The plane evens out, and I’m stunned. Theo and I stare at each other in pure disbelief. His eyelashes are wet with tears and my entire body is shaking.
“Are we dead?” I’m only half joking.
The speaker turns on. “Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve lost both engines.”
We look out the window and see flames. I can’t breathe. I bend in half and place my head between my knees. My vision goes fuzzy. Theo yanks my shoulders back and clamps an oxygen mask over my face. I turn to see him putting on his own.
“Life preservers are under the seats. Brace for impact,” the pilot shouts. “MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY.”
Winston throws a life preserver at Theo. My hands shakeviolently as I find mine and loop it over my neck. Someone in the back of the cabin is sobbing hysterically.
On second thought, that might be me.
I move the oxygen mask. “I love you, Brooke. I love you, Naomi,” I scream.
“I love you, too,” Brooke yells back. Naomi doesn’t respond.
Theo’s face is deathly white. “I can’t remember the last time I said that to anyone, even my siblings.”
“Now might be a good time.” My fists are clenched, my nails digging crescent moons into my skin.
“We don’t do that. It… it’s not natural for me. But I should have said it.” He screws his eyes shut tight and forces the next words through gritted teeth. “When we were in Greece, I should have told you that I loved you.”
Loved.Past tense.
It’s absurd that my brain picksthisto focus on, but I take comfort in knowing nothing would have changed if he’d said it.
I close my eyes and concentrate on breathing in and out as the plane spirals through the air. I’m covered in tears and snot, shaking so badly it’s painful.
“Time to face the facts, Theo.” I shout to be heard over the sound of our personal apocalypse.
“What’s that, Wheeler?”
“Every time we’re together, the universe tries to kill us. It was never going to work.”
PARTII
CHAPTER12
The plane hits the ocean with a life-altering crash.
For the space of a heartbeat, there is only shouting, fire, and water.
I frantically scrabble at my seat belt, my hands fumbling against metal. It won’t unlatch. I’m stuck. I forget everything I know about anything and tug vainly on the strap until Theo reaches across my lap and unlatches the seat belt with a flick of his wrist.
The frigid water is up to our shins. The side of the plane is on fire. Where the wing used to be, there’s nothing.
“Theo, now!” Winston snaps from behind us. “This could explode at any moment.” He throws an arm around Theo’s torso, but Theo jerks free from his guard’s grasp.
“I’m with her,” he growls. And then to me, “Donotlet go of my hand.”
My teeth chatter violently as I nod.
Theo pulls me to my feet and drags me toward what used to be the back of the plane. It’s torn open, and everyone is gone. My stomach pitches violently, thinking of Brooke and Naomigetting sucked out of the cabin. There are jagged shards of twisted metal everywhere, and water is rushing in. It’s up to my chest now.
“Brooke—” I scream.
“This is the buddy system,” Theo yells. “Trust me.” He yanks the rip cord on my life preserver, then his, and pulls me close to his side as we fight against the current streaming into the wreckage. The water is at my chin. “Deep breath!” he says.
