Intaglio Dragons All The Way Down

chapter 23: En Route



Cole and Ava headed back to campus later that day without seeing Frank or Nina again. Ava was lonely by herself in the truck but blasted her music, singing loudly as she drove. She followed Cole’s bike along the looping curves of the coastal highway, heading toward the city. Watching the easy movement, her daydream began again: she wanted a bike.

The next week rushed by in a blur of preparations for Spring Break. Suzanne had organized the itinerary, but Marcus was event planner; he spent evenings fussing over details, driving Ava crazy with his checklists and last-second questions. Cole was her tether to sanity, teasing her about Chim’s antics and insisting that she buy a bikini for the vacation.

Their trip to Martinique was about to occur.

: : : : : : : : : :

Cole Thomas was a nervous airplane passenger. It wasn’t something he ever really talked about (or had much experience with), but as they reached the airport, he started worrying. This flight would be the longest he’d ever taken. A niggling voice in the back of his mind kept warning him to come clean… that Ava should probably know, just in case. Before he could, Suzanne and Chim started arguing over the best place to park her car for the week, distracting Cole from his admission. Suzanne ground the bumper against a cement parking block in the long-term parking garage in her haste; Chim raised his eyebrows at the sound.

“I offered to—”

“Don’t even say it,” she snapped. Everyone burst into laughter, Cole included, the fear temporarily forgotten.

His worry returned at the sight of planes landing outside the floor-to-ceiling windows. His palms were sweating when the four of them reached the arrivals lines, his breathing rapid by the time they plodded through customs into the main terminal.

“You look green,” Ava said, dragging him out of his spiralling thoughts. “Are you okay?”

“I should probably let you know,” Cole answered, “I get a bit freaked out by planes. Uh... sorry. Thought I’d give you fair warning.”

Ava grinned up at him. Her hair had grown long during the school year and she had it pulled back into a ponytail, wayward strands framing her face.

“Really?” she asked, perplexed. “Why?”

Cole shrugged, walking faster, moving his carry-on baggage to the other shoulder. A blush rose up his neck. He didn’t want to talk about it.

“Not sure,” Cole mumbled. “I just...I dunno, kind of like being in control of things and when I’m stuck inside a plane, I have none.”

The excuse sounded lame to him, but that was as clear as he could make it. Next to him, Ava quickened her pace, her strides matching his. She grinned mischievously and grabbed his hand, dragging him toward the restaurants and lounges that lined the mezzanine.

“What...?” Cole asked nervously. He recognized the impish look. She giggled, raising her eyebrows and pulling him into a bar.

“Sounds like it’s time to get primed for the trip!”

: : : : : : : : : :

Cole was happily buzzing when they reached their gate. He was warm and content... and not just a little bit distracted by Ava standing at his side. There was something about the way she kept laughing and leaning into him, her fingers reaching up to brush her lips that made him want to push her up against the wall and f*ck her right here. He grinned as the thought came to mind.

‘Yup, definitely drunk,’ his mind observed dryly. ‘...drunk AND horny.’

They wandered up the aisle of seats, hand in hand. They had just reached the end of the line when Chim’s eyes lifted from the book he was reading: The World is Flat. He eyed Cole suspiciously.

“What’s up with you?”

Ava giggled, pulling Cole along with her like a little boy. She’d been drinking too, though she’d had one drink for every three of Cole’s. His hands found the base of her shirt as she stopped in front of Chim. Cole ignored Marcus and all the other people waiting for the plane. He focused on the smoothness of Ava’s skin and the thought of all of it, exposed to him... soon.

“Cole and I just figured we’d get a head start on things...” Ava explained. He dropped his mouth to her neck and she giggled, squirming out of his grasp. “Get the party going a bit early.”

Suzanne muffled a laugh behind her hand. Chim scowled in irritation, nose flared. He looked like Frank Thomas when he did that. Cole snorted with half-suppressed laughter.

‘Not feeling so bad anymore...’

“I’m not sitting next to him on the plane then...” Marcus warned. “He looks like he can hardly walk.”

“He’s fine,” Ava drawled. “I’m sure Cole can handle a few shots.”

She pulled him back against her, her hip bumping against his. Suddenly that was the funniest thing that had happened all day. Cole began to laugh while other passengers glanced up in concern. Chim began rummaging through his bag. He stood up, handing Ava several air-sickness bags.

“You started this, Booker,” he growled. “You deal with it.”

She rolled her eyes.

“Don’t need a dad, Mar-cus,” she taunted. “I’ve got one. A’right?”

Chim pushed them into Cole’s hands instead.

“Here,” he insisted. “Just take ‘em.”

Cole fumbled, dropping the bags onto the floor. Ava laughed and then so did he. (Marcus grumbled before sitting back down and hiding behind his book.) Cole pulled Ava into a sudden kiss. She tasted of tequila, hot and burning on his tongue. There were people around them, but he didn’t care. He wrapped his arms around her, grinding her against his hips.

Cole was vaguely aware of someone coughing.

“Uh... you might want to tone that down kids,” Suzanne chided, “I’d rather we all were allowed onto the plane.”

Cole let go of Ava, noting how dark with desire her eyes were.

‘Yup,’ Cole’s swirling mind thought. ‘Damned good way to start the trip...’

: : : : : : : : : :

An hour into the flight and Ava's plan had dismally failed. Cole was very sick and she was next to him, helping with the air sickness bags while the contents of his stomach came back up again and again. She glanced up to see Marcus peeking over the headrest ahead of them with a ‘told-you-so’ look that made her want to punch him.

He peered down at Cole, opening his mouth to say something. Ava interrupted.

“Say it and you’re a f*cking dead man,” she hissed, eyes dangerous.

For the first time since high school, she really did want to punch Marcus Baldwin. He rolled his eyes instead.

“Go. Away. Chim.” Ava growled. Next to her, Cole heaved again.

“You know,” Chim said cheerfully, “I think you guys have reached the next level in your relationship. Pretty cute, you know: you holding Cole’s hand while he pukes.”

Ava swore under her breath, glaring at the passengers watching her and Cole with wary eyes. Cole groaned and Chim laughed, dropping back down to his seat. Cole vomited loudly and Ava looked away, catching the gaze of a steely-haired woman watching them with wide-eyed indignation.

“WHAT?!” Ava shouted, furious.

Around her, people averted their eyes. She heard giggling coming from the seat in front of her and she slammed her fist against her thigh, fighting the urge to beat the shit out of Marcus right then and there. She could just imagine the phone call to her father…

‘Yeah, hi, Dad. I’m in jail. They had to turn our flight around because I freaked out on Chim….’

Next to her, Cole opened his eyes, skin grey under the overhead lighting of the plane.

“God, Ava...” he mumbled, “I’m so sorry.”

He swallowed convulsively. Ava handed him a can of ginger ale.

“Drink the soda and stop worrying, Cole,” she said with a tired sigh, squeezing his shoulder. “I’m sure you’d hold my hair for me.”

He nodded, and the second hour of the endless flight began.