CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
( FLIGHT )

     CARMEN STARES DOWN at her phone. Zach watches the girl as she presses play, slipping on the headphones that he hands over to her. With a smile, the girl listens intently to the song that blasts in her ears, Zach hesitating as she furrows her eyebrows.

Daniel Skye glances over at the two, his eyes darting to the song on her phone.

"Who's the girl you're singing about in this song?" Carmen questions as she pulls the headphones off. "On 'Taking You.' Who are you guys talking about."

"No one," Zach chuckles, relieved at the reason she looked conflicted. "For a second there I thought you hated it."

"I love it," Carmen assures him. "I just got a little-"

"Woah," Daniel chuckles, hitting Zach on the shoulder. "Carmen, you need a little peanut butter for that jelly?"

The boy bursts into laughter afterwards, laying his head on the seat behind him. Zach grins at Carmen, who rolls her eyes as her cheeks heat up. She covers her face with her hands, hiding her red cheeks as Daniel Skye laughs lightly.

"You guys are so mean to me," She mutters, shaking her head. "Stop picking on me, Daniel."

"Which one?" Daniel questions, leaning forward immediately, his eyes landing on the girl. "Me, or the other Daniel?"

"Woah," Carmen fake gapes, laying the headphones aside as she mocks Daniel. "Daniel, you need a little peanut butter for that jelly?"

"I'm being neglected," Daniel stands up, his eyes searching for the slight attendant. "I'm being compared to Daniel Skye, and Carmen is just being rude."

"But you said the same thing to me!" Carmen gasps. "Daniel, sit down!"

"Don't use that tone with me, missy," Daniel says, placing his hands on his hips.

"Are you guys hearing this?" Carmen asks Zach and Daniel Skye incredulously.

"I hear every word you're saying, sweetie, and I don't appreciate your back sass," Daniel sits back down, snapping his fingers. "You need to stop being crabby, I haven't done anything to you."

"Daniel," Zach says with wide eyes. "Are you good, bro?"

"No, I don't believe I am," The boy sinks into his seat, placing a hand on his forehead worriedly. "Guys, I think I'm coming down with something."

"I'm so confused," Daniel Skye mutters, gaining Carmen's attention. "What's going on?"

"Aurora is rubbing off on him." Zach states. "Either that, or he's filling in for her while we're in Texas."

"No, he's just got Ebola," Carmen snorts. "I'm calling it."

"You're not helping the situation," Daniel sighs. "But honestly, I wouldn't doubt it. Someone call the flight attendant, because I've come down with a bad case of Ebola!"

"What's an Ebola?" A child asks his mother from the seat in front of the four.

Carmen's eyes grow wide as Daniel Skye bursts into laughter, Zach glaring at him as he does so.

"See? You're a bad influence," Daniel whispers to Carmen.

"I think I'm gonna take a nap," Carmen mutters, pulling at the sleeves of Zach's hoodie as she lays her head on the boy's shoulder. "Wake me up when this flight is over."

---

"Zach, stop touching me," Daniel complains, shoving the boy from his shoulder as Carmen opens her eyes. "I don't want your rabies."

"Stop arguing," Carmen groans, wrapping her arms around Zach. "I haven't finished my nap yet."

Daniel Skye, however, watches in amusement, and doesn't seem bothered by the fact that he was awoken by Daniel's bickering.

Zach smacks Daniel up the side of the head, pulling Carmen as close as the separate seats would allow. He closed his eyes, not expecting for Daniel to retaliate by slamming his backpack onto his lap.

"Ouch!" Zach jolts up, glaring at Daniel. "The heck was that for?"

"We're almost there," Daniel shrugs. "I just thought you'd want to know that we're landing."

"And you couldn't have just told me?"

"What's the fun in that?"

With a sigh, Carmen sits up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She shakes her head at the boys, yanking the hoodie that belonged to Zach over her head, and stuffing it into her backpack. She adjusts her t-shirt before yanking her phone from her bag and staring down at the many notifications that were shown.

"I want a popsicle," She murmers, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. "Or a cinnamon roll."

"Unfortunately, I can't cook any cinnamon rolls until we get to Zach's house," Daniel tells the girl. "But we can stop and get some and popsicles when we land."

"I'll show you around," Zach grins, lacing his fingers in hers. "You'll have lots of fun, I promise. You'll love it."

"Where are you guys heading?" Daniel Skye questions, placing his things on his lap.

"None of your busi-"

"Zach's house," Carmen says with a friendly smile. "I'm meeting his family for the first time."

"Good luck," He nods, acknowledging her smile with one of his own. "I'm sure they'll love you, though."

"'I'm sure they'll love you'," Zach mocks in a high-pitched voice to Daniel.

"Zach," Carmen scolds.

"What?"

"Aurora is going to have a field day with this," Daniel shakes his head with a chuckle. "I'm going to give her the details and she's going to live it up."

"I'm never going to hear the end of this," Zach complains.

"So where are you heading?" Carmen asks Daniel Skye, ignoring the two boys to her right.

"I have a concert in Dallas," Daniel explains. "I'm gonna be down here for a few days, then I'm heading back to Los Angeles."

"I love your music, by the way." Carmen says. "I listen to it all the time."

"I'm in a band," Zach clears his throat, squeezing Carmen's hand. "I sing, I make music."

"Hey Zach, you need a little peanut butter for that-"

"Daniel, no." Zach narrows his eyes.

Before the conversation is continued, the airline attendant announces the current time and location, before letting the passengers know the plane is landing. Zach lets out a breath of relief as Daniel Skye and Carmen drop their small chat, focusing on packing their things into their backpacks.

"Where are we going first?" Daniel questions as Carmen straps her backpack on.

"I don't know, maybe a cafè to get something eat," Zach shrugs. "What do you want to do, Carmen?"

"I really want to go to a book store," She replies. "I haven't bought a book in a while, and I'm being very deprived."

"Then that's something on our list," Zach informs them. "Everything else can be decided when we land. I'm sure you'll find lots of stuff to keep you occupied."

"Don't use big words like that," Daniel tells the boy.

"Like what?"

"Like 'occupied', smarty," He replies. "You'll confuse yourself. You need a dictionary if you want to use big words like that."

"This is bullying," Zach states. "Carmen, do you hear this? Daniel is bullying me."

"Daniel, please stop. Zach's vocabulary doesn't have to impress anyone," Carmen sighs. "And Zach, stop whining. I promise you won't die just because Daniel picks on you."

"He might die," Daniel jokes. "My bullying can get pretty intense."

"Daniel, I swear I'm going to stuff chocolate down your throat if you don't-"

"Zach!" Carmen nudges him. "Please stop. You guys are giving me a migraine."

"I'm sorry," Zach apologizes immediately, tracing soothing circles on the back of her hand. "I won't act up anymore no matter what Daniel says."

"Thank you," Carmen murmers, placing a kiss on his lips. "Now get your stuff, we're landing."

_____