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The school year was close to over and you were pretty sure you were more exhausted than even your students. You were ready for summer, ready to relax at home for a while.
More than that, you were ready for your end-of-the-year trip that you had been planning all year.
Shockingly, your administration had approved you to take 20 of your seniors on a trip to Orlando, visiting both Disney and Universal. You were beyond excited to go, as were your students. Once they were done with their exams (which were a couple weeks before graduation), you would be on the plane to Orlando.
Just a couple days before your trip, you got a phone call from the tour company you were using for your trip.
“Ms. Y/L/N?” Randy said as you answered the phone.
“Randy, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Y/N?” you answered, a smile on your face. Randy was a nice, older man, and he’d been an incredible help getting everything together.
“Yes, well, you can’t always teach an old dog new tricks,” he said, before obviously pulling away from the phone to cough. Your eyebrows knitted together in concern. “I was calling to let you know that I have gotten quite sick and won’t be able to go with you on the trip as your guide.”
Your stomach dropped, sad that he was ill and that you wouldn’t have him to travel with. “I’m so sorry, Randy, we’ll miss you for sure.”
“Yes, well, because you’re such a great customer to work with, I’m sending my best guide in my place. He’s been briefed about your trip, knows everything I know, and you’ll love him.”
There was something else hidden behind Randy’s words, but you couldn’t quite place what it was. “Thank you, Randy. I’m sure he won’t hold a candle to you, though!”
Randy laughed, and the two of you exchanged goodbyes before hanging up.
Two mornings later, your alarm didn’t wake you up as early as you’d planned. Your flight was at seven, so your students were to meet you at the airport at five. You had planned to be there a half hour earlier than that, to meet any early students and get their plane tickets with Randy, or your new tour guide.
Your 3:30 alarm didn’t get you up, but the emergency one you’d set at four did. A half hour of time lost, you skimped on your makeup and didn’t do your hair, figuring that you would just have to do it on the plane or in the bus once you got to Orlando.
You were practically running with your bag from the parking lot to the terminal, suddenly realizing that you didn’t know what your new tour guide looked like, or even his name. You headed toward the American Airlines ticket counters, eyeing the crowd for someone who looked like he was a tour guide.
As you tried to (not awkwardly) look around you, you heard, “Y/N Y/L/N?” from behind you. You turned to see a man, probably just a few years older than you, standing there with a small carry on in hand. His black polo didn’t have the tour company logo on it, but his computer bag did.
Once you saw the logo, you looked up at his face, suddenly lost. He was gorgeous – sandy blonde hair a bit messy on top, a day or two’s scruff on his face, and green eyes…oh those eyes. His smile was warm and inviting, one that you wanted to see much more of.
“Y/N?” he asked again, and you realized you’d never answered him the first time.
“Yes! That’s me. I’m Y/N,” you answered, trying to hold your hand out to shake but realizing you had your purse in it, so you moved it to your other hand, knocking your carry on to the floor in the process. It smacked loudly against the tile and you stared at it for a second, before continuing the awkward offering of your hand.
The man laughed – a friendly laugh, not a condescending one – and took your hand. “I’m Jensen, I’m taking Randy’s place.”
His hand around yours felt strong and warm, and you never wanted to let it go. “It’s really nice to meet you, Jensen. I’m glad you could fill in.”
He let go of your hand, bending down to pick up your fallen suitcase for you. “Yes, well Randy asked me to come and take care of you, so that’s what I’m here for. We’re going to have a really great time, I’m sure.”
You nodded, about to answer, but then you heard one of your students calling your name. Time to get to work.
You nearly forgot about Jensen as you checked your students in, chatting with their parents and taking pictures with some whose moms documented everything. Jensen stayed to the side, watching you with your students and helping them check in their bags.
Eventually you were all going through security, the chaos of the airport continuing to distract you from your handsome tour guide. It wasn’t until you and all of the students were at the gate that you spoke to him again.
“And here we go!” you said, smiling. You tucked some stray hair behind your ear, realizing only then that you definitely weren’t looking your best for this new, incredibly attractive man in your life.
“Yep. You’re stuck with me for the next few days,” Jensen said, soft smile on his face. You blushed, you were sure of it, before a few of your guys came up to the two of you.
Two of them were football players, one was a good friend of theirs, but all of them were pretty big for high school seniors. They were still shorter than Jensen, though, who had to be over six feet tall.
One of the guys looked between you and Jensen before holding his hand out. “I’m Cade,” he introduced, obviously trying to be macho. You nearly laughed at him, but decided to let the boys introduce themselves to their new male chaperone. You headed to sit down near some of your girls, pulling out your makeup bag as you did.
“Ms. Y/L/N!” one of the girls whispered at you, drawing y our attention. “Who’s that?” She pointed toward Jensen, and you looked over to see the three guys laughing at something Jensen said to them.
“He’s our new tour guide, Jensen. Randy got sick,” you answered simply. The girls nodded. They whispered amongst themselves before one of the bolder ones leaned over to you.
“He’s super cute, right?”
You looked at her with a deadpanned look, not wanting to talk to your students about someone being cute or not. She seemed to get the hint, smiling as she put her h ands up in surrender. “Just saying…”
You spent the next few minutes touching up your make-up and hair, getting yourself closer to your everyday normal than you had been before. By the time you were done, the plane was boarding. You watched as your students all got on the plane, chatting happily amongst themselves even at the early hour. Finally, you and Jensen headed through, finding your seats next to each other.
“Your kids really love you,” Jensen said as soon as you were sitting down. You looked over at him, the corner of your mouth quirking up on its own accord.
“Yeah, they’re pretty great,” you answered, knowing that you were going to miss this group when they were graduated.
“Those boys were trying to, ah, out-macho me?” Jensen said, making you laugh. “It was pretty funny.”
You rolled your eyes, knowing how they could be. “Sorry ‘bout that. They probably just wanted to pretend like they’re the big men on campus, even though they know you’re the adult in charge.”
Jensen nodded and was quiet for a few minutes. As soon as the plane was taxiing and the safety speech was over, he spoke again.
“I’m really looking forward to spending time getting to know you the next few days,” he said. “I’m kind of glad Randy got sick and sent me in his place.”
You looked at Jensen, seeing something brewing in his eyes. Your stomach flipped, wondering if he was implying what you thought he was. “I’m glad you’re here, too, Jensen.”
You spent the rest of the flight fighting your itching fingers – the ones that really wanted to lace themselves between Jensen’s where they lay on his knee just to see what would happen.
You hoped you’d get the chance soon enough.