Chapter 3

Dawson strode through the bustling airport terminal with a determined look. His carry-on bag was light and contained only the essentials for the plane. There was a precise plan for the day, and no obstacles were going to deter from it. He marched to the ticket counter with a confident swagger and received his boarding passes, and then handed his small checked bag to the TSA agent.

He paused for a moment, his eyes drinking in the airport”s sight departure hall. His shoes made soft scuffing noises against the polished floor as he strode towards the security checkpoint, hands shaking with nerves. Taking a deep breath, he squared his shoulders and kept walking, filled with a newfound sense of purpose. He stared at the security checkpoint, taking in the smooth metal walls, the illuminated agents behind the glass, and the bright blinking lights guiding him along the path.

As soon as the security guard handed him back his boarding pass, he put his shoes in a container and his laptop and then the rest of his carry on. He was lucky that there wasn’t a long line this time. He was officially on his way to his destination, and now all that remained was the flight itself. To calm his nerves, he grabbed a cup of coffee before boarding.

He stood in line at the cafe closest to the airport and ordered himself a steaming cup of coffee. He watched as planes soared overhead, taking passengers on their next adventure. Taking a sip from his mug, he allowed his thoughts to wander as he waited for his turn to board. When it arrived, he threw the rest of his drink away, heaved his bag over his shoulder and turned towards the gate, feeling a renewed sense of excitement and anticipation for what was waiting ahead.

Dawson clasped his hands together as he waited in line to board the plane. He tried to take a few calming breaths, but it was hard with how much he dreaded taking even a short break from work. He reached for his phone before stopping himself. He was used to working non-stop and wasn’t sure if it was better or worse that he could still check emails and messages even when away. His apprehension about taking time off slightly melted away when the boarding call came for First-Class passengers and he could be among the first on the plane.

Dawson’s shoes clattered against the jet bridge as he shuffled toward his seat. He had double checked his paperwork three times, just to make sure that he was in first class this time around. He was glad for the big cushy seats and hoped with all his heart that no one would be sitting next to him. The last flight had been a nightmare; between the two chatterboxes who never stopped talking. He hadn’t gotten a single moment of peace. He silently prayed that he’d luck out this time–working on a plane was difficult enough without someone constantly interrupting you every five minutes. With an eagerness to start his work, Dawson pulled out his laptop and opened it up as soon as he got into the seat.

Dawson exhaled in relief when he saw the empty seat next to him on the plane. His joy was short-lived, however, when a woman with an oversized carry-on bag approached and claimed it as her own. He tried to occupy himself by gazing out the window, but his anxiety grew at the thought of having to endure an entire flight with someone who might not appreciate the silence.

The flight attendant came around offering drinks before takeoff, and Dawson politely declined. The woman next to him, however, ordered a Dr. Pepper. His eyes widened as soon as he heard her voice - it was unmistakable - Maci!

He hadn’t seen her in years, but here she was on his flight and sitting right next to him! He hadn’t expected this, nor did he have time to prepare himself for the conversation that would surely follow.

“Maci!?” he said in shock.

She turned her head towards him with surprise and then a wide smile spread across her face. “Dawson!” She said excitedly before they embraced each other in a tight hug.

Dawson couldn’t believe that Maci was sitting next to him. He didn’t even know she was in New York, let alone living here, but he tried to play it cool. He wasn’t the geeky teenager anymore. He had grown into a confident adult and he wanted to show her that the years had done him good.

“So what brings you here?” Dawson asked her as the plane began taxiing down the runway.

Maci smiled. “I work as a CFO for a tech company in the city! How about you? I remember you always saying you wanted to go out and see the world, but I never imagined we would both end up in New York.”

Dawson nodded and told her about his travels so far and how he had been working remotely ever since college. She seemed impressed by his ambition.

After all these years, it was amazing how much chemistry still existed between them. It felt like no time had passed since their high school days.

Dawson and Maci talked all throughout the flight and enjoyed catching up on each other’s lives. As they were talking, the plane jolted, causing a moment of turbulence. Maci grabbed onto Dawson’s hand with her eyes closed. He understood it was an involuntary reflex, as her father had died in a private plane crash years back.

Once the moment passed and the plane stopped jerking around, Maci let go of his hand and apologized. She confessed to him she had been terrified of flying ever since her father’s death and sometimes she had panic attacks while flying.

Dawson pulled her close, and she thanked him for being there, and he smiled in response before continuing their conversation in hushed tones for the remainder of the flight.

As they landed, Dawson’s eyes landed on her hand and there was no ring. After these years, this might be his chance to come clean with Maci.

Once the plane landed and they got to the gate, Dawson helped her with her carry-on and they walked together to the terminal to get their checked bags. He couldn’t help but think of the last time they were together before high school graduation and all the things he had wanted to say to her but hadn’t been able to in the moment. It seemed like fate had brought them back together again and this could be his chance to finally tell Maci how he truly felt about her.

“Where are you staying?” Maci asked.

“Grapevine Hotel. Only had two options.” As the gentleman he was, he took his and Maci’s bag outside to wait for his UBER. “Do you want to share my UBER? It’s already on the way.”

She smiled. “That would be lovely.”

The ride to the hotel was awkward with not a lot of conversation, but lots of exchanged glances. Dawson would need to work up the courage to risk telling Maci.

As the UBER driver opened Maci’s door, she hesitated. “Do you have plans tonight? Thought maybe you would like to get together for a drink at the hotel bar later? Say around seven?”

Dawson’s eyes went wide. This wasn’t the same Maci he remembered. This new woman in front of him had an air of confidence about her. “I’d love to.”

He followed her inside with their bags and then let her check in while he went up to his room with the digital room key.

This trip back home was already better than he anticipated, and maybe it would only get better from here.