The Trap Of Ace

Read The Trap Of Ace [by Eva Zahan] Chapter 1 – I glanced at my wrist.

Nine-thirty. 

“Ma’am, please turn off your cell phone. The plane is about to take off,” said the flight attendant in her angelic voice.

“Yeah, just a minute.” I threw her an apologetic look. 

Nodding her head, she walked away.

“Mom, I need to hang up now. The crews have already warned me for the second time.” 

“Alright, alright! I will let you go now. You’re coming to me in some hours anyway. We will be waiting outside the airport when you’ll land!” Excitement dripped from her voice. A sudden homesickness filled my mind. It’s been two years since I met them.

“And keep that boy at an arm’s length,” Dad called out in the background.

Shaking my head, I let out a chuckle. “Alright guys! I will see you at the airport.”

“Love you, honey!” They intuned together.

“Love you too!”

Sighing, I looked out of the window. Another plane took off the runway, flying high in the sky. It’d always fascinated me. Though I always struggled with myself not to flip during the taking offs.

A figure slumped beside me, making me turn my head. Letting out a huff, he settled against the seat. 

“How’s your stomach now?” I asked, seeing the perspiration on his forehead and flushed cheeks.

“Not good. I shouldn’t have eaten the leftover macaroni last night. G*d! I swear! I won’t ever touch leftovers again.” He groaned.

Poor guy! Even in this crisis, he had agreed to come with me to my home.

“I’m so sorry, Warner. You have to travel with me in this state. You should’ve stayed back, you know?” 

He flashed me a boyish smile. “Don’t be. It was my decision to tag along even after knowing my condition this morning.”

“But it was me who asked you to come with me,” I said, guilt crashed on me. 

“Don’t be silly. I can do anything for you. And this is just a slightly uncomfortable journey. And it will go away just in a day. I’ve already taken medicines.” He grasped my hand, entwining our fingers.

I smiled, a grateful one.

“I love you,” he said, looking at my eyes.

The smile threatened to fall, but I managed to keep it on and squeezed his hand in return. The announcement of the flight attendant for every passenger to fasten their seat belts, saved me from another awkward situation.

We’ve been dating for six months now. And known each other since I joined college. We were good friends from the beginning. After my several failures at keeping up on dating a guy for more than a week, I gave up on kindling any kind of relationship with anyone. And when Warner one day asked me out at a friend’s get-together, I couldn’t put him down.

He was everything a girl would want in an ideal boyfriend. Handsome, intelligent, humble, honest. And most importantly, he knew me so well. After all, we’ve been friends for three years now. So when he’d asked me to be his girlfriend, I had said yes.

But even if he’d confessed his feelings for thousands of times before me, I couldn’t just bring myself to reciprocate. It’s not that I didn’t like him, I did. He was a great guy. Maybe it’d take some more time for me to feel that deep for him. And I was waiting for that day.

“Ma’am, would you like some coffee?” The air hostess’ voice broke my trance.

“Do you have tea?” 

*** 

After a long four and a half hours later when we finally landed in California, I found my parents right where they told me they would be. Holding a placard that said ‘welcome home’, Mom met me with her more than usual enthusiastic hug, where Dad had a satisfacted look in his eyes now that I finally came home. Though it was just for two weeks until I would go back. 

his shoulders. They both did. It wasn’t easy for me to stay that far from them, but it’d have been more difficult for me to

started to flood in, I shut off my mind, burying them at the pit of my brain. Just like I did for the last seven

I’ve moved on.

home, little mouse!” The moment I stepped into the threshold, I was tackled into a bone-crushing hug. “Look at

at my brother. “You just met me two months

like ages since I irritated you,”

visited me often in NY whenever he

from me, I’m warning you!” I feigned a serious

his gaze fell on Warner who looked blue in the face from his marathon to washrooms in every ten minutes. He seemed at the verge of fainting at any moment.

impress

first meeting to be good. And Dad couldn’t dislike him anymore for

phone. I didn’t know why, but he didn’t approve of

gave him a side hug. “You alright though? You look

too.” Suddenly his expression twisted like someone had punched him in the gut.

first door. You will find

a ‘thank you’,

I sighed. 

Though Warner didn’t notice

looked at me. “Honey, why don’t you go to your room and freshen up. I will make something

a nod from me, she followed Dad. Definitely to

up the stairs. “So? You’re determined to keep this one,

also wasn’t fond of my boyfriend. But when

And the best thing

You will keep him because he is a good guy and your friend?” He raised

“Isn’t it enough?”

“What about feelings? I don’t see you look

it’s enough for me to stay in a relationship with him. And

his eyes which I couldn’t decipher. Then he smiled. “If that’s what

curled up. “Thanks for

left a message to Casie and Beth of my arrival and prepared for a long warm bath. It’s been so long I haven’t met them, though face-timing was regular between us. They’d wanted to join me there for college, but Beth couldn’t because her

decision was right. She was a successful model now. And I couldn’t be more proud

than this morning. Tonight was our family dinner, so delicious dishes made by Mom were the speciality. If I missed all these years anything

plate of apple-pies before me, I gaped at her, my face splitting into

she took her chair

I slapped his hand

not

have whatever she wants. You had them these years all by yourself, now it’s her

all laugh. Mom’s eyes twinkled watching us banter like old times. Then her gaze

did you get it, honey?”

my lips. It was a thin golden chain, decorated

I replied. I still remember that day. Mom and Dad couldn’t join because their flight got cancelled due to bad weather. No one from my family could attend. With a sunken mood when I returned to

from someone anonymous. No note or name. Though I didn’t want to keep it, I just couldn’t resist it.

“Who?” 

“Don’t know. There wasn’t any name on the gift

It can be risky. And who would give you such an expensive bracelet and don’t reveal their name?” Dad’s forehead

be Tom. And I’m sure he is the one who sends you roses on your every

is Tom?” Mom

one, Mom. A guy from my college who

the air. He must’ve taken seriously my threat to hand him over to

Mom and Dad shrieked at the

even consider informing us?” Dad gave me a look of

He had to open