Chapter Text
Sean was scared. Scared he was going to be found out. He was hugging his knees tightly, on a very long journey. He was coming from Ireland, all the way to L.A.
Sean was a runaway. His mum dead, no siblings, dad just thrown in jail, and the police on the lookout for the criminal’s son. He knew he shouldn’t’ve run as he had done nothing wrong, but it was too late now they probably thought a guilty conscience had given him this runaway impulse. Sean had climbed over the fence of an airport runway and sidled his way over to a boarding plane, attaching himself inconspicuously to a younger looking couple with their son as they climbed on and mouthed ‘parents’ to the air stewardess who nodded and as they handed the girl their tickets Sean slipped past the preoccupied girl who glanced around, confused, as their other son couldn’t be seen. She shrugged and assumed she thought was three tickets was four, as they were with him. Sean slipped into the seat opposite them so if the woman returned he would look like he was sticking to his story.
No one even glanced in Sean’s direction, and the whole ride would’ve gone off without a hitch, except the boy which was the real son of his adopted ‘parents’ kept looking at him, and it made him nervous that anyone was paying him the slightest attention. What if he saw Sean mouth ‘parents’ and knew Sean was there illegally? What if he knew that Sean was here alone, saw he didn’t hand in a ticket? Sean didn’t have any choice but to wait, tensed, until touchdown. Even though he wanted to remain unremarked on, Sean couldn’t help but sneak glances at what was quickly becoming the cutest boy he had even laid eyes on. He had broad shoulders and muscular arms. His deep brown hair, died red on the ends resembled Sean’s own green tipped mop. The boy seemed to have inherited every right characteristic from his parents. His strong nose, dark eyes, and round lips all made Sean wish he had seen him in a completely different situation. He wished the looks the guy was giving him were for similar reasons but nobody had ever, or ever would, like Sean being the weird Irish potato he was. So, he sat in his seat, when an announcement came over the speakers saying to sit tight, as they were already halfway there. Sean took this distraction as another chance to look at the guy and look back at the empty aisle seat next to him before the boy saw. Not 5 minutes after the pilot’s announcement the redhaired kid stood up and walked to the back of the plane. Nature calls, I guess. Thought Sean. He tried desperately not to think about it but soon he was imagining the tanned youth without his shirt on, and blocked the image before anything else occurred to him. I’ve never been this attracted to anyone before!! Why him, why now? Questioned Sean.
Just as the guy returned, Sean glanced down at his shoes, only to notice that another pair of shoes had joins his on the aisle seat! Sean jerked his head up to see the guy he’d been looking at for the entire flight was now sitting next to him! Looking square at him, Sean!
‘Uh… Um… Y-your seats over there… uuuuh…’ stuttered Sean.
‘I know, but you looking really alone here, where’re your parents?’ His deep gravelly voice trickled pleasantly down my neck as I registered what he said.
‘T-they’re down somewhere close, we couldn’t – em – get seats together.’
‘Really! Wow, I know right! This place is really packed!’ he answered, grinning, as he gestured to the near-empty plane. I realised it was over. He had found out that I wasn’t meant to be here at all. But I gave it one last stab.
‘Look, how about you forget about me! I’m fine here!’ With the air of someone clutching at straws. I think he realised at that point that I was on the plane illegally, because he turned to his parents and I knew I was ratted in. Damn him! Couldn’t he leave me alone?!
‘Mum, Dad, I know this guy from school and I’m just gonna sit with him a while, O.K?’ That was not what I was expecting. I also didn’t expect him to turn to me and say:
‘Look, mate, somethings wrong, care to share?’ With him, my newly found crush, apparently?
‘W-with you? I-I don’t really know you though!’ I mumble.
‘Man, whatever happened, I swear on all video games everywhere I won’t tell anyone.’ That got my attention. I loved video games before Dad started drugging himself and destroying everything in sight, including my gaming consoles. And sometimes me. But this guy also seemed to love games too which, for some strange reason, made him more trustable.
‘All right, fine, but can I know your name at least?’
‘Mark, yours?’
‘Sean.’ He crinkled his nose at my name. I really couldn’t agree more.
‘Sucky name, right?’ I say.
‘No, but I reckon you could have a better one though.’
‘What?’ He looks me up and down and thinks for a second.
‘Jack. Jack really suits you. Do you mind?’ I wouldn’t mind if he wanted to call me Wilfred if I could keep hearing his mellow voice.
‘Why not – better than my old name at any rate.’
‘Sooo, why are you here?’
‘To get to L.A.’
‘Seriously.’ I really want to tell Mark everything, but then he’d really tell his parents.
‘It’s complicated – a long story – you wouldn’t care.’ I say evasively.
‘Try me.’ Determined to hear my story.
‘O.K. but if you tell anyone I swear I’ll… I’ll…’
‘You’ll what?’ sweeping a glance over my puny arms and limp tee-shirt that communicated weakness from a glance.
‘Don’t worry. I will never tell anyone.’
And for some strange reason, some wild instinct, I believe him.