Up in the Air Pt. 01

When my seat was shoved another three times, something dawned on me; it was at that moment, that I realised for the first time, just what an awkward position I'd put myself in. The flight was going to last over ten hours, and I was going to be sat amongst this lot for the whole journey? The very same people that had been shouting insults at me and laughing along at my bad luck? I wiped my forehead with my sleeve as I began to perspire. This was a total misunderstanding, and I wasn't a bad person or anything. I turned in my seat, and looking through the gap, I awkwardly smiled. "I'm not a Karen," I whispered back; not sure whether I was trying to convince myself or her, but feeling like I couldn't let her finish with the final word. "Please don't call me that. I was just really stressed out."

The two girls looked at each other, before bursting out laughing and sitting back. Some others in the cabin laughed along with them. I craned my neck and darted my eyes around, and suddenly felt completely outnumbered, like I was the butt of everyone else's jokes and a laughing stock amongst the cabin. As if to accentuate my increasingly dire situation, my seat shunted forwards again. Their laughter returned from behind me, ringing in my ears, and my eyes widened. My cheeks felt like my skin was going to boil straight off my face, and I swallowed nervously as I contemplated having to endure a whole flight of this immature behaviour. My hands fidgeted in my lap, with fingers growing sweaty, and I hoped now I was seated, that everyone would eventually leave me alone. However, my seat jerked forwards again, and I knew this was going to be a longer flight than I realised.

Thankfully, Marketa moved in the aisle nearby, and began the safety demonstration, which seemed to calm and distract everyone. The girls behind grew quiet, and after a few minutes, the aircraft was making its way to the runway.

I breathed a sigh of relief, and figured that once we were in the air, all would settle down and I could just get on with getting some sleep. They'd had their fun and made my life miserable enough already, and I reasoned that I'd just keep to myself for the duration of the flight.

The next half hour seemed bliss, even though I was trapped in a shitty seat with barely any leg room. Yes, there were empty seats next to me, but while the 'fasten your seatbelt' light was on, I was stuck upright with no room to spread out. Still, it was quiet, and I was left alone. Although there were a few whispers from behind that I could barely hear, the girls didn't push my seat again. However, my ears perked up as I heard some mutterings about 'that bitch in front' but I brushed it off, figuring I'd misheard them and I was being paranoid. Surely, they weren't still holding a grudge or anything? We were in the air, after all, and they couldn't be so petty that they would keep on about a small confrontation that had caused a minor delay. No one was that petty, right?

But then, just as the seatbelt light switched off, and I was about to turn and spread out, I felt my seat jolt forward as the girl behind evidently pushed the touchscreen monitor with way too much force. I turned and looked between the gap, scowling to communicate my annoyance, however, they were too busy talking to even notice me. I thought about saying something, but in the back of my mind, I had the concern that I would just be mocked for complaining again.

"What you doing?" the brunette said.

"Trying to get this stupid thing to work but it's all frozen," her blonde friend replied. She bore a lip piercing, rather than the tongue jewel like her friend had. However, she had a similarly trashy tattoo on her bared shoulder; the sweater she was wearing so loose that it hung off her like it was ten times too big.

"You gotta really push it." The brunette then bashed her finger against the screen multiple times, and I felt like I was riding a wave as I bounced back and forth.

"Kim," the blonde said. "Quit it. You're just making it worse."

"God, I'm only try to help."

I was about to let it go, figuring I just didn't want a confrontation, but when it happened another ten or so times, I turned in my seat. "Could you please not push the screen so hard?" I asked in as reasonable a manner as I could muster. I was infuriated that I had to sit here in the first place, and it was for this exact reason that I always avoided doing so. I had a regular routine I stuck to on my travels, first enjoying a meal with a glass of wine, before I settled back in the comfort that business class afforded me. I'd usually sleep straight through the rest of the flight, and awakened fresh and ready for my meeting. It was painfully obvious that this wouldn't be happening in economy, especially with the inconsiderate pair sat behind me. Had they no clue how flight decorum worked? If there was something wrong with your stupid screen, you didn't keep bashing it and annoying the person in the row ahead.

"Get a load of her," the blonde girl said to the other. "She loves a moan, don't she?"

"Pay her no attention," the Kim girl said. "We paid for these seats. Our money is as good as that snooty bitch's."

I had been on the brink of turning and retorting with something else, but that final insult she'd bestowed upon me gobbled the words in my mouth. I suddenly felt a hot flush come over me, because this wasn't like arguing with the flight attendant earlier. This wasn't on par with the polite disagreements that I sometimes entered into with my peers; where even though our opinions differed, a mutual respect existed. These two girls weren't working right now, as Marketa was, and had no reason at all to be amicable. Clearly, they were from the rabble stock that I always tried to avoid at all costs, and now I was trapped in the seat right next to them. I couldn't bear arguing for the next ten hours, so instead, I shook my head at their rudeness, then unfastened my seatbelt and spread out across the seats. I stuffed one of the pillows beneath my head and tried to just drift off to sleep. By this point, I didn't even care about any meal or drinks. I just wanted to snooze right through the flight and get through this hell as quickly as possible.

However, I could barely get a wink, and I rolled from side to side, trying to find a comfortable position. Even when I did so, whenever I felt myself about to fade away, I would be abruptly jolted awake with another prod on the seat. I rolled over numerous times, trying to get comfortable while laying across the seats, but with the gaps, and all of the seat belts, it was truly impossible. Even though I'd lifted the armrests out of the way there was no comparison to the luxurious reclining seat in business class that I was used to. That one even came with an extending leg rest, but that simply wasn't possible in the cramp space of economy. There was literally no chance in hell to relax, especially with the two inconsiderate girls behind; I was never going to be able to sleep. The entire row to myself seemed like a waste, and I was rueing having not just left the flight and re-arranged my meeting for the day after.

Therefore, with a groan, I sat back up, and instead, ripped open the complimentary ear phones and tried watching a movie, being sure to touch the screen as lightly as possible so I wouldn't disturb the man in front. At least some of us could be reasonable and considerate. There was quiet for about twenty minutes and I was left to enjoy my movie in peace, even managing to get into the plot and put my uncomfortable situation out of mind. Thankfully, I assumed the pair of them behind were busy watching their own movies, as they were no longer bashing the back of my seat. I actually started to enjoy the movie, when suddenly, the armrest to my right crashed down and startled me, almost lifting me an inch from my seat, such was my surprise. It had been such a jarring interruption, that I'd contorted my hands to my chest, kind of in a defensive motion.

"So childish," I muttered to myself, figuring that once again they were just trying to annoy me. However, I wasn't about to let a pair of immature teens get my back up, so I settled into the seat and continued enjoying the movie.

It must have been less than a minute before my nose began to twitch, as a peculiar, intrusive smell tickled me. It wasn't awful, but it wasn't pleasant either, and most of all, it was disruptive and kept lingering in the air. Each time I felt like I was getting used to it, I'd take another breath and find the odour had rejuvenated. I thought that perhaps they were already dishing out the meals, but it seemed way too early. My nostrils flared as I leant forward, looking between the seats to see if the guy in front was eating some kind of stinky food, but he had nothing; simply being sat with his arms crossed and eyes closed, chin buried in his chest.

I was about to shrug it off, when I glanced to my right, and then...I froze.

I had to blink a number of times to truly appreciate just what the hell I was looking at, even taking a moment to wipe my eyes with astonishment. There, reaching through the gap in the seats, and now resting atop the armrest, was a foot. Not just any foot, but from the chipped blue polish, and the stringy anklet tied around the leg, it was clearly the foot of the provocative girl called Kim seated behind me. While noting her flip-flops earlier, I'd caught a glimpse of the cheap string tied around her ankle and that awful polish that had grown out on her nails. It was the sort of things those girls wear who think they're carefree and hippy, and it was obscenely annoying to me. I mean, I got manicures and pedicures, but I'd never allow them to look like that. On top of that, was the strong smell, which was almost offensive as it polluted my seating area. I pinched my nose with my fingers, before glancing over my shoulder, truly offended that she thought it was passable to do such a thing.

I almost felt like there was steam whistling out of my ears as I eyed her sat there, such was my annoyance at the sheer audacity of her. I mean, who the hell did she think she was? This was my personal space. Everyone knew that, since they'd all been listening in on my kerfuffle with the flight attendant. They'd moved me from business class, and had given me a whole row to myself as compensation. They hadn't given this Kim a row to put her feet all over.

I muted the audio on the movie, and was just about to say something through the gap again, having to awkwardly strain my neck over her foot, when I heard the blonde speak from behind in a hushed voice. "What are you doing?"

For a moment, I thought she was talking to me, before Kim's foot stretched forward even further. "Getting more comfortable."

"You know she's sat there, right?"

There was a muffled giggle, before Kim said, "Duh, like I care about her. No one is sat in that seat, so I'm taking full advantage."

The blonde sniggered back. "You're so bad. Stop trying to provoke her, will you? I don't want to hear her annoying voice again. She's like the most annoying woman on the planet."

"Yeah, but maybe we'll get another good video out of it."

My spine went rigid, and I felt mortally offended, even to the point where I reached up and clutched at my throat. I couldn't help my voice, could I? It wasn't like I purposefully tried to sound the way it did. It was not as if I was able to massage the high-pitch out of my voice or anything, was it? My lips parted, and I was about to say something, but then, a very real fear overcame me: was this just a provocation so they could catch me on video complaining again? I wasn't about to fall into their trap.

I turned back straight in my seat and suddenly felt like I didn't have a voice anymore. Did they really think I was being that annoying? I was just standing my ground earlier. I was the one in the right, after all, wasn't I? It was unfair that I'd been moved from business class and the airline was completely out of line for overbooking my seat. But now I was being made to feel like the mere sound of my own voice was an irritant to others. Her foot was in my space, but I was considered the annoyance? It was like I wasn't free to voice my objections, because they would mock me and record everything again.

"Anyway, I want to see if she's going to say something." Kim wiggled her toes, almost provocatively, and I couldn't help but peek over towards them as she confirmed my fears. It just seemed so damn unfair that she was taking liberties with my area. Marketa had even said that these were my seats. I had the entire row to myself so I could lay down and stretch out, but now, I couldn't even do that, even if it was uncomfortable, because Kim's damn foot was in the way.

I shook my head and bit my lip. Despite not wanting to seem like a serial complainer, something had to be said, and it was about damn time I put her straight once and for all. I turned in my seat. "I—"

"Oh, brace yourself," Kim said, smiling at me in a smarmy way through the gap. She crossed her arms and leant her cheek on her shoulder. "Here she comes. She's one of those women that just loves a moan." She turned to her friend and chuckled. "I bet she cries to the flight attendant again."

With that, I just felt so tiny and small...and... as if my feelings were irrelevant. My lips quivered, as suddenly, I lost all coherence with what I was about to say. I'd been on the verge of telling her to move her damn foot, but, I was now compelled to not be that woman they were talking about. I wasn't a cry-baby, was I? Is that how everyone else in the cabin perceived me, just because I stood up for myself and wanted to sit in the seat I'd bloody booked? I didn't want to be known as someone who grumbled about everything, even if I had been justified at the beginning of the flight. Clearly, they were just trying to torment me so that I'd cause another scene and look even worse in everyone's eyes. I rolled my eyes down to her foot; its presence wasn't about being comfortable at all. She'd put it there to bait me, that much was evident. Now I was seated, I just wanted a quiet, undisturbed journey. Therefore, despite wanting to tell her to move her stupid foot, I bit my lip and kept quiet, intent on taking the moral high ground and rising above their immature behaviour. I wasn't going to stoop to her level and give her another reaction that they'd probably record all over again. She obviously just wanted to make me look a fool, and I wasn't about give her what she wanted over a damn foot.

Instead, I smiled back at her, almost sarcastically, and rolled my eyes at her immaturity, before turning back forwards and resuming my movie. This was typical of flying in economy; everyone was just so provocative and childish.

Things went quiet for a while, and I settled into enjoying the movie again. When Marketa passed by with a trolley, I ordered a wine, and finally, things felt like they were going in my direction. Sat with my legs parted, in a row all to myself, glass of wine in hand, I realised that things could have been a lot worse. Just like the guy who had joked about trading seats; at least I wasn't cramped up against the window with three people between me and the aisle.

As Marketa passed me the wine, however, she glanced down at Kim's foot, blatantly intruding into my space. She blinked in surprise, before darting her eyes up to me. "Is everything satisfactory here, Ma'am?"

I too looked at Kim's foot, before rolling my eyes and flicking my hand at it; demonstrating just how over the whole thing I was. "She thinks she's being funny."

Marketa cocked her head. "Do you want me to ask her to move her foot?" she whispered, while leaning over the seat. "This is not normal behaviour."

"I wouldn't give her the satisfaction," I said with a shake of my head. Obviously, I wanted her damn foot away from me, but I wasn't going to be the cry-baby she'd proclaimed me to be. I wasn't about to have Marketa do my dirty work, just so they could cackle behind me and laugh about how I'd moaned and whined for help. If anything, giving them such a reaction would only encourage them to do it more. If I held firm, and didn't respond in the way they expected, eventually, they'd probably get bored and stop annoying me. It was only a matter of time.

Marketa seemed bemused, and gave Kim's foot a final, confused look. "Well, if you insist it is not bothering you." She stood up and returned to the trolley. "Let me know if you need anything else, Ma'am."

I raised my glass and gave her a toast, before having a sip of wine and trying to stretch out. My knees were right up against the seat in front, and I looked to the side, realising that even with the gaps and seatbelts, sitting across the seats was way more comfortable. Kim's foot was right there, however, blocking the way, making those three other seats a complete waste and inaccessible to me. Despite the bile rising in my throat, I grit my teeth, took another sip, and waited for her to stop being childish and get bored. The gap between the seats was tight, and it could hardly have been comfortable for her to jam her leg through like that. She was being nothing but stubborn, and my patient response was going to win through once pain began pulsating through her leg.

A number of times, I even turned slightly, ready to say something, but each time, I was silenced by the thought of losing and giving them what they obviously wanted. I didn't want her to get the satisfaction of knowing she had annoyed me, feeling like it would only encourage her to do it more. I turned and looked at her, with one leg poked through a narrow gap in the seats and her sole resting on a hard armrest? It was moronic and was hardly the life of luxury. I inwardly laughed at her petulant behaviour, and tried to put her stupid foot out of mind and focus on the movie.

Apparently, the girls behind must have been doing the same, as other than ordering drinks, the two of them were fairly quiet. However, throughout, Kim's foot remained perched on the armrest to my right. Occasionally, I'd get distracted from the movie when she'd move it slightly, or if she stretched or wiggled her toes. Instinctively, I'd look out of the corner of my eye, as if one would do whenever they thought they'd spotted a spider creeping along. Even though, I knew what it was, it was as if my sub-conscious would react anyway. On top of that, I'd find my nose twitching whenever I'd catch a whiff of her foot. It was almost cyclical in its effect, the way my nose would adapt, and then someone would walk down the aisle and the breeze would waft a whole, fresh lungful my way. Whenever she adjusted her position, and stretched and spread her toes, I'd catch another whiff, before wrinkling my nose and leaning away towards the window.

Over time, these subtle movements of her foot, and the intrusive smell, became increasingly annoying, and the more she irritated me, the less I could concentrate on the movie. I found that whenever she distracted me, and my eyes would dart over, I'd let out a frustrated sigh. I simmered in my growing frustration, eyeballing her foot and willing it to disappear back between the seats. I could have pretended to accidentally elbow it, but I figured that's exactly what she wanted to make me look like the bad guy. So, I kept quiet, silently cursing her for intentionally tormenting me with her foot. All sorts of responses floated around my head; ways in which I could do something that would make her foot move, but none seemed suitable enough for me to come out a dignified winner.

I kept quiet, until after another fifteen minutes, there was a bit of movement behind me, and my seat was pushed forwards slightly. It happened a few more times, and I awaited Kim's foot disappearing. However, when it remained in place, I muted the movie to listen in to what was going on.