Attention passengers for United flight 532 non-stop to Minneapolis...thank you for your patience during this time while we have monitored the weather. Unfortunately at this time, your flight has been cancelled due to–"

"You can't be serious."

Jon glanced over from his iPad screen, catching the tone of utter disdain coming from the voice of the young woman the next table over. Also in mid-sip of his drink, Jon nearly choked as well, looking at the person before him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that so loudly," her cheeks tinged with pink, voice instantly apologetic at she caught his attention. Tucking her strawberry blonde, wispy bangs away from her honey-hazel eyes, her porcelain hands then moved to the table, one picking up her phone, the other, her coffee drink.

She dressed quite well for airport attire, wearing a roomy white v-neck shirt and dark wash skinny jeans cuffed a few times above her ankles. The said ankles were crossed cordially, one tucked neatly behind the other, displayed by simple, black TOMs. On her wrists were various, colorful bracelets. Her hair was worn loosely in a bun, simply curled pieces both pinned back or left to themselves. Jon couldn't tell if she wore any makeup at all, which, he assumed, was a good thing. If Kaner were here, he'd put a label to the appearance as quickly as he would fly into the seat across from her:

The girl next door.

"You, uh, you okay?" Jon's words tumbled out, finally.

God, when was the last time he talked to a girl? And when did it get so hard to speak? It must be the residual concussion symptoms, he told himself.

"Er, yes, my flight has just been cancelled," she sighed. "Mechanical problems, apparently."

"Oh," lamely replied Jon. "When's the next flight?"

"I'm pretty sure they said not until tomorrow morning."

"Are they giving you a hotel?"

"My dad lives here, so I have a place to stay," the girl shrugged, placing her phone into her leather satchel. "Just kind of feels like I wasted my day, y'know?"

"I know the feeling– my flight's delayed because of the weather," replied Jon, suddenly getting the notion that the prettiest girl he'd run into in a while was now leaving by the way she was collecting herself. "If you don't mind me asking, where were you going?"

She leaned back in her chair.

"Minnesota. My friend from high school has a family lake house up there," she said, Jon noting that she didn't sound all too elated. "How about yourself?"

"Home. Winnipeg."

"Canada, eh?– God, I'm so sorry, you probably get that a lot, huh?" she chuckled at herself slightly, and he even grinned at her tidbit of cliché humor. "I love Canada, though, from what I've seen of it. I went ice climbing at Lake Louise last winter."

"Wow– that's awesome," Jon was momentarily agape at this unexpected tidbit of information. "Do you do that sort of thing often?"

"I wish I could– my dad's an environmental geology professor at the UC and he's the Outdoors Club advisor there– they planned the trip and I got to tag along last minute while on break."

"That's awesome," Jon repeated, and then felt dumb for doing so.

"It was a pretty incredible experience," she agreed. "Though for the most part I just like a good hike."

"Ever been to Starved Rock?"

"Several times! The canyons are incredible, aren't they?"

"They are," Jon smiled at the excitement in her voice as she described her multiple camping trips with friends and down in Utica.

"So where are you actually from?" Jon asked, changing the subject. "Where's home for you?"

She twisted the lid of her coffee cup absentmindedly before answering. "I go to school in Massachusetts, so that's where I spend most of the year. I grew up here until I was twelve, and moved to upstate New York."

"New York, eh? I have a good buddy from Buffalo."

"My mother lives in Rochester, it's about 80 miles east of there."

Jon couldn't help but notice that she didn't actually coin any of the places she described as "home." Jon had always felt at ease in both Winnipeg and Chicago– he never felt troubled to find himself at home.

Attention United passengers on flight 709 direct non-stop to Winnipeg, Manitoba–"

"That you?" she asked, and Jon nodded feeling a pang in his chest as the intercom rang overhead. He felt foolish, though– what was the matter with him? He hadn't even noticed this girl sit down at the table next to him, and then she had to open her mouth and talk to him for three minutes– and he couldn't get enough of her.

Your flight has been cancelled due to a severe weather forecast. We are currently rerouting customers through multiple cities, but direct flights to Winnipeg will not take off until tomorrow morning–"

"That's awful, I'm so sorry," she looked at him wide eyed and sympathetically as Jon shrugged.

"Not a big deal, I'll just go back to my apartment–" noting her puzzled look, he added, "Chicago's home, too. I, uh, work here most of the year."

"Oh, well that's good."

"I was going to catch a cab back– want to share?"

"I'm going to Hyde Park– is that close to you?"

"Yeah, it's on the way," Jon lied. Anything to stay in her vicinity. "I never introduced myself. I'm Jonathan, or just Jon."

"Genevieve, but call me Gen," she smiled, and her bright eyes and delicate hand that reached over and shook his own nearly floored Jon again on the spot . "Nice to meet you, Jon."