A/N :This chapter starts with some vicious bullying against LGBTQ community members.

Leanne

Oh my God! First class? Wow. And Jo-Jo's arrested for drunk and disorderly. She's getting off lucky, but at least it's something. I hope she learns her lesson.

Leanne followed Wilson and Frank up the aisle toward the front of the plane. As they passed their classmates, their snickers and whispers stopped. She found herself blushing and hoping they would leave her alone.

"Fag hag, he's a faggot, can't get it up for a girl." She didn't recognize the voice, but it was a boy.

I knew they wouldn't be able to resist.

"Even an ugly bitch like you should know better."

A girl laughed at the comment and said, "Leave her for him. She's too ugly for anyone to date. Fat too, must have fallen on her face, her teeth are crooked. Too poor for a dentist? How'd you get on this trip, Leanne, blow one of the teachers?"

She wanted to shrink through the floor. This was worse than anything they'd tried at school. She ran into Wilson when stopped to turn around. He put his arms around her and whispered in her ear.

"Stay with your back to them." He squeezed her tight against his chest then spoke again. "Stacy, you should wash that filthy mouth out. Jo-Jo just got herself arrested, and you sound more drunk than she is. The marshal who's got her at the back of the plane, has more than one set of handcuffs."

"Yeah right, like a gay queer like you would know," a muscle bound jock sneered. Leanne tried to place him and realized he was the center on the football team. Sam? Yes, that was it. Sam Berkenhaus.

"That's enough!" Their history teacher's command rang loud and clear. "I'm sorry you have to put up with these miscreants."

"Not your problem Mr. Grant. But thanks," Wilson said.

Leanne twisted in Wilson's arms to face her tormentors. "I hope you're really proud of your potty mouths. But I'm going to enjoy my first class seat. Thank you, Jo-Jo. And Stacy, I saw that second set of handcuffs. It's really uncomfortable to sit in a seat with those on."

Wilson's hands squeezed her shoulders and he said, "Let's go. This bunch should be in the cargo hold like the animals they are."

"Well said, Leanne, Wilson. Enjoy!" Mr. Grant nodded his approval.

"You first Leanne," Wilson turned sideways to let her by.

Frank stood at the bulkhead by the galley, waiting with a broad smile on his face. As she approached him, he gave her a half bow and gestured for her to go ahead of him. "Seats fourteen and fifteen, they're right here." He stopped at the first row.

"Thanks Frank. By the way, loved your patter with the safety briefing. Great jokes," Leanne said.

"Why thank you. Glad you enjoyed it. Is there anything I can do for you two?"

"Just blankets and pillows. I'll need more ice later," Wilson requested.

"Your seats come with free wine when we serve dinner in about an hour. We're delayed because of this Jo-Jo, and it seems others in the group have had too much. I'll be instructing the crew to refrain from serving them more liquor."

Wilson nodded. "They're typically the first ones drunk at a party. Obnoxious too. I'm sorry you had to hear their misguided slurs."

Frank raised a finely arched eyebrow and asked, "How many of them have issues they don't dare to expose?"

Leanne said, "Touché. I wish I could give them the benefit of the doubt, but it's been like this since grade school between me and Jo-Jo. Her mother is worse than she is."

"Do you want the aisle?" Wilson asked.

"No, I like the window. I can't wait to see the stars once the sun sets. Do you remember if the moon is full?"

"Not a clue." Wilson shrugged his shoulders.

"Just a crescent tonight," Frank said. "I don't even think you'll see it from your windows. But maybe you'll have a chance at Northern Lights."

"How do you know about them?" Leanne was instantly curious.

"I keep track of solar flares and the sunspot cycle on good old Sol. It can be an issue for navigation and communications," Frank explained. "Do you know how these seats work?"

Leanne shook her head. "First time on a plane, and I never ever thought I'd get to first class. Thank you so much!"

"I've never been here either," Wilson added.

Frank went through all the controls for them and left with a promise for more orange juice.

"Now what?" Leanne asked.

"Get your laptop up and running. Let's get started on that blog. Can I take some pics? Maybe of going through these seats and all the stuff you can do? Tell the story of what happened to Jo-Jo?" Wilson sounded so excited.

"You really meant it when you said you'd help me?" Leanne asked. "Geeze, we forgot our jackets in the overhead bin. And it's even colder up here."

"I'll go back for them after everyone's asleep. You know, you have the prettiest eyes? I've never seen anything like them."

Leanne ran her hands through her bangs and pulled her tote bag up onto her lap. After pushing her glasses up, she reached inside, pulling out an old Acer, seventeen inch model. "Is there a plug in up here? I know there isn't back there." Leanne asked.

Wilson started flipping open compartments on the armrests. "Ha! Here. This one has plugins for USB, power cables, and headphones. Look at these, they're Sennheiser's™." He picked up the set that was hanging over the back of his seat.

"Umm.... I need the bathroom," Leanne said. She knew she was blushing again. Seemed it was a normal state around Wilson.

"You won't have to go through the gauntlet again. We have our own up there." Wilson pointed to a chrome trimmed door. "The cockpit is through the door in the middle."

She pulled a brush out of her bag and stood up. The section was mostly empty, just one older couple up close to the front. They ignored her, and she pulled the door to the bathroom open.

Leanne took a second to glance at her face. Was she really the same girl who her mother let out of the car this morning? This whole thing was like a surreal dream. Wilson treated her like a queen, and Jo-Jo's comeuppance?

She yanked the brush ruthlessly, as she untangled her hair. The slight natural wave was enough to give her thick tresses natural body, and the haircut she decided she could afford was amazing. Who knew Super Clips would have such talented staff?

She sat down to do her business and read all the little warning signs about what not to flush.

Are people really that stupid? At least my period just finished and isn't going to be an issue. Why am I even worried about that? Birth control? Guess the pills are a good thing. I never thought the things were for anything but helping my horrible cycle regulate itself. Why am I even thinking about sex? Wilson doesn't even like to be touched that way. But I wonder, what would it be like? Will he kiss me?

She wiped and pulled her pants up. Flushed and noticed how different this toilet was from the one at home. She splashed a little water on her face, patted it dry, and washed her hands. Giggling softly at the signs, she threw the paper towel into the appropriate receptacle and walked back to her seat.

"Missed you," Wilson said. "Got your laptop plugged in and booted up. Hope you don't mind. Great that you've got it passworded."

"Don't trust my stepfather, and my mother is nosy beyond belief. Quit using a paper diary because she wouldn't leave it alone. Broke the lock on it, so no more writing on paper even though there's something special about seeing the words come from from a pen."

"So, you've been writing for a long time already?"

"Like breathing for me. Like the flute is manna for my soul, so is writing. I don't think I could keep breathing if I didn't have them both," Leanne blushed again.

"Singing is like that for me. Hey, do you think there's a way we could combine your flute with my voice?"

Leanne's eyes popped wide open. "I don't know. Have to ask Mr. Matheson. He's a genius at finding me unique stuff to learn."

"Good idea. Music for flute and tenor," Wilson muttered.

She watched Wilson open a notes app on his phone and wrote himself a reminder.

He's serious. It would be amazing to work up to a performance level. Maybe for the end of the year concert? Wow, I'm thinking of him like he's always going to be around. What if this is just a spring break thing?

Word Count 8502