The plane landed smoothly on the private runway at JFK Airport. Ava stood up from her seat, her legs still a little shaky—not from a fear of heights, but because the past hour in the air had completely turned her understanding of the world upside down.
"How do you feel?" Max shut off the engine and turned to look at her.
"Like I just woke up from a dream," Ava answered honestly. "A beautiful one."
A flicker of satisfaction passed through Max's eyes. "Then you've passed the test."
As she stepped off the plane, Ava couldn't help but glance back at the small aircraft. It looked unimpressive under the lights, but moments ago, it had carried her into the stars.
"Do you do this often?" she asked. "Take strangers up into the sky?"
"Never," Max said as he locked the plane. "You're the first."
"Why?"
Max stopped walking and looked at her seriously. "Because I saw the same hunger in your eyes."
"What kind of hunger?"
"The hunger for freedom," Max said softly. "We've both been trapped in our own cages for too long. Sometimes, we need to fly to remember who we really are."
Ava's heart skipped a beat. There was something about the way he spoke—so direct, so penetrating, as if he could see right through her.
They got back to the city around 2 a.m. Max pulled up outside Ava's apartment building.
"Thank you for tonight's… adventure," Ava said as she unbuckled her seatbelt. "I don't think I'll ever forget it."
"Good," Max said, keeping the engine running. Clearly, he wasn't planning on coming up. "Remember how you felt tonight—especially when you're tempted to back down again."
Ava pushed open the car door but turned back. "Max, will I see you again?"
"If fate allows it," Max smiled. "New York isn't that big. The aviation world is even smaller."
Ava nodded, waved goodbye, and walked into her apartment building. In the elevator, she stared at her reflection—messy hair, flushed cheeks, and eyes still glowing with excitement.
This wasn't the Ava Greene she knew.
Opening the door to her apartment, she found her roommate Nina curled up on the couch watching a Korean drama, a large bag of chips on the coffee table.
"You're back!" Nina hit pause. "I thought you'd cry all night. The first night after a breakup is always the hardest."
"I didn't cry," Ava said, taking off her coat. "Actually, I feel great."
"Really?" Nina looked at her suspiciously. "You smell weird."
"Smell?"
"Aviation fuel." Nina sniffed. "Did you go to the airport?"
Ava froze. Nina had a sharp nose—literally. As a fellow flight attendant, she could recognize that scent instantly.
"I… met someone," Ava hesitated. "A pilot."
"Ooooh!" Nina perked up. "Spill it. Was he hot? What happened?"
"Nothing happened." Ava hurried to her bedroom. "I'm tired. Going to sleep."
"Ava Greene!" Nina jumped up and ran after her. "Don't even try to escape. I can smell the scent of love!"
Ava closed her bedroom door and leaned against it, her heart still racing. The scent of love? She shook her head. Tonight was just an accident—a beautiful one that made her reevaluate everything.
At her vanity, she began removing her makeup. Her reflection looked different—there was a glow she'd never seen before.
After a hot shower, Ava lay in bed, images from the night still flooding her mind. Max's focused expression as he flew, the warmth in his voice, and those deep blue eyes that seemed to see straight through her.
She picked up her phone but paused. She never got his number. Maybe that was for the best. Let the night stay perfect—unspoiled by reality.
The next morning, her alarm jolted her awake at 7:00 a.m. She had a short flight to Boston today and needed to be at the airport by 8:30.
She got ready quickly, put on her uniform, and noticed Nina was already gone—off on an international route. The apartment felt quiet.
As she made breakfast, a thought struck her. She walked over to her desk, tore off a piece of notepaper, and scribbled:
"Thank you for last night's adventure.You were right—courage comes from within, but the opportunity came from you.Maybe we'll meet again, somewhere in that aviation-fueled world.—A"
She slipped the note into her uniform pocket. She didn't know when she'd be able to give it to him—but she wanted Max to know how much last night meant to her.
At the airport, she noticed a strange buzz among her colleagues. They were whispering and glancing at her with curious eyes.
"Ava! There you are!" Sarah came over. "Heard you were chatting up a super-hot pilot at Cloud Bar last night?"
Ava's heart skipped. "How do you know?"
"My cousin's the bartender there," Sarah grinned. "She said sparks were flying—and you two left together. Spill!"
"Nothing happened," Ava muttered, hurrying to the locker room. "We just talked."
"Oh really? Then why do you look so radiant today?" Sarah teased. "You're usually a mess for at least a week after a breakup."
Ava didn't reply. She quickly freshened up and got ready for boarding. At the plane door, she greeted the captain—a seasoned pilot in his fifties.
"Morning, Captain Thompson," she said politely.
"Morning, Ava," he smiled. "Heard you met one of our own last night?"
"Our own?"
"Max Harrison," Captain Thompson said. "He's something of a legend—youngest to earn every flight license type. Very mysterious though. Keeps to himself."
"You know him?"
"Met him a few times at pilot events," the captain said thoughtfully. "He never talks to anyone. If he spoke with you, it means you're special."
Ava didn't respond, but her heart fluttered. Max wasn't just a pilot—he was the pilot. And last night, he had chosen her.
During the flight to Boston, Ava tried to focus on her work. But every time she looked out at the clouds, her mind drifted back to last night.
"Miss, is there more coffee?" a passenger's voice broke her reverie.
"Of course. Just a moment." Ava snapped back into her professional mode.
As she turned, her hand brushed against the paper in her pocket. That note—to Max—felt like the only tangible evidence that last night had really happened.
After landing in Boston, Ava walked out of the plane with the crew. She scanned the terminal and saw several men in pilot uniforms. Confident, focused, professional—just like Max.
But none of them were him.
"Looking for someone?" Sarah smirked.
"No," Ava said quickly. "Just observing."
"Observing what?"
Ava watched the pilots walk away, then said softly, "That the world is much bigger than I thought."
By afternoon, Ava was back in New York, waiting at the airport café for her shuttle. She checked her phone—Elliot had left several unread messages, full of hollow apologies.
She deleted them all.
Then, she heard a familiar voice.
"Ava?"
She looked up—and there he was. Max Harrison, in uniform, standing beside her table.
"Max?" she stood in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"I told you—New York isn't that big. And the aviation world is even smaller." Max smiled. "I just finished a flight. Heading home."
"You flew today too?"
"Yup." He pointed at his uniform. "Same as you. It's our job."
Looking at him, Ava felt a strange warmth. Last night's encounter… today's reunion… Could this really just be coincidence?
"Mind if I sit?"
"Please." Ava nodded. "I didn't expect to see you again so soon."
"Maybe it's fate," Max said, taking the seat across from her. "How are you feeling today?"
"Different," Ava said truthfully. "Like you said—I remembered how it felt."
"Good," Max said with a glint in his eyes. "Once courage awakens, it changes everything."
Ava suddenly remembered the note in her pocket. She hesitated, then handed it to him.
"This… was meant for you. I didn't think I'd get the chance."
Max read it carefully. When he looked back up, his eyes held a warmth she'd never seen before.
"Thank you," he said softly. "This is the most meaningful gift I've received."
"It's just a note," Ava said, blushing.
"No. It's a promise," Max said, tucking it into his wallet. "A promise that you'll remember last night's courage—and keep growing."
Ava watched him carefully fold the note. Her heart stirred—he always seemed to understand the things she didn't say.
"Max, I…" she started, but hesitated.
"What is it?" he asked gently.
"Why did you help me last night? We didn't even know each other."
Max was quiet for a moment. "Because I saw myself in you."
"What do you mean?"
"We're both trapped," he said, voice heavy. "You in a relationship that wasn't worth your time. Me… in a life that doesn't feel like mine."
"What kind of life?"
"A kind where I can't be who I really am," he said vaguely, but Ava could sense the weight behind it.
"And now?"
"Now, like you—I feel different," Max said. "Last night gave me some courage too."
They sat in silence, just looking at each other—as if the whole world had paused for them.
"I should go," Ava finally said. "Early flight tomorrow."
"I'll drive you," Max stood.
"No need. I can take the shuttle."
"I want to drive you," he said firmly. "Besides, we might be going the same way."
Ava relented. As they walked to the parking lot, she asked, "Do you fly out of this airport often?"
"Sometimes," Max said, opening her door. "But I might be here more from now on."
"Why?"
Starting the engine, Max turned to her. "Because I'd like more chances to see you."
Ava's heart skipped a beat. It wasn't quite a confession—but it was close. Max always spoke in riddles, yet his intentions were clear.
As the car moved through the night, Ava stared out at the lights of the city—her heart full of something she hadn't felt in a long time.
Hope.
Maybe last night wasn't the end.
Maybe it was the beginning.