The first-class cabin was nearly full when Richard Dunham stepped on board, dragging his Italian leather carry-on behind him. He adjusted the cuff of his tailored suit and scanned the row for his seat—4B. A prime spot.
He nodded in satisfaction. Seat 4A was already occupied by a woman whose size spilled slightly into his seat. She wore an oversized gray sweater and sweatpants, her frizzy hair hastily tied back.
A worn backpack sat at her feet. She looked out of place—like she’d gotten on the wrong flight. For illustrative purposes only
Richard’s lips curled into a smirk.
“Excuse me,” he said, tapping the woman’s shoulder. “I believe this is first class.”
She looked up, startled. “Yes.
I’m in 4A.”
Richard blinked. “You’re sure?”
She nodded, holding up her boarding pass with a shy smile. “Must’ve been some kind of mistake,” he muttered as he squeezed into 4B, visibly wincing as their arms touched.
He rang the flight attendant button the moment he sat down. The attendant arrived with a polished smile. “Yes, sir?”
“There has to be another seat.
This one’s… cramped,” Richard said, throwing a glance at the woman beside him. “Some of us actually paid for this section.”
The woman flushed and turned toward the window. “I’m sorry, sir,” the attendant replied.
“It’s a full flight. There are no other seats in first class or economy.”
Richard sighed dramatically and waved her off. “Fine.
Let’s just get this over with.”
For illustrative purposes only
The plane took off, but Richard’s muttering didn’t. He grumbled under his breath about “low standards” and “cheap airlines” while pulling out his iPad. Every time the woman shifted, he exhaled loudly.
“Can you maybe not lean so far over?” he asked coldly after she reached for a water bottle. “You’re practically in my lap.”
She looked mortified. “Sorry,” she whispered, curling in on herself.
The elderly couple across the aisle frowned. A teenager two rows back took out his phone and started filming discreetly. Still, the woman didn’t defend herself.
About an hour into the flight, turbulence began. The seatbelt light flickered on, and the captain’s voice came over the intercom:
“Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We’re expecting a few bumps, but nothing to worry about.
The story doesn’t end here –
it continues on the next page.
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