#easy kane

Melissa woke to a gentle shake of her shoulders, opening her eyes slowly and looking directly into the face of Carter James. A confused look crossed her face as she tried to remember exactly what had happened and exactly where they were, but her mind was unable to fully comprehend anything concerning the crash. Her blue eyes moved around swiftly as she attempted to take in her surroundings, noting that they had landed in a clearing, a few meters from the burning airplane. The smell of smoke and the view of multiple mutilated teenage bodies was a constant reminder of what had happened, and it frightened her. Was a nearby mangled body that of one of her friends? She could feel herself wanting to cry out, but the searing pain in her chest stopped her. She could feel herself struggling to breathe, as her chest started to close and her lungs refused to allow oxygen into them, and she could only groan as a response to Carter's questions. She rolled onto her side, ignoring the agonizing pain in her lower leg and attempted to push herself up into a sitting position, but fell to the ground as she realized that she couldn't put pressure onto her right hand. She held out her uninjured hand for Carter to take as he pulled her to her feet and immediately she felt her chest start to ease up, but the pain in her lower leg started to increase and she realized that walking a far distance would definitely be a problem. Glancing at her purple, swollen hand she fought hard to put the discomforting pain aside as she racked her brain for a plan of action. 

Panic. Panic wasn't something that Melissa was familiar with, because she was never one to allow that feeling to determine her decisions in a serious situation or even to acknowledge that she ever felt panicked or distressed. But panic was all that seemed to consume her fellow peers as they cried out for their missing friends and family members, pulling up burning parts of the aircraft and discovering dead bodies. Despite the pain she felt for her multiple injuries and the struggle it took for her to breathe, she offered kind words of reassurance to the people she passed, telling them not to panic but to make their way calmly towards the plane where they could determine how many survivors there were and how many people needed medical attention. Carter followed after Melissa aimlessly, calling out to his friends and even his sister and as Melissa watched him tear up parts of the pane searching for them, a look of sympathy appeared on her face at the sight. Melissa knew that the tragedy would have taken many people, and that finding her friends alive was a very small possibility. But she couldn't help but study the faces of the burned corpses, as she tried to identify Dallas, Elliot and even Ryder. The thought of finding her best friend disheveled and burned, made her eyes tear up and she had to push the thought from her mind in an attempt to not throw up. 

Calling out for help as her and Carter made their way towards the airplane, they heard Tabby Golding calling out for Illiana and after embracing the Freshman, relief washing over her that at least someone else she knew had survived the crash, they continued on across the beach. And after stumbling upon an unconscious Illiana Melvin a little way up the beach, Melissa offered to look for help near the plane and left Tabby and Carter to tend to Illiana as she made her way towards the plane, ignoring the constant pain in her lower leg as she staggered forward. The pain in her chest had returned and she had to slow her pace, breathing deeply as she tried to call out for help, loudly at first but then it turned to a whisper as the pain in her chest became unbearable. Before she came to the point of stopping completely, Easy Kane appeared at her side. Wrapping her arms around him tightly, in an attempt to keep herself in an upright position, she murmured a few words to let him know that Illiana was unconscious and that Tabby and Carter were with her, a few meters down the beach. Watching him hurry away, she dropped to the warm sand, unable to keep herself up any longer as her chest began to close again and she started to cough uncontrollably. 

Panic, hysteria, terror. Words that Melissa barely associated with, came to mind as she realized that she could no longer breathe. The pain in her lower leg and her hand became irrelevant as she coughed, attempting to get the smoke that was in her lungs, free. She spluttered, trying to scream out, but stopped when she barely had enough energy to keep her eyes open. She started to quietly sob as she thought of her parents and of everything that she had yet to accomplish in life; there was still so much she wanted to do and now it would all be over, after seventeen short years. This is it, she thought as her eyelids became heavy and she started to slip in and out of consciousness. She groaned painfully as her chest began to heave and was unable to recognize the soft voice of Claire James as she dropped down beside her, feeling her weakened pulse and calling out to her. Claire's voice sounded distant, like she was a million miles away and Melissa couldn't bring herself to flutter her eyelids open to let the brunette know that she was there, but barely hanging on. After a while, Claire got to her feet, whispering a word of apology to Melissa as she ran back towards the airplane. Melissa wanted to call after her, to let her know that she was still alive but she couldn't even find the energy to form a few simple words, that is until she heard Ryder Evercade's worried voice as he gently shook her.

Melissa’s excitement was increasing as she stood in line to board the small, private airplane. She had never been to Spain before, but she had heard from her parents who had spent their honeymoon there eighteen years earlier, that the sights were breathtaking and the shopping was an experience all on its own. Melissa had made sure to leave plenty of space in her suitcase for any items that she might want to purchase on the trip, and she wondered how much of her time would be spent shopping, sightseeing, sketching and painting. She wanted to view as many sights as possible so that she could add them to her collection of sketches in her notebook; she knew that the New York Academy of Art would be impressed with her dedication to art if she submitted her sketches from Spain in her application. Melissa wondered how many of her peers had started thinking about college, she was sure Dallas had, but he had never voiced this to her. At the tender age of ten years old, when her friends dreamed of becoming princesses or astronauts, Melissa dreamed of being an artist. Painting and sketching for a living, like that of her idols Van Gogh and Da Vinci. She remembered the day she had decided to attend the New York Academy of Art, like it was yesterday. The image of her grandmother and her ten year old self wandering the campus, wide-eyed and inspired. Grandma Conan seemed to be the only one that supported and encouraged her dream, and when the old lady passed away a few years later, she made Melissa promise to apply to the college of her dreams. For both of them.

Melissa’s train of thought was interrupted as she was hustled onto the plane by a red-faced Miss Torres, who had taken to checking her students tickets and ushering them towards their row. Melissa followed a pale-faced Dallas, who was clutching his carry-on luggage rather tightly, but seemed to loosen his grip after she offered him a few words of reassurance. She would be seated next to Dallas Ward, one of her best friends, despite the fact that he was not an Incrowder as well as the friendly, but rather annoying Daily Heartland. She didn't have anything against the girl, but Melissa refused to discuss who was hotter between Mr Butler and Mr Prescott. Arriving at their row and after choosing an aisle seat, Melissa took a seat, storing her over-sized bag under the chair in front of her and putting her earphones in her ears, turning on her iPod. The familiar voice of John Lennon was all she could hear as she watched her peers board the plane, chattering loudly amongst themselves. She must have fallen asleep, because quite some time after they had taken off, she was awoken by a gentle shake.

Opening her eyes slowly she saw Ryder Evercade - who was seated next to Aeolus Hale and Easy Kane in the row in front of her – grinning down at her. She removed her earphones, looking at him expectantly, waiting to hear what was so important that she had to be woken up from her much needed nap. “I really thought you would be more fun during a nine hour flight,” He said, chuckling. “Although, watching you sleep with your mouth open is pretty damn hilarious. I already see it getting a million views on Youtube.” He winked at her, holding up her phone. An annoyed expression appeared on her face, as she made a grab for her phone. “Not only do you steal my phone, again but you also take a video of me. While I’m sleeping.” She responded, failing to grab her phone. She had already fought to get her phone back from Aeolus before the flight, so she didn’t particularly want to spend the rest of the flight fighting to get it back from Ryder. After a few mumbled words from a disturbed Dallas next to her, Ryder gave Melissa her phone back, but instead of turning his attention back to Aeolus and Easy his eyes stayed glued on Melissa as they engaged in playful and somewhat flirtatious banter. Something she certainly didn’t expect from Ryder.

When he offered to get her something to eat and she accepted, he got up to find an air attendant and as she waited for him to return she couldn’t help but overhear Illiana and Tabby giggling in the row behind her. After hearing the words ‘Mile High Club’ she turned around in her seat, interested in the two girl’s conversation. Little did she know, Easy was already having his first Mile High Club meeting in the bathroom at the back of the plane, with none other than Claire James. After Aeolus and Ryder found this out, they decided to eavesdrop on the whole escapade or rather, sexcapade, dragging Melissa with them and even using the voice recording device on her phone to record Easy and Claire. After Aeolus kicked in the bathroom door, finding a butt naked Easy and a horrified Claire, Melissa endured some technical difficulty – texting the recording to all the contacts on her phone. Leaving Claire in tears and Easy to drown his sorrows in a bottle of vodka. 

Charity Bettencourt

Reed Taso

Veronica and Pierce - come on, they are interesting in that creepy run for your life sort of way.

Easy Kane

Claire James

Daily Heartland

Ariana Heartland

Carter James

Dallas Ward

Delilah Hastings

Illiana Melvin

Aeolus Hale

Ryder Evercade

Elliot Harrington

Poppy Harrington

Bliss Bettencourt

Bailee Frampton

Kat Avery

Pierce Bell

Easy Kane

Carter James

Lux Hastings

Dallas Ward

Poppy Harrington