Lustful Affairs (Erotica)

If I had to pinpoint one thing in my life that struck true, undiluted fear into me, it was flying.

The whole ordeal terrified me. I would literally rather cross the country on a train for three days than be stuck in a flying metal tube for five hours, but since no one in my family seemed to care for my opinion, the plane is where I ended up on an August evening. A very large, selfish part of me wished I’d never even agreed to this trip. It wasn’t like spending my last month of summer at my aunt’s house had been at the top of my list of things to do, but it had been so long since my mom had seen her sister, that I couldn’t possibly refuse her. Even if that meant forgoing spending the last month with my friends before we all went to our different colleges in the fall.

My anxiety started the minute we got to Logan airport, and reached its peak when we were finally called to board.

Stepping onto the plane behind my mom and dad, I felt the claustrophobia kick in. I stopped dead in my tracks halfway down the aisle, causing my older brother to crash into my back.

“Move, dipshit,” he snapped.

“Shut up,” I grated out.

Matt gave a heavy shove to my shoulder, forcing me forward.

Being a jumbo jet, with a 2-4-2 seat configuration, our seats were dead in the middle of the aircraft, so mom and dad each took a seat at either end, leaving the two middle seats for Matt and I.

I sat down in my seat, trembling as my family stowed their bags in the overhead compartments. Matt looked down at me, still as a statue and clinging to my own hand luggage. With a roll of his blue eyes and a loud, exasperated sigh, he snatched the bag from my hands and unceremoniously threw it into the compartment.

Everybody settled into their seats, fastening their belts and trying to get somewhat comfortable in the tight space.Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

My mom, seated to my right, looked down at me. “Are you okay honey?”

I felt my lip tremble. “I want to get off,” I whimpered lamely.

I heard Matt snicker next to me and resisted the urge to give him an elbow to the ribs.

“We’ll be there in no time, kiddo. Just try to get some sleep,” my dad smiled, leaning over from Matt’s other side.

I said nothing, knowing his advice was totally useless to me. There was no way I’d be getting any sleep in this flying death trap.

The flight attendants began their pre-flight checks, going over the usual safety procedures as we began to taxi backward. My eyes shut tightly, trying to block everything out and pretend I was anywhere else.

When the time came for us to take off, my heart was thumping in my throat. The engine noise grew louder, and soon we were barreling down the runway. My stomach leaped when I felt it the moment the wheels left contact with the ground below us. Without thinking, I thrust my hands to both arm rests, and dug my nails in. Only my brother’s hand was already occupying the one to my left. He shot me an irritated look as I clawed into his skin, but he didn’t speak or try to shove my hand away. In fact, he turned his hand slightly to give my fingers a reassuring squeeze.

Once we were up in the air, Matt pulled his hand away. We were now stuck on this thing for five long hours, until we reached Portland.

As we climbed to our cruising altitude, I tried to get comfortable in my seat. Between my restless anxiety and the hard as rocks airplane seats, it was an impossible task.

“Stop moving so much,” Matt ordered.

“I can’t help it.”

“Figure out how.”

I scowled at him. He was such an ass. My brother and I didn’t hate each other by any means, but he was the last person you’d want around in any kind of high emotion situation. He just didn’t have the patience for dealing with anybody with what he saw as irrational fears.

Yeah, like plummeting to the ground with no possible way of being saved was irrational.

Our journey went on, and I tried my hardest to just relax like my dad had said. Despite it being a late evening flight, the cabin was pretty full, but everybody was mostly asleep already. My dad got us all some blankets and thin pillows, and by our second hour in the air both he and my mom were fast asleep, with my brother looking like he was about to join them.

I knew there was no way I’d be getting any rest during this trip, so I searched for things to occupy my mind and time. I flicked through the in-flight magazine, pulled out my phone and tried listening to music, but nothing could hold my attention for too long. My mind refused to stop focusing on every little sound around me, every little jolt of the plane. And with that came the terrifying, unwanted thoughts of what could happen if we suddenly plummeted to the ground.

“Can you please stop moving around so much,” came my brothers low, husky voice. I looked over to him, but his eyes were still closed.

“I’m not.”

He opened his eyes then. “I can feel it every time you shift in your seat. It’s driving me crazy. Your leg has been bobbing up and down against mine for about an hour.”

I frowned, looking down to where our legs were indeed brush against each other. “Maybe if you stopped your man-spreading you wouldn’t feel it.”

“Kris, you’re less than half the size of me. You don’t need to take up so much space.”

“Oh, so because I’m smaller that means you get to infringe on my space?”

He shrugged, lips tipping into a small grin. “It’s all about need and demand. I’m taller, therefore I require more room. Simple.”

“Maybe you’d have a valid point if I actually cared about you.”

“Fine. I’ll leave you to your own thoughts,” he said wickedly, closing his eyes once more. Asshole.

A few minutes later, the plane shook. I let out an audible gasp.

Though I knew he’d get annoyed with me, I reached out and tugged on my brother’s shirt.

“Matt?” I whispered.

“It’s turbulence, Kris,” he muttered, not opening his eyes.

“I know,” I said quietly, mostly to myself. The plane shook once more.

I let out a whimper and clung to Matt’s shirt a little tighter. He sighed, opening his eyes and looking down at me.

“You’re not gonna let me sleep, are you?”

I bit my lip. “Can… Can you just talk to me? Distract me or something?” Once again, the plane jolted.

Matt looked like he wanted to say no, but I must have looked truly panicked, because he relented, sitting up a little taller in his seat. “Fine. What do you wanna talk about?”

I said the first thing that randomly came to mind. “How is college?”

He barked out a quiet laugh. “Suddenly you’re interested in my school life?”

“I’ve always been interested,” I told him. “Just because I haven’t asked recently…”

“Well forgive me for assuming you don’t care.”

He was quiet for a minute, and I thought maybe I’d have to tug on his shirt again, but then he spoke. “School’s fine. Not much to report.”

“How are your classes?”

“So so.”

“Your professors?”

“They’re there.”

I eyed him suspiciously.

He gave me a big, mischievous grin. “The parties are great, though. You’ll see when you come next year.”

I rolled my eyes. “That’s what you’ve been doing this year? Getting wasted?”

“I’m sensing a little judgment, Kristen.”

We were quiet for a few more minutes before the plane shook again.

“Are you still seeing that girl?” I asked in a breathless rush, eager to focus on anything but the way the plane was rocking me back and forth.

“Riley? I don’t know. Sort of. We’re casual, nothing exclusive. Don’t wanna waste my first year at college with one girl, you know?”

“Sounds lovely,” I muttered.

“More judgment, Kristen? Never had you down as a prude.”

“I’m not a damn prude.”

“Hmm. I’m not convinced.”

The plane began rocking more violently, making me gasp. I clung to my brother’s shirt, turning to him with panicked eyes.

“It’s fine, Kris. The fasten seat belt sign hasn’t even been switched on.”

“I don’t even pay attention to that thing. Mine never comes off.”