I looked around the airport, hearing several different bits and pieces of conversations as people walked passed me. I held my rolling suitcase by the handle of it and used my other hand to always have ahold of my backpack that was currently on my back.

Pete flew back to the U.K. on Friday morning, but he will be back on Sunday while we won't return until Monday. They dropped on us yesterday that we were going on tour, as to say, and heading to Philly for a show. I was so excited to get out of Orlando that I had already packed two days ago.

To my left, Johnny and Candice were standing together and talking about something that I had no knowledge of. I was trying to avoid any confrontation this early in the morning, which was nine-forty-five. It wasn't too early, but I was still drinking my Mocha Latte, too, so I didn't want to talk until after that.

There were only a few NXT Stars here, hoping to catch a plane to Philly this morning. Besides Johnny, Candice, and myself, there were only a few others here, too. Trevor was another flight at the moment while Bianca was still in Orlando, feeling sick for some reason.

There was only one that I would speak to this early, too, who was standing directly several feet to my right.

Tommaso was doing everything in his power to avoid me altogether. So far, since our last argument, he has been doing a really great job. I mean, he knows when I'm at the Performance Center and when I'm not; he knows when I'm roaming the hallways of my apartment complex; he knows everything and I don't understand how, though.

He knew that my eyes were glued on him and watching every breath that he breathed, and he knew how to casually move more to his right to guarantee that we wouldn't accidentally make eye contact. I had a plan to talk to him, though, before we arrive in Philly. I have a great plan.

"Flight 485 to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is now boarding," the announcement over the intercom drew me away from my thoughts. "Flight 1647 to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is now boarding."

"Hey, guys," I said to Johnny and Candice. They stopped talking to one another to turn and look at me with questionable looks on their faces. "That's our cue."

"Let's go," Candice said and patted my back, as I led our way to the ticket booth and, then, onto the plane.

Once we had found our seats, while Johnny and Candice began to put their stuff above our seats, I looked down and seen where Tommaso was sitting while he put his stuff up. This was my chance. I'm sorry, Johnny and Candice, I thought towards my two best friends. But I gotta do this.

Casually, I began to walk away — hoping that they wouldn't notice until I was officially gone — as I approached the woman that was about to get in the middle of Tommaso and another man.

"Excuse me, ma'am," I smiled at her, who was an old lady around her seventies, I'm sure. She turned and smiled back at me. "Do you see that lovely young couple over there? I was hoping that we could switch seats, since this man here is my boyfriend and we don't want to be separated. If you don't mind, we would both really appreciate it."

She thought about it for a moment while I noticed Tommaso's mouth hung in the background, probably wondering rather or not if I was gonna pull this off or not. "Well, sure," the woman squeaked back — and I couldn't believe it, neither could Tommaso, either. "Let me get my things."

"Do you need help with that, ma'am?" I asked, throwing my suitcase into Tommaso's arms.

She shook her head, after getting her stuff from the top, and said: "I got it. You two are so cute together, by the way." I smiled it off to her face, but when she was gone, it disappeared after hearing her say what she did. We were not cute together!

Once she was gone, I scooted past Tommaso with a satisfied and winning grin. "Mind putting that up for me, love?"

He growled, rolled his eyes, and huffed. Nevertheless, he threw my suitcase up there while I scooted in between the man — who was in a suit and already had his headphones, who was sat by the window — and Tommaso, who had the outside seat.

I sat down in the middle and placed my backpack in my lap, getting myself adjusted, just as Tommaso sat beside me — obviously against his will — and began to get adjusted as well.

Once we were both settled, I looked to him and spoke silently: "Did yah miss me?"

"I really wish you would just leave me alone already," he growled under his breath, where I could only hear him. "I have nothing else to say to you, Nicole."

"Yes, you do," I countered, placing my hand on his bicep and making sure that we were close enough together. "Now, we have roughly a three-hour flight for you to explain."

He shook his head, closing his eyes, and hoping that I would leave him alone already. I know that's what he was thinking. To my surprise, he didn't care that I was touching his rock-solid biceps, either.

"I have nothing to explain, though," he tried telling me. "You're clearly the one with the problems."

"No, you—" I was suddenly cut off my phone buzzing around in my pocket. I took it out, seeing the name CANDICE 💕 flashing on the screen, so I pressed the green button. "What?"

"Where are you?" she whispered, strict to the point. "This lady is now sitting next to us. What the hell?"

"I switched seats with her," I tried explaining to Candice. "I wanted to sit somewhere else."

"Like where and with who?" Candice growled, while I could sort of hear Johnny in the background trying to calm her down. "Show yourself."

I rolled my eyes, huffed, unbuckled, and stood up. "Look up," I told her and she did, and so did Johnny, too. Their faces were in surprise and confusion. "Any more questions?"

"Yes," she snapped and was still standing with Johnny. "Why are you sitting there for?"

"I'm sitting with an old friend," I simply told her and shrugged.

She squinted her eyes and looked forward. "Wait a minute," she paused and hit Johnny's chest, making him look as well. "Is that Tommaso?"

"Ladies and gentleman, this is your caption speaking," the intercom came on and the normal announcement was starting.

"Gotta go," I squeaked out, hanging up on Candice. When she noticed that I had, her mouth fell and she looked so damn offended.

I sat back down and readjusted myself, right as I heard Tommaso say to me: "I'm not your friend, by the way."

"On behalf of the flight crew, let me welcome you aboard Delta Flight 1647 to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from beautiful and sunny Orlando, Florida. We should touchdown in Philly at 12:35 local time, depending on this headwind," the announcement continued. "We do ask that you put away all cell phones and other electronic use as we take off. Thank you and enjoy your flight."

[ A/N: BTW, I AM TAKING THIS ALL ON MOVIES CAUSE I HAVE NEVER BEEN ON AN AIRPLANE, SO BARE WITH ME ]

I adjusted myself in the seat, making sure that I was comfortable enough, and I heard Tommaso ask: "Comfy?"

I nodded and smiled, satisfied that I was winning so far, and replied: "Definitely. What about you?"

He rolled his eyes and, for a second there, I thought that they were going to get stuck in the back of his head this time. "Definitely not, thanks to you."

"C'mon, you know that by the end of this flight, we're gonna be walking out of here as best friends," I teased, which I didn't even believe, either. I placed my hand on his lower arm, right around his wrist area. "Loosen up. We're gonna have a blast."

"Sure, whatever," he grumbled our and laid back in his seat. "So, say what you're gonna say."

"You know me so well," I practically whispered in his ear and sat back. "So, how do you know everything? Is it because of Johnny and Candice? Did they tell you?"

He eyed me, having his head somewhat pointed towards me. "You know that Johnny can't even hold water," he reminded me and I wasn't even surprised. "Of course, he blabbed."

I was about to reply just as we took off and I felt every bump from the effects up until we were up in the air. The guy next to me, with the headphones on, was already laid back and resting. Geez.

"Not a surprise," I commented and slowly nodded. "So, that's what you have against Pete? You shouldn't hate him for what he's done. I don't, and he did to me. He's changed. I'm telling you."

"I don't believe that," he countered and was now looking forward than at me. "But, whatever floats your boat..."

"Why don't you think that I'm happy for?" I asked, keeping the questions coming. "I'm happy." That's when he turned his eyes back to me and held his face still, trying to break me down little by little. "What? I am happy, Tommaso."

He shook his head and turned his attention back to the seat in front of him. "Whatever, Nicole."

"Look, I have my career, fiancé, and best friends always surrounding me," I began to explain little by little. "I have the life and, for whatever reason, you think that I'm not happy about it. I am, I swear."

"Okay," he breathed out after he gulped, folding his fingers together and lying back. "As long as you're happy, sure."

"Good," I said back, even if it didn't feel satisfying. I finally laid back, too, and was debating on rather or not to speak to him again.

Then, just as the thought crossed my mind, my phone began to buzz again. This time, it was a text message from Candice that read: Why the hell is this woman saying that you and Tommaso are dating for???

I giggled under my breath and shook my head, before replying: It was the only way that we could switch seats, to claim that he and I were dating and didn't want to be separated.

It only took her a split second to read that and respond with: Speaking of which... Why the hell are you sitting with HIM for? Y'all suddenly "friends" or something?

I smirked and replied: Not even close...

I slipped my phone back into my pocket and, in the process of doing that, I accidentally judged him in the arm. "Sorry," I quickly apologized before he had the chance to curse at me for disturbing him. "It was Candice, asking a hundred and fifty questions."

"She always asks too many questions," he commented as I noticed that his eyes were closed. He must be as tired as I was.

"She's very inquisitive," I claimed, coming to my best friend's defense. "But, I can't blame her. I mean, I only switched seats because I had a hundred and fifty questions to ask you. So, she and I are a lot alike in that way."

"Be your own person, Nicole," he said, which I didn't understand at first. "If you weren't busy trying to be everyone else, you would be okay."

"Gee, thanks," I sarcastically spoke back and rolled my eyes in the process. Then, out of nowhere, I yawned and shook my head after it. "Fuck, I'm tired."

Tommaso actually peeked his eyes opened and glanced over at me. "Then, go to sleep," he advised. "We have a three-hour flight, anyways."

"I'm not exactly comfortable here, either," I claimed and moved my shoulders around to adjust myself here in the middle. "I should've brought my pillow. I knew that I forgot it as soon as we got here. Dammit."

He seemed to hesitate there for a moment before shaking his head and saying: "Just... You'll figure it out." Gee, thanks for the advice, I wanted to say in return, but kept my mouth shut.

Finally, I just closed my eyes and, eventually, I surrendered to sleep and happiness with it.

• THE NEXT CHAP MAY OR MAY NOT BLOW ALL YOUR FACES OFF... I mean, uh... WHAT??? You'll know soon 😘 #NICASO (their new ship name, btw) 🖤 All the love .xx •