Sarah wasn’t surprised to find she and Bent were the first to arrive at the Private Club Airport. It wasn’t a large airport. But the planes were huge and way more sophisticated than the typical commercial airliners Sarah was accustomed to taking. Most of the planes, she reasoned, were privately owned by the local well-to-do Connecticut hedge fund partners, lawyers, CEOs, and celebrities.Her parents often met their clients at this airport, before heading downtown to New York City.Bent pulled the sports car to a stop in a secluded parking lot near the runway. The sports car popped open Bent’s driver’s side door. Sarah waited for her door to open. But it didn’t. Confused, she tried the door handle, thinking she had to open it herself. To her amazement, it was locked.”Rage!” Bent snarled. “Open the door for Sarah.” The sports car’s engine rumbled loudly in reply. “RAGE! OPEN IT NOW!” Bent said. He thumped his fist on the sports car’s hood. Sarah’s passenger door immediately opened. When she tried to step out, she saw her seatbelt had re-buckled itself around her waist. She pressed the button to release the buckle. But nothing happened. Bent had just set their bags and the container of breakfast items on the ground when he noticed Sarah’s plight. His eyes narrowed in fury. In a matter of seconds he was beside Sarah and unfastening her seatbelt. He gently lifted her out of the sports car and into his arms. “Beat it, Rage! I won’t stand for this!” Bent yelled. The sports car revved its engine before speeding off into the darkness. Bent exhaled loudly, still holding her. Sarah could feel his body start to relax. Bent cupped her chin. “He’s a piece of work, that one. He’ll probably hold a grudge against you for a long time for calling him an insect.” “Sorry, I didn’t realize Rage was so sensitive…or protective of you,” Sarah said. “Don’t worry about it,” Bent replied. “I should have warned you about Rage. He’s tricky.” Sarah bent to pick up the breakfast container, but Bent stepped in front of her. “Don’t even think about it,” he snickered. He grabbed all of their bags and the breakfast container and headed into the mini airport. “Everyone should be arriving soon,” he said as they entered the waiting area.The room was freezing. The air conditioner made it feel like it was the middle of January instead of late October. She was glad she was in sweatpants.She dropped down onto a stiff, uncomfortable couch in the middle of the room.Bent headed over to the front desk to speak with the attendant. Sarah could hear the young woman’s obnoxiously loud, very flirtatious giggle. The woman took Bent’s bags and set them on a rolling cart beside her. Bent seated himself on one of the chairs across from Sarah. “Whoa, this chair is crap,” he laughed, trying to get comfortable. Sarah smiled. “This couch is probably worse. It’s like solid plastic. I don’t think anyone has ever sat here.” Bent thumbed through a men’s magazine he’d picked up from a glass table near his chair. After a minute, he checked his watch. “Our friends should be arriving right about now.”As if on cue, the mini airport’s automatic doors slid open. Erin, Trevor, and the two soccer captains, Dan and Chad, came clamoring in, talking and laughing loudly. “Sarah!” Erin called. She threw her bag to Trevor and raced across the room. Sarah jumped up and hugged her. “Aren’t you SO excited?” Erin asked. Her voice echoed loudly around the tile floored room. Sarah nodded. Bent had walked over to chat with the other guys. “You remembered to bring my suitcase, right?” Sarah asked. Erin’s face fell. “Uh oh,” she said slowly.Sarah put her hands on her hips. “I’m kidding!” Erin said, waving her arms in the air. “Your bag’s over there.” Sarah saw Chad hauling her suitcase over the counter to the overly enthusiastic airport attendant. “Thanks, I owe you one,” Sarah said. She looked around. “Where’s everyone else?” Erin had made the unfortunate decision to sit down on the plastic couch. “Good freakin’ nation! This couch SUCKS!” She immediately stood up again. “What’d you say?” she asked. “Is anyone else coming?” Sarah asked. She tried to squint through the airport doors to the parking lot. “No, I don’t think so,” Erin said. “Did you hear that Elly caught the flu?” She winked at Sarah as if that was a blessing for both of them. “Apparently, if Elly can’t go on the trip to Miami, none of her friends can go either.” Sarah raised her eyebrows. “Seriously? Why not? Elly doesn’t own Trish or Dalia or Kimber.” She wouldn’t even mention Layla. She detested that bratty girl more than even Elly. At least Elly faked nice. Erin lifted her foot to retie the shoelace on her sneaker. “That girl group has fierce loyalty or something,” Erin said. “I think Elly’s friends feel bad for her.” She leaned closer to Sarah. “Between you and me, Trevor said Elly is BEYOND ANGRY that she’s missing this trip.”Sarah made a face. “I guess I would be, too. It’s going to be really fun.” “The word is AMAZING, girl!” Erin said, slapping her on the back. The attendant motioned for everyone to follow her outside.The group headed out of the waiting room through another set of wide sliding doors. Bent’s massive white jet glistened under the airport lights. It was just as spectacular as his underground high speed train. “Check it out!” Dan called, clapping his hands. “Prince, man, this plane is WILD!” Bent, trying to look humble, merely nodded. The group walked up a short flight of stairs. A pilot and stewardess waited to greet them at the top.”Welcome aboard. We’ll be on our way shortly,” the pilot said, squeezing Sarah’s hand. She smiled kindly at him, liking his bright blue eyes and fatherly face.”Got any parachutes on this thing?” Trevor joked as he shook the stewardess’s hand. The stewardess smiled. She looked to be in her late fifties. “Of course we do.” Chad jostled Trevor’s arm. “You’re not afraid of a little turbulence, are you Trevor?” He started to shake Trevor’s shoulders, causing Trevor to nearly lose his balance. “No!” Trevor said, although he did look nervous. He leaned towards the pilot. “Keep us over the Atlantic, okay?” The pilot laughed, nodding his head. “Maybe if we were flying international. But I’ll do what I can, kid.” Erin snorted. “If you do insist on this plane flying closer to the ocean, Trevor, shouldn’t you be asking for a life vest?” Trevor’s eyes bulged. He turned to the stewardess. Before he even had to ask, the woman smiled. “Don’t worry. We have plenty of life jackets, too.” Trevor grinned widely. “Best plane ever!” As Sarah boarded the aircraft, she took one last look outside. The sun was just starting to rise above the horizon. It was going to be a beautiful day.When Sarah spun around to see inside the plane, she gasped. It looked nothing like a normal plane. It looked like the inside of a house!There were several different rooms. The main room resembled a lounge with couches and business-style armchairs. A large bar was beside the lounge and beyond that were several more rooms. As Bent gave the group a tour, they walked through a complete gym, a spa, a game room that was filled with the most complex looking technology Sarah had ever seen, and even a movie theater. At the very back were six different bedrooms, each with king-sized beds. “Prince, man. This is NOT a plane. This is a mansion with wings!” Trevor said, roaring with laughter. The stewardess got the boys their drink orders- obviously from the bar- and then they headed to the game room. “Let’s hang in the lounge,” Erin suggested. “Then maybe we can go watch a movie in the theater.” Sarah could hardly breathe. She had to keep reminding herself that Bent wasn’t normal. Only a handful of people in the entire world could own a plane this grand. It made her feel small again. “Yeah, sure,” Sarah said. She settled onto the couch in the lounge…and smiled. “Wow. Now this is a couch,” she said. Erin dropped onto the couch on the opposite wall. “Holy smokes, you’re right. This couch is nicer than my bed!” The girls giggled together.”Can I bring you ladies anything to eat or drink?” the stewardess asked. Erin glanced at Sarah. “What do you have?” she asked the woman politely. The stewardess rattled off a number of different beverages and meals. “Mr. Prince brought aboard scrambled egg croissants as well,” the woman said. Erin rubbed her hands together. “The croissants for sure! If Bent brought them, that’s what I want first!” The woman returned moments later with their meals. Sarah noticed there were colorful chocolate candies on her plate. “What’s the candy for?” she asked, taking a sip of her marvelously delicious strawberry lemonade. Erin leaned back against the couch cushions, sighing deeply. “Girl! Where’ve you been? It’s HALLOWEEN! And that means we’re going COSTUME SHOPPING once we get to Miami!”