Page 6 of All the way home

Lucas jogs a little to catch up. “Don’t you want to say hi?”

“Not really,” Rena says, steadfastly keeping her gaze forward and power-walking straight ahead, barely registering her surroundings. She definitely doesn’t want to say hi to Sahar.

She doesn’t want to look her in the eye ever again.

Guilt churns with every step. On the laundry list of things to feel bad about over the last year, ghosting one of her best friends ranks high. High enough it keeps her up at night. But what’s done is done.

In a singsong voice, Kieran calls after her. “You’ve missed the gate, Reener-baneener—”

She whirls. He’s right. In her fervor, she’d walked straight past C53. “Don’t call me that.”

Kieran blows her a kiss. If he can tell that her mood is souring by the second, he’s not letting on, or he just doesn’t care.

Annoyed, she turns around and follows Lucas, who makes a beeline for three empty seats next to a support pillar. Settling between Lucas and Kieran, who immediately starts scanning their surroundings like a shark that’s scented blood, Rena rubs at her eyes. She should have known better than to expect a simple travel day.

Sahar is an omen.

Mind made up, Rena texts her group chat with her best friends Oscar and Siobhan.

I don’t think I’ll be able to hang out tonight after all.

Siobhan:

noooooooooo

Oscar:

what could possibly drag your attention away from the most important people in your life

Just worried about K.

Oscar:

why what’s he done now

Siobhan:

is he ok?????

“Is that Mom?” Kieran asks, peering over to look at her screen, which she quickly powers off. “Are you snitching on me again? I’m not ignoring her.”

“I think by definition, yes you are.”

“I’m going to call her,” Kieran assures her, voice low.

Irritation gives way to a burning, prickling frustration. He’s not the one who’s had to deal with Mum all week, as her messages have gotten more and more insistent. Kieran’s not the one who’s had to play middleman all year without even having all the information.

“When? On the plane?”

“I’ll find a time,” Kieran says with a shrug. “Would you relax already?”

And Rena almost scoffs.

Relax.

As if.

Chapter Three