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  “Ummm, excuse me. Um Sean, I mean Mr. Grant. HEY!” I sit straight up pissed off and jerking my headphones off before eyeing the interruption. A redhead, has to be the architect. A redhead? Really, mother? I have never dated a redhead in my life. Well except for Rachel who was a lot of fun but I quickly found out she wasn’t a natural redhead. “Do you talk or are you just going to stare at me?”

  She is already annoying me, “what do you want?”

  “I am truly sorry to bother you …” She spelled out slowly. “But I was wondering where your Mother is?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well we have taken off and she isn’t on the plane.”

  “What?” I asked standing up to verify. “What do you mean she isn’t on here?” I said checking the seats in front of us and behind us. “She couldn’t have? Unbelievable!” I yelled hitting the call button for the pilot.

  “Yes, sir?”

  “I believe we have left one of the scheduled passengers behind,” I said knowing the intention is probably correct.

  “If you are referring to Mrs. Grant, she called and said that she was unavoidably detained and to take off without her. She said she would find another flight at a later time.”

  Rubbing my hands over my face, I let out an exasperated chuckle. How in the world did I let her get me into this? “Did she say when she was taking another flight or where she would meet us in Miami?” I asked hopeful still.

  “No sir,” he cleared his throat before his muffled chuckled left his mouth. He must have a meddling mother too.

  “Thank you,” I said gritting my teeth and agonizing until I realize she is staring at me and waiting for an answer. “I’m sorry but my mother isn’t coming … on this flight anyway. Do you know where you two were supposed to go in Miami?”

  “Miami?” She asked looking puzzled.

  “Yes Miami, what were your plans when you got there?” She’s not too bright. “You were going to tour some Centers and meet with some people to get some ideas.”

  “I have no idea what you are talking about, I thought I was going back home to introduce her to the rest of my team.”

  “You live in Miami right?”

  “No … Atlanta,” she said looking at me even more confused.

  “Then why the hell are you going to Miami?”

  “I have no idea! I didn’t make the flight plans. I was told to get on this flight so I could get back home.” She yelled back at me.

  “Ahhh damn. Well it looks like my mother made plans that neither of us knew anything about but no big deal when we get to Miami I will make sure you get to Atlanta from there.”

  “Why would she make plans without telling us?”

  She probably deserves and explanation but there is no easy explanation for this. “It’s what she does. I can’t explain it.”

  “Well since we are in this together then, my name is Ava. Ava Kelley,” she said reaching her hand out across the aisle to me. Now I am beginning to wonder how much Miss, so called Innocent, didn’t know about this plan.

  I eye her hand suspiciously, “I don’t mean to be rude, but I got on this flight to get away from people. I am sure you are a real nice person and I am sure my mother got your hopes up that we might hit it off or some shit but I am not interested. Maybe I will take a picture with you once we get to Miami but I would really like to zone out over here and without a lot of conversation. Do you think you can do that for me sweetheart?” I said sinking back into my seat and drifting my gaze back to the seat in front of me until I realize she never replied. With a slight tilt of my head, I gaze back at her to see if she has passed out over her disappointment but instead she is eyeing me with an evil vengeance. “Are you okay? You’re not mental are you?”

  “Who the hell do you think you are?” She yelled but as soon as I open my mouth to tell her, she stops me. “Yes, I know who you are but I really don’t give a shit who you think you are because no one can possibly be that wonderful. I was trying to be nice but I certainly do not care to talk to you either. I have never met anyone so full of himself. What do you think every woman on the planet will abide by your every wish because it is you? And take a picture with you? Are you kidding? Haven’t you had enough pictures of yourself taken?” I roll my head back with my eyes. Great. She is fucking crazy. “Don’t you roll your eyes at me, you conceded ass.”

  “What the fuck lady I just wanted some privacy and I didn’t want you to get your hopes up that I might find you hot and have sex with you.” At once the death rays from her eyes singe my skin. She is obviously fucking nuts!

  “Oh! Well thank you, I feel so much better now that I don’t have to worry about whether Sean Fucking Grant finds me HOT and doesn’t want to have sex with me. Well let me put your mind at ease Sean. I don’t find you good looking enough to care what you think about me and I certainly don’t find you charming enough and there is no way in hell, I would ever consider having sex with you. So don’t you worry princess, I don’t have any desire to have another conversation with you ... EVER!” She said with a final exhale.

  I hope she doesn’t think that is a turn on because crazy is never a turn on. Suddenly the cockpit door flies open and out comes, Bronzer-boy, sticking out his chest and smiling his excessively whitened teeth to a maximum. He approaches looking to impress. I am in no mood for this, a want to be actor I am sure.

  “Hi, I’m one of your pilots Kevin Walker but only copiloting today though. Trying to take it easy from all my flights for some important government officials that I can’t disclose – no matter what you do to try to get me to talk,” he laughed to himself. Seriously? “Anyway, I thought I would come an introduce myself and let you know if you need anything … please, please let me know.” He stressed looking directly at her. He is trying to impress someone all right but it’s not me.

  “Thank you, but I think I’m fine right now,” she said so southern sweet it causes me to look her way.

  “Are you sure?” His eyes stroll from her face and all the way down to her toes while twirling his tongue in his mouth. This guy is unbelievable. “If you like you can come up in the cockpit and see how we fly this bird. We aren’t supposed to do that but you look like you can keep a secret,” he winks at her. I’m getting nauseated.

  “I … I don’t think so but thank you,” she said squirming in her seat, seemingly to look for a window to jump out of.

  “You’re welcome to sit in my seat. I will make sure you’re comfortable,” he says propping up one leg against the arm of the seat and flashing his broad white smile.

  Coughing, choking loudly. “Sorry, a thing in my throat.” I gesture towards my neck as they both look in my direction.

  “So, what do you think?” He did not even hesitate to continue. I am starting to feel sorry for her.

  “Thank you, but I think I am going to stay here. I am really tired,” she said emphasizing each word to his obvious displeasure.

  “Okay but if you change your mind,” he smiles making some ridiculous double finger-pointing gesture towards her and then back at himself. Grimacing I sink my head into my hands.

  I need a drink, although I don’t think there is enough alcohol in the world for this shit. Of course, there is also no one here to fix me one thanks to my mother. Except her. I look over at the redhead, who is doing her best to ignore me. “Miss, do you want a drink?” She does not even budge in my direction. “Hello.”

  “I guess,” she speaks softly into the window.

  “Yes?”

  “Yes. That would be nice.” She finally rolls her eyes towards me.

  “Good, the bar is in the back will you get me one while you’re up please?”

  “Why should I get it?” She sits up straight, angry all over again and starting to amuse me.

  “Because you are clearly working for my mother, which means you are working for me too, right?”

  “Does everyone do what you want?” She squints an evil glare in my direction.

  “Us
ually,” I wink at her with a smile. The smile always works.

  “What do you want princess?” I guess she can be useful after all, not to mention entertaining. I yell out my order as she approaches the bar in the back.

  “I don’t know if any project is worth this, he’s crazy and probably an alcoholic too,” she mumbles.

  “You keep talking shit about me and I am not going to let you take that picture with me.” I turn seeing her bringing me a glass and hesitating with it over my head - a little too long. “Are you going to give it to me or are you too captivated by my incredible good looks?”

  “UUGgghhh! Unbelievable,” she grumbles handing me the glass. “I should have made you wear it.”

  “I knew that was what you were thinking but to answer your question, I look good wet too.” Her reaction is entertaining as hell and I am waiting for her to respond but she keeps stopping herself with frustrating sighs until she seems to decide on ignoring me again. “What was your name again?” She turns even tighter to the window away from me. “You know it’s rude not to look at somebody when they are talking to you.”

  She turns quickly, setting me back in my seat, “I thought you didn’t want to talk to me?”

  “That was before I knew how much fun you are.”

  “What do you want, because I don’t want to talk to you?”

  “Oh don’t be that way, I am still going to take that picture with you.” I laugh at her snarling unappreciative sounds and lean back into my chair, putting my headphones back on. The flight will be over soon and I will make sure she gets home safely and for making me laugh, I might kiss her good-bye too. I exhale deeply thinking about my awaiting getaway until I am jolted out of my seat and with a quick glance out the window, I realize we are running right into a storm. The door to the cockpit flies open and the pilot approaches us urgently. This is not good.

  “My name is Gavin Samuel, I am your head pilot. I am sorry to tell you that we will not be able to make it to Miami tonight. We need to turn around and go back. The weather has taken a quick turn for the worse because of a hurricane changing what we thought was its intended direction. I am sorry but it was a decision I had to make.”

  “When do you think we will arrive back?” I asked.

  “Unsure at this time, the weather is creating a difficult scenario right now but we should be out of it soon.” He runs back to the cockpit slamming the door behind him and causing it to slam right back open. The girl is gripping the arms of her seat so tight her knuckles are turning white. I lean towards her to try to reassure her when a loud bang with a simultaneous jolt hits outside the plane. So not good! The pilot begins screaming his request for assistance. “Alright I see you. We will need to land immediately?”

  “All is clear. What’s the damage?” A voice roughly came over the speaker.

  “We are losing fuel rapidly, the landing is going to be rough.”

  “We will organize some emergency assistance …”

  Organize emergency assistance, where the hell are we landing? The plane plummets and before I know it, we are landing in an awkward twist. With the plane skidding sideways down the runway, the entire contents of the plane fly around us, trees smash into the windows, and someone screams so loudly, it hurts me. I am not sure what hit me or how many times but my drink is gone and I REALLY need it right now. With a crashing slide we stop. I begin to breathe again and sit up slowly only to see Bronzer-boy run out of the cockpit screaming and heading for the door of the plane. He jerks the handle of the door open and flings himself down a chute that he barely gets up before jumping. Wonderful he’s not only a moron he’s a jackass too. There is smoke everywhere and more of it coming but I am not sure from where. Undoing my seat belt, I get up to see the girl out cold and I realize Bronzer-boy must have been the screaming girl I heard. “Ava.” Was that her name? “Miss are you okay?” I cradle her face in my hands carefully waiting for her to respond.

  “Help! Help me please,” Gavin yells from the cockpit, I leave the girl and go to him only to find his leg sandwiched between parts of the plane.

  “How am I supposed to get you out of that?” I asked looking frantically for something to pry his leg out.

  “There is an ax behind that door, cut the top piece beyond my foot.” I grab the ax, and after a couple of vigilantly projected swings it comes loose, and I am able to slide him out and help him to the exit. “Wait is she alright?”

  I look over at the still unconscious girl. “I think so but don’t worry about it, I will get her.” I help Gavin out before returning to the girl. The smoke is getting worse and I am still not sure where it’s coming from. “Ava? Ava?” Still nothing. “Perfect! This day just gets better and better. All I wanted was to get away, some time to myself, that’s all I asked for.” I mumble to myself while carrying her off the plane and to several fast approaching vehicles. “So Mom, your plan worked like a charm. Your baby boy nearly died in a plane crash. No problem though, luckily I managed to get off before the plane exploded and hey I thought I would grab my future wife you found for me on my way out. What a nice story to tell our kids.” I said looking down at the girl lying against my chest and still unconscious. “This is so fucking absurd!” I yell as people surround us and someone takes the girl from my arms. Looking back at the unrecognizable plane I watch as the building the plane ran into burns and collapses, falling down the cliff into the docks below. What little hope I had for an escape off this island, is now destroyed. “This is so not good.”

  Chapter 5: Ava

  My head spins as soon as I open my eyes. I cannot place where I am, it must be a dream. I am in a white room, an exceptionally white room. Am I dead? I sit up taking in my surroundings. Can’t be dead, I don’t think death has a receptionist. As I am trying to focus, the door opens and a tall dark man in a white coat approaches smiling.

  “Ms. Ava, I am Dr. Bode. How are you feeling?”

  “Confused and my head hurts a lot. Where am I exactly?”

  “You are on Wilton Island a corporation owned island. We are strictly a sugarcane producing island, we don’t get too many visitors here, especially not the way you and your friends dropped in.”

  “Oh yea, the plane,” I said leaning back and shutting my eyes. “Oh crap, we survived. What happened to the rude actor guy and the pilots?”

  The doctor clears his throat with a wide smile. “One pilot has minor scratches and bruises from jumping off the plane before the chute was fully expanded. The other has a broken foot and I am assuming the rude actor you speak of is Mr. Grant and he has some minor scratches but other than that, he is fine. He is the hero of your group, making sure everyone got off the plane and all.” My expression turns to shock as he laughs at me. “Yes, he cleared Mr. Samuel’s leg and then carried you off the plane himself. Quite brave I think, especially for a rude actor,” he chuckled.

  “He didn’t have to carry me did he?” I asked watching him nod. “Oh that’s so embarrassingly awful.”

  “Well I don’t know about that but I can give you some medicine for the headache. All your tests came back fine so we can let you go whenever you’re ready.”

  “Let me go? Go where exactly?” I asked searching for a window to look out of.

  “Well I believe that’s what will be discussed with you shortly. We are a small island and most of our available beds are taken. All we have left is the two cabins the research team uses when they are here. They shouldn’t be back for a few months so they should be fine but with only two … you will have to share.”

  Sitting up straight with my eyes wide open, “share?”

  “Well yes, it’s best anyway I would prefer you not be alone since you hit your head.” I slump over into my hands. “The nurse has some medicine for you and some clean clothes. Let me know if you need anything, my number is in the directory in your cabin. I hope you have a better rest of the night.”

  After hearing the doctor leave, I bury my face into my hands. “This is not happening!” I cried
punching the bed in front of me with both fists.

  “Come on Kelley, it’s not that bad … you got me,” his voice smug as always.

  I gasp looking up at his sarcastic smile, “oh no, don’t tell me. There has to be someone else I could…”

  “Who? You want to room with Bronzer-boy so he can find new ways to get you to sit on his lap?” Sean says with a less than humored expression.

  My stomach churns, “no, but what about the other pilot he seemed nice and shy. He wouldn’t even look directly at me when I got on the plan?”

  “Yes, but apparently he loves his wife and he doesn’t want her to cut off his balls when she finds out he slept in a cabin alone with you. I don’t particularly want to spend my time with Bronzer-boy anymore than you do. Listen, I am not too happy about it either but considering it could be a lot worse.”

  “How?” I fall back into the bed pouting.

  “I am going to pretend you didn’t say that, you’re hurting my feelings. Look, we can stay up all-night and talk and play games and do each other’s nails and hair and all kinds of fun stuff.” I look over at him in questioning disgust as he shivers clapping his hands together like a little schoolgirl with a mocking smile before immediately changing his tone to disgust. “Now get your ass out of that bed and let’s get the hell out of here, I’m tired,” Sean said storming out of the room.

  I walk slowly towards Sean, carrying a change of clothes a nurse gave me for the both of us. He looks as though he is as tired as I am. When he sees me, he holds out his hands like he has been waiting there all-day for me. Jackass - as if he’s the only one having a bad day. Demerae, our driver for the night, and Jamaican it seems by his accent, as well as most of the people we have met so far. I guess he is nineteen at best, sweet and energetic, hyper or maybe it is the excitement of crazy people crashing on his island. He drives us to our cabin through the pouring rain and rough winds. I sit in the back of the tiny truck listening to Sean talk to Demerae but when they get to the routine of meals for the next few days, I snap out of my daze. “Stop!”