text: Jason walked quickly down a hallway through the airport to get to his gate. The escalator was ascending just in front of him. To his right, a shopping area and food court bustled with other passengers all waiting for their respective planes. He had always hated escalators. He had fallen down one as a kid and he disliked them ever since, but he was been in a hurry and the stairs were tiring, considering how far he still had to go. Plus this would give him some time to think and get some space from Karen, before they met to get on their plane. Annie was trying to take her time. She really needed some space to herself. She had been arguing with her boyfriend for the last twenty minutes at the gate and had just walked away to get a break. The exit to the food court and overpriced stores had just joined up with a hallway and at the far end of the junction was an escalator. Jason was deep in thought. He couldn't believe he had been coaxed into this trip. His girlfriend had bugged him relentlessly until he had agreed. God he disliked her parents. They had such a different view of the world then him. Also why did they have to live in Minnesota, it was quite a long flight from Sky Harbor Airport. In the middle of winter too. He hated this. Annie hated the cold but her boyfriend Chad had to go to the Rockies. He “needed” to snowboard. Why couldn't they ever do anything she wanted. Annie was about to step onto the escalator when she bumped into someone. “Oh, I'm sorry,” she said as she turned. A tall well built man who looked to be in his late twenties was standing there just as stunned as she was. “Oh, no problem,” he said back looking at the floor. Jason looked down. He had been so lost in thought. This cute girl just bumped into him, and now he was all flustered. He had been so lost in thought he hadn't noticed her and now they were standing face to face. He could tell he was blushing but looked up and took a step back. He gestured with his hand and smiled. “After you.” “Wow,” Annie thought. He's so chivalrous. He seemed very sincere in the gesture so, she stepped onto the escalator before him. The man nodded and smiled but hesitated before stepping on after her. Jason had been with Karen for almost a year. He didn't really know why he still was, but he figured it was the best he could get, so why lose it. He noticed he'd stopped laughing as much and tended to do nothing but fight with her. Plus their tastes were so vastly different. He loved warm places with a beach. Hawaii. California. He needed the water. Karen on the other hand was all about the mountains and land locked states. She would never travel to the ocean. She was too afraid of it. Though she had never been but Jason had always guessed it was just a fear of the unknown. He loved spicy food. Karen hated it. He loved to read. She hated books. To be honest, Jason felt more and more like polar opposites with her, but he didn't have the courage to tell her that and break her heart. Plus she was his first real girl friend. He had been with a couple of girls before but they were short relationships so he never really counted it. Which made everything that much more complicated. Annie had been with Chad for years. They had been high school sweethearts. Now that she was twenty-four though, she had realized how they weren’t the same. Not even remotely. She was into art and books and anything that had to do with warm sunny beaches. She loved the ocean and felt like it helped her write and read and just be more herself. Chad on the other hand, had really turned into a bum. He barely worked anymore and had been relying on Annie more and more for his income. He would sit around most days either watching T.V. or playing video games. He had planned this trip by dipping into their savings, for it was for his own “well being.” Annie was getting more and more disgusted with him but was too sweet and polite to tell him they weren't working. Annie turned slightly on the escalator and looked at the man behind her. He had a death grip on the rail but she could tell he kept peeking at her. She smiled to herself. He really was cute. He had such startlingly bright eyes. What she couldn't figure out was why he was holding the rail so hard. Maybe he knew something she didn't. Wait, what if the escalator was going to jerk or hitch or something? They sometimes did that when they got older, right? Come to think of it, this one did look kind of old. Okay, really old. She might fall and get hurt. She tightened her grip on the rail too, just in case. Jason saw the corner of the lady's mouth twitch when he looked at her. He thought for a second she was smiling but figured it was his imagination. Then he saw her grip tighten on the railing. Oh god. Something was going to happen. He knew it. She was freaking out because she knew the escalator was going to jerk and he would fall down it and get hurt again. Annie had been always looking for that “Knight in shining armor.” The one from fairy tales. The one to sweep her off her feet. She definitely didn't feel like that with Chad but she couldn't leave him. They had a huge history together. Heck they had been out of high school for five years now. Annie looked down at her feet, thinking again. She needed a change. Something new and exciting. Maybe going somewhere like Hawaii or California. She had always wanted to go and hoped that someday Chad would take her there. Jason was the kind of guy who wanted to sweep a girl off her feet. Do everything old-school. Be the knight in shining armor. He would take her everywhere and anywhere she wanted to go. Be the man that she needed and make her his princess. He has always and will always love with all of his heart all the time. That is part of the reason he couldn't leave Karen. He couldn't bare hurting her like that. Also, could he even get another girlfriend? He doubted it. Jason looked forward as he neared the top of the escalator. He would treat that girl with the utmost respect and be there for her whenever she needed it. Annie shuffled her feet a little. She was almost at the top. She needed someone who could take care of her. Someone to hold her and tell her everything will be alright. Someone that would respect her for who she is, not drag her off to the cold, mountainous... She took a deep breath, wanting leave the argument alone. Annie stepped off the escalator at the top and took a few steps. She turned and looked at the man behind her. She smiled sweetly and said, “Have a nice day.” “You too.” Jason said back. “Hope it's a great one.” Jason turned as he got off and started walking toward the A gates 1-23. Hands pushed in his pockets dreading seeing Karen again. Wishing he could find the right person. Wishing he could find his princess. Annie turned and headed toward the A gates 23-45. She pushed her hands in her pockets wishing that some how when she got to her gate Chad wouldn't be there. God she needed her knight to save her now. Jason found Karen sitting at their gate. She had her feet over her things so no one would take them. She looked up and smiled but it seemed fake to him. He smiled back and plopped himself next to her believing this is the best he would get. Annie saw Chad sitting at the gate where she had left him. He looked up and smiled but it didn't touch his eyes. “I'm sorry, babe. I didn't mean to yell.” He stood up and kissed her on the cheek. She leaned into him and smiled believing this is the best she would get.