4 Hayden: Friend or Foe?

When Arthur and Sophia arrived at boarding gate #277, they glanced around and were surprised to find that they were the first ones there.

"Yes! We can board the plane first!" Sophia beamed with joy and pulled Arthur to the front desk where a beautiful flight attendant stood.

The flight attendant raised her head with an apologetic smile. "Sorry for the inconvenience, but please take a seat and wait while our plane finishes docking."

Arthur looked at the apologetic flight attendant with raised eyebrows and pointed towards a speaker. "Didn't you just send out a broadcast that plane #277 is now boarding?"

"Huh? Did they already send out the announcement?" The flight attendant went behind her computer to check and shuffled back with a slight blush on her face. "Sorry about that, if you hand me your boarding pass, you can board now."

"Its fine." Arthur smiled and waved his hand, trying to relieve the embarrassment of the flight attendant, and handed over his and Sophia's boarding pass. "Here you go."

"Alright! Take this and go through that corridor, it will lead you to the plane." The flight attendant handed Arthur and Sophia a piece of paper and pointed towards a long corridor.

"Sophia!! Arthur!!" Halfway down the corridor, a slightly more feminine voice called Arthur and Sophia from behind.

Arthur and Sophia turned around in shock, staring at a slightly overweight man run towards them.

Arthur didn't notice that when Sophia saw the slightly overweight man, she frowned with disgust in her eyes as he stepped forward and greeted the man. "Hayden! What are you doing here?"

"Surprise! I'm also going to attend College in Massachusetts." Hayden laughed and hugged Arthur then looked over his shoulder at Sophia. "I can't let the two people I care most about leave without me."

The loathing in Sophia's eyes intensified as she turned her head, not wanting to look at what disgusts her.

"What? Your father accepted your offer to attend Harvard?" Arthur looked at Hayden with a surprised look. But if you look carefully, you would notice a deep hatred hidden in his eyes.

"Yep! So the three of us will still be together like the old days." Hayden nodded with a smile, causing his thick neck to jiggle.

"Arthur, we need to hurry, more people are entering." Sophia took Arthurs arm and pulled him down the hall.

Hayden frowned for a second seeing Sophia take Arthurs arm but quickly returned to a smile and followed along.

Since Arthur and Sophia got their tickets from the same place, they were side by side in a four person row. While Arthur was putting his and Sophia's stuff inside the compartment above their heads, he was taken aback when he saw Hayden do the same. Arthur couldn't help but ask in a joking manner. "Are we lucky enough to get seated together?"

"No. But Ill just trade seats, nobody wouldn't want to sit in first-class." Hayden pulled out a unique-looking boarding pass from his pocket and waved it around.

"Wow, first-class, I bet that took your entire month's allowance to buy. Are you sure you want to trade seats with someone? I mean its not even an hour flight." Arthur asked casually, trying to convince him to rethink his decision.

"Nah, my old man bought it for me so it doesn't matter." Hayden shook his head and continued to throw his luggage in the compartment.

After taking out a couple of items that they would use during the flight, Arthur and Sophia sat in their seats. Leaving two seats open on each side of them. Hayden consciously or unconsciously sat next to Sophia and pulled out some candy from his pocket and offered it to her. Sophia declined with a forced smile, with the excuse that they ate before leaving today. Shrugging his shoulders, Hayden poured the bag in his mouth, making a ton of noise attracting everyone's eyes.

While Hayden was busy eating happily, a slightly bald older man walked beside the seat with his luggage and interrupted him. "Young Man, your sitting in my seat."

"Here. You've been upgraded to first-class, give me your boarding pass." Hayden frowned and threw his boarding pass at the older man, causing it to fall on the floor, and reached out with an open hand.

The older man didn't even respond to the obvious disrespect that Hayden has done. He just stared at Hayden like he was waiting for him to get out of his seat.

"What's your problem, old man." Hayden stood up from his seat quickly, causing his body to jiggle menacingly.

The bald old man didn't seem to care about Hayden and threatened. "If you don't get out of my seat, Ill go call a flight attendant and we both will be kicked off the plane for making a scene."

"Fine old man! Have your seat!" Hayden didn't want to make a big scene, so he angrily took his belongings and sat next to Arthur.

Although Arthur said nothing during the confrontation between the old man and Hayden, but that didn't stop him from looking at the older man a little more. 'Something's wrong with this old man…'

Feeling like he was overthinking it, Arthur shook his head. Besides, he should thank that old man.

Soon the person with the seat next to Arthur came, but unlike the old man, she quickly accepted the first-class pass and left happily.

"See! Told you it would work." Hayden, who conveniently ignored what happened early, bragged to Sophia and Arthur.

As the plane was filling up, Arthur felt like he needed to use the restroom so he explained to Sophia that he will be right back and went to the small stall. Seeing that it said occupied above the handle, Arthur stood outside and waited. A couple of minutes later, the door opened and a guy wearing expensive looking clothes walked out, complaining under his voice. Not thinking much of it, Arthur quickly used the restroom and returned to his seat.

When Arthur returned to his seat, he didn't know what happened, but he can tell that Sophia wasn't happy. Arthur leaned over and whispered in Sophia's ear. "Everything will be okay. Trust me." That seemed to do the trick because Sophia smiled sweetly and leaned against Arthur.

While hugging Sophia's waist, Arthur glanced to the side just in time to catch Hayden glaring at him before putting on a smile and giving him a thumbs up. Acting like he saw nothing, Arthur nodded with a smile.

Promptly, under the support of the flight attendants, everyone buckled their seatbelts, and the plane was ready for takeoff. As the plane picked up speed going down the track, the plane shook slightly, causing the new flyers to scream in terror.

Although Arthur and Sophia didn't scream, someone did. Hayden gripped the arm-rest and screamed at every slight shake in the plane, annoying most people. Under the horrified scream of Hayden, the plane quickly took flight and no longer shook. After a couple of minutes of flight, the light signaling seatbelts were turned off, meaning that people could move around.

While Arthur and Sophia were discussing their plans for when they arrive, a guy walked up to them and interrupted them. "Hey beautiful. My name is Alex Martinez."

Arthur looked up annoyed and was surprised to find that it was the guy he saw in the bathroom earlier. The guy didn't seem to remember him, because he didn't react to his appearance.

Before either Arthur or Sophia could say anything, the seatbelt light turned on again and a flight attendant told the guy named Alex Martinez to return to his seat.

Not wanting to return to his seat, Alex Martinez looked at the bald old man beside Sophia and pointed in the back to where he was sitting before. "Hey old man. Trade seats with me."

The bald old man, who was resting in his chair with his eyes closed, opened his eyes and looked at the seat that the guy was pointing at. He seemed to pause for a second before standing up and changing seats.

'Something is very wrong with this old man…' Arthur narrowed his eyes and stared at the old man, lost in thought. 'But what could make a man decline a first-class seat then change to another spot in coach…'

"What the hell, old man!" Annoyed that the old man gave his seat to somebody else, Hayden flipped him off from behind.

"Thanks, old man." Alex Martinez thanked the old man and sat down. Then turning his lustful gaze over Sophia, he smiled and asked. "Beauty, lets exchange numbers."

"Alright…" Sophia smirked evilly at Arthur, bringing his attention back from the old man.

"Nice! I knew that nobody could withstand my charm." Alex Martinez didn't even wait for Sophia to finish talking, and he was already fist pumping in the air.

Sophia didn't mind, instead she smiled even brighter and hugged Arthur's arm. "But you'll have to ask my boyfriend."

With his arm still mid fist pump, Alex Martinez froze and stared at Sophia and Arthur. "Boyfriend?…"

"Yeah. Oh, I think I should remind you that my boyfriend trains in Kendo and Krav Maga." Sophia didn't seem to notice the embarrassment of the guy and continued. "Do you know Krav Maga? Its one of the deadliest fighting techniques taught in the military."

Alex Martinez turned pale and looked at Arthur in fear. "I was just joking…"

"Don't listen to her she doesn't know what she's talking about." Arthur shook his head with a smile.

Alex Martinez looked at the smiling Arthur and sighed in relief, but before he could completely relax.

Arthur continued with an evil smirk. "Its not just one of the deadliest, it is the deadliest."

Arthur and Sophia laughed together, looking at the even paler Alex Martinez.