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I left my purse on my seat but didn't sit down because Valerie called my name. Valerie was sitting beside Josh with the aisle separating the seats. She seemed nice, hopefully, the trip would be more fun with her around. While I stood there, talking with Valerie, I realized the flight seemed pretty full.

"Excuse me," a man grumbled, nudging me aside rudely.

"Oh, sorry," I said, a bit surprised as I took a step to the side.

The man lifted up his heavy handbag, huffing as he did, and tucked it into the overhead compartment before squeezing past Valerie and taking his seat.

Valerie and I continued talking. "I'm actually kind of excited about that kayak tour," Valerie chuckled.

"Really?"

I'm sure she and Josh will get along just fine then.

I heard a lock clicking open and glanced up at the glove compartment, realizing it was slowly opening again. The handbag inside that was barely zipped up slid forward, pushing the compartment open further and I gasped, ducking my head, expecting it to fall on me from the people's shrieks around.

"Damn it," I heard a sigh amongst the curses.

I squeezed my eyes shut tightly, holding my breath but when nothing fell on me, I opened them again. Taking a glance, I saw two hands holding the compartment shut. My eyes followed the arms covered in the black long sleeves that just saved me and I realized who it was. I spun around to face him, blinking in surprise at the proximity.

He was so close, caging me between him and the seat behind me that dug into my back.

"What are you doing?" I mumbled, blinking while holding his gaze.

"Saving your ass," he replied with a scoff, scanning my face once.

"Coming through," someone mumbled, walking past him, shoving him forward unintentionally.

He huffed, stumbling forward a bit, and glanced down before meeting my eyes again, still holding down the compartment. I glanced up and then back at him, taking a small step back as his chest brushed against mine.

He's too close. Way too close.

"What are you doing?" he asked in frustration before nodding to the side. "Move."

I took in a small breath and slid past him, quickly sitting down.

He let go of the compartment and it opened again but he quickly stepped back as the bag fell down with a thud, everything falling out. He sat down with a sigh and glanced at me before facing the air hostess that came over, hearing the chaos. I stared at Josh for a minute, realizing I was doing that only when he faced me. "You better thank me," he mumbled, slightly shaking his head.

"Thank you," I told him and I genuinely meant it.

He nodded once. "You're welcome."

"Hey, Josh?"

He paused for a second, his eyes scanning my face quickly before he turned to Valerie. "Yeah?"

I blinked away, looking out the window while they talked. The sun was ever so slowly rising outside and the sky became the palest blue at first. I wanted to get some sleep in before we landed but I had a tough time sleeping on airplanes in general, I'm sure it would be even more difficult with Joshua sitting right beside me. I fished my phone out of my purse as it dinged with a message. When I checked, I had two, one from Jenny and one from Jack.

Jenny's message read: I just remembered your flight was today. Have a safe flight! Josh too, but don't tell him I said that.

I typed back a quick thanks and told her we just got on the plane before opening Jack's message.

Call Dad whenever you can. He was saying it's been a while since you spoke to him.

I hadn't checked my phone since I woke up and he sent me the text around midnight. I replied, saying I'd call him and Dad the first chance I got and then I put my phone on flight mode and tucked it into my purse before I lost it as everybody was told to settle down because we were preparing to take off.

I glanced over as Valerie laughed, "Budapest? Oh my gosh, of course, I've been to Budapest, oh it's so beautiful out there. Will you go again?"

"Sure, it's nice. I wouldn't mind going again but I'd rather not go for work, I've already written an article on it," Josh replied.

I rolled my eyes, going back to staring out the window. I couldn't help but feel that pinch inside me. I don't know what it was, if it was just pure annoyance or if it was disappointment, but it didn't exactly feel great to know that the city he told me he'd go to, he actually didn't want to. And to be honest, it also didn't feel the best to see him getting along with someone so easily when almost everyone I know would agree with me when I say he's a cold person and he just generally doesn't speak to a lot of people.

I guess Valerie's the exception. I'm sure they're bonding over those stupid kayak tours.

I buckled up as take-off was announced and stared outside as the flight sped up on the runway. I watched all the little lights get smaller and smaller until they completely disappeared and the lights inside the airplane were dimmed, the seatbelt sign turning off with a little ding.

I unbuckled my seatbelt and kicked my shoes off before pulling my legs up and crossing them under me, taking out earphones. I plugged them into my ears and listened to music, trying to go to sleep. I had nothing better to do on this flight. My eyes snapped back open barely two minutes later when I heard hushed giggles.

Are you fucking kidding me? Oh god, but why is this getting on my nerves so much? I shouldn't even care.

I turned up the volume and closed my eyes again. I couldn't fall asleep even as fifteen minutes went by, then thirty, then a whole hour. I switched between reading on my phone and listening to music until the lights came back on and a cart came by, offering drinks, finally interrupting Josh and Valerie's conversation.

"Can I get you anything, sir?"

"No, I'm good, thank you."

The air hostess turned to me. "And you, ma'am?"

"Can I just get a bottle of water, please?"

She held one out for me with a smile.

"Thank you." I cracked it open, taking a few sips.

Josh sighed loudly beside me and I glanced at him out of the corner of my eyes. He faced me and lifted his brows, catching me staring. "What?"

I shook my head. "Just... why are you sighing already?"

"She talks. A lot," he mumbled.

I put the bottle away. "Really? I thought you were having fun talking to her," I said quietly.

"No," he snickered, "but she's new. I shouldn't be a dick right away, no?"

I frowned, scoffing softly. "You were a dick to me from the day I joined the magazine."

"Was I?"

"Yeah," I nodded.

He shrugged at me.

I stared at him in disbelief. "Ask anybody who works with us. You were horrible to me on my very first day. How come you're so nice to her?"

He folded his arms across his chest. "Well, she's just not as annoying as you. Almost. But not quite," he shook his head.

"Dick," I murmured. He hummed and I looked away from him, thinking back to that first day of work when I officially joined the team as not just an intern. The day I got my table across from Joshua Nilsen. Oh, what a nightmare.

"You're officially a member of Travel Addict Weekly now," London chuckled.

"Yeah, welcome to the team," Owen said. "Oh also, I'm not sure if Lydia told you, but I'll be your travel partner too." He pulled my desk chair for me while I set my purse down.

"Thanks," I smiled at Lydia first and then faced him. I snapped my fingers, pointing at him. "Owen, right?"

He mirrored my actions, pointing back at me. "Yes, ma'am."

I chuckled, shaking his hand. "Nice to officially start working with you."

"You too. Have a seat, Poppy."

I nodded and settled down. With a quick scan of the room, I realized I had met everyone in the room. Katy, Brady, London, Owen, and Julie. I felt like I was still missing someone though.

I took a peek at the desk connected to mine when I heard rapid typing on the computer. I slid my chair to the side and tilted my head, glancing at them.

His fingers stopped first, hovering over the keyboard before he tilted his head, looking back at me with lifted eyebrows. "Can I help you?"

I blinked in surprise. "Oh. No, I just thought—"

"Good, I can get back to work then," he said, going back to typing.

I frowned, "Um, I just thought I'd introduce myself since—"

"I heard you when you announced your presence to the whole office," he said without looking at me.

I blinked in confusion. What was his deal? "All right, um, sorry if I disturbed you or anything, but I'm—"

"Poppy Valentine," he cut me off again. "I said I heard you, didn't I?"

Staring at him in disbelief, I let out a soft scoff. "And who would you be?"

"Josh," he answered immediately.

"Josh, all right," I repeated, almost testing the name on my tongue. I paused, staring at him.

He was really fucking handsome. But he seemed so... cold and the way he spoke, he even sounded rude.

"So, what are your articles about?" I wondered.

"You can read them and find out if you even last a day at this company."

I felt a twinge of anger. "Well, considering I've been interning here for a year already, I think I'll be just fine, don't you?" I snapped.

He stopped typing again and looked at me. "We'll see." He stood up without another word and left the room.

I stared ahead of me in confusion before facing Owen. "What is his deal?"

He shrugged, spinning to look at me. "Nobody knows. We just know that Joshua Everett Nilsen and people don't get along. He doesn't really get along with anybody, but if he hates you, he really hates you."

"Well, how do you know if he hates you?"

"Oh, he hates you," he nodded confidently.

"What? Why? I didn't even do anything. I just met him."

"I don't know, but he hates you. It shows."

"It does. How?"

He paused in thought. "Well, when you came in yesterday to get a look around, he sounded pretty certain that you wouldn't get this job. Kind of like you were... below... it. Look, I don't—" Owen shut up and quickly spun back around when Josh walked back in.

As he sat down, I poked him some more. "So, how long do you think I'll last here anyway?"

He shrugged, still not looking at me when he spoke. "Maybe a couple of months. If I let you."

"If you let me?" I laughed sardonically.

"You asked for my opinion, didn't you? Don't question it then. And get to work."

I decided then and there. Joshua Everett Nilsen was a dick and if he even had a heart, it was stone cold, at least for me.

"Ma'am, would you like a vegetarian meal or non-vegetarian?"

I snapped out of my thoughts, facing the air hostess. "Oh, sorry. Um, I don't really eat flight food, so I'm good."

She nodded and moved along while Josh turned to look at me. I realized he didn't take a tray either.

"You're not eating?" I asked.

"I don't eat flight food, it makes me sick."

"Yeah, me too," I mumbled.

He unzipped his bag and took out a sandwich before hesitating and taking out another one. He sighed at me.

"What?" I chuckled. "You bought those, I'm not going to ask for one, don't worry. Plus, I'm not hungry."

His eyes narrowed. "But you didn't eat breakfast."

"Still. Not hungry." On the wrong cue, my stomach grumbled lightly.

He nodded, glancing at my stomach in amusement. "Are you sure about that?"

I looked away, ignoring him. There was a pause before I felt him dropping the sandwich in my lap. I blinked in surprise at him.

He stared at me like I was stupid and maybe I was but he's him and I'm me and he was giving me a sandwich? Impossible. "Poppy, take it." He left it in my lap.

"Huh, I guess you do have a heart after all," I teased.

He shook his head. "Never mind, give it back."

"No." I pulled it away before he reached for it. "It's mine now," I grinned, unwrapping it and peeking at him one more time. "Thanks," I mumbled.

"You're welcome," he said for the second time.

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