniel said and sighed rubbing his forehead imagining Victoria storming up to him and declaring she wanted him but it would never happen, she didn't like him like that. He sat wondering how he could show Victoria how he felt without making it too obvious or saying it "So I've heard of Ava, but who's Phoebe?" Daniel inquired breaking Teddy's train of thoughts.
"She's my little sister and if you even so far as look at her wrong I'll kick you're ass"
"I'd like to see you try, but understood" Daniel chuckled holding his hands up in mock surrender.
A.N:
Hey readers :)
So got any idea's how Teddy can let Victoria know his true feelings?
And anyone who takes the time to review...
Thank you, because I Love reading all your reviews.
