Bliss by Shay Mitchell Read Free Book Online Page A

her graduation gift, dropping the phrase “exotic and expensive” many times. Her parents had done well. She would have preferred Tokyo, but whatever, Thailand was close enough. Fighting her hangover, Leandra got up—slowly—and hugged each of her parents. Her mom cried. Her dad kept a stiff upper lip, and said, “My baby is leaving the nest.”
    Leandra itched to fly. Going to college in Toronto wasn’t far enough. She loved her parents, really. But she bore the heavy weight of their neediness and overprotectiveness. It was understandable, considering. Leandra empathized, but she had to break free of it all and start over somewhere far away.
    â€œWhen do I leave?” she asked.
    â€œTomorrow night!” said her mom. “First, you fly to New York, then Dubai, then Phuket!”
    Mom was overselling it to mask whatever real emotions she was dealing with about losing another daughter, this one to wanderlust. Leandra played along, and spent the rest of the dinner talking excitedly about her grand adventure. Her real life would begin the minute she boarded the plane.
    *   *   *
    Leandra sat in a window seat in coach for the Emirates flight from New York to Dubai. She was wedged in, trapped next to a Middle Eastern man who smelled like BO. His hefty wife didn’t speak a word, but he wouldn’t shut up. From takeoff until now, several hours into the thirteen-hour flight, he’d babbled about his job in tech and how he knew a guy in Mumbai who ran a Bollywood movie studio. “You’re much prettier than any of those girls,” he said. “If you give me your number, I can introduce you to my friend. You can live with me in Mumbai while you become a star.”
    Leandra iced him, but he refused to take the hint. Even if he really did know a guy in Bollywood (doubtful), she would never want to do that. She knew from watching Sophia that acting was hard work. Leandra had no intention of working at all, even a glamorous job. “Please move your face,” she said when he leaned too close. “Your breath is rancid.”
    She took two Ambien and passed out. When she woke up, Leandra crawled over her seatmates to go to the bathroom. The man was now asleep, thank god. His wife was awake, and shot daggers at her. She was used to being despised by wives and girlfriends, and didn’t take it personally.
    In leggings, a blouse from Anthropologie (so ethnic!), and Silence + Noise heels, Leandra walked forward up the aisle to stretch her legs, hoping to sneak a peek at the legendary first-class cabins on the double-decker Airbus’s top level. At the very front of the plane, she found a staircase leading up. It was blocked off with a red velvet rope and guarded by two stewardesses in red pillbox hats. For a woman like Leandra, velvet ropes were optional.
    â€œWhat’s up there?” she asked.
    One of the stewardesses said, “First-class cabins and lounge.”
    She peered up the stairs and saw a circular bar with bottles arranged on mirrored shelves. “Can I go up there, just for one drink?”
    â€œOnly flight crew and first-class passengers.”
    â€œJust a quick look?”
    A man in a suit approached. “Is there a problem?”
    The stewardess said, “The young lady is returning to her seat.”
    â€œWhat’s the big deal?” asked Leandra. “I’m just curious.”
    The flight attendant leaned closer to say, “If you don’t leave this area now, the air marshal behind you is going to arrest you.” The edge in her voice made Leandra believe it. Okay, no need to start an international incident. She used one of the economy-class bathrooms and went right back to her seat. If she got in trouble, it might delay her adventure, so best to stay out of it.
    The plane landed a few hours later. At the arrival gate, Leandra noticed a large family group exit the plane. The women wore black burkas,