CHAPTER THREE
( PRINCETON AND FINAL DESTINATION )

──────〃‪‪♡   "𝑺𝑾𝑬𝑬𝑻𝑰𝑬, 𝑻𝑯𝑬𝑹𝑬'𝑺 𝑨 𝑳𝑬𝑻𝑻𝑬𝑹 𝑭𝑶𝑹 you!" Luca's voice made Dove pause her movements of packing the final items into her suitcase, carefully arranging her clothes and personal belongings for the upcoming trip.

Dove straightened up and slowly turned around as her father walked into the room, his face adorned with an unmistakable grin. "It's from Princeton," he announced, his voice filled with anticipation as he held out the envelope.

Dove's eyes widened dramatically as she snatched the letter from her father's hand with trembling fingers, "Holy shit," she breathed out, her gaze fixed on the prestigious Ivy League College symbol emblazoned on the envelope, her heart pounding in her chest.

"I'll leave you to it," Luca spoke softly, backing out of the room with understanding in his eyes. "You can tell me the results when we leave." And with that, he gently shut the room door behind him, giving her the privacy this moment deserved.

Dove didn't waste a single second, her fingers frantically working to tear open the envelope, carefully unfolding the crisp paper within. "Dear Ms. Reed, Congratulations," she muttered the words under her breath, her hands shaking so much she could barely hold the letter steady.

"Oh my god!" She screamed, clutching the precious letter tightly to her chest as she spun around her room in circles, jumping with pure, unbridled child-like excitement, her hair flying wildly around her face.

Overcome with emotion and adrenaline, Dove rushed over to her window, yanking it open with more force than necessary, the cool air hitting her flushed face. "I'm going to Princeton bitches!" She screamed out the window at the top of her lungs, her voice echoing across the neighborhood to no one in particular. "Suck on that!" With that declaration of triumph, she slammed the window shut and turned back to stare at the letter once more, her eyes drinking in every single word.

She was going to nationals, and after that she'd be on her way to one of the most prestigious and renowned colleges in the country, a dream she'd worked so hard to achieve finally becoming reality.

Nothing in the world was going to ruin her mood, not today, not when everything was falling perfectly into place.

──────〃‪‪♡   "𝑾𝑶𝑨𝑯," 𝑫𝑶𝑽𝑬 𝑾𝑯𝑰𝑺𝑷𝑬𝑹𝑬𝑫 𝑻𝑶 𝑯𝑬𝑹𝑺𝑬𝑳𝑭, her eyes widening with wonder as she stepped into the luxurious cabin of the private plane Lottie's dad had arranged for them. Though she had flown commercial before, the opulent interior of a private jet was an entirely new experience that took her breath away.

As she stepped further into the plane, her eyes wandered. She felt transported to another world entirely - one of luxury and privilege. Being on a private plane made Dove feel like a celebrity, and she couldn't help but grin at the thought of traveling in such style.

"I can't believe your dad actually paid for a private plane," Van spoke from behind Dove, her voice filled with the same awe that Dove felt.

"It's pretty much his only form of parenting," Lottie replied with a hint of bitterness in her voice. "I guess I'll take it," she muttered, shrugging her shoulders slightly.

"Well, thank you, Mr. Matthews," Van laughed, her genuine appreciation evident as several other girls joined in with their own grateful chuckles.

Dove made her way down the aisle, taking in every detail before selecting a seat in the middle of the plane. When she opened the overhead compartment to store her luggage, she found herself struggling with the weight of her suitcase against the awkward angle.

"Here, let me help you," Van's warm voice filled her ears. Dove gratefully stepped back, watching as the redhead effortlessly lifted the suitcase and secured it in the compartment.

"Thank you," Dove smiled appreciatively before settling into her window seat. As she gazed out at the tarmac, she couldn't ignore the familiar sensation of her palms growing increasingly clammy with nervousness.

Despite her excitement about the private jet experience, Dove had never been completely comfortable with flying. The thought of being suspended thousands of feet above the earth made her uneasy - she much preferred having solid ground beneath her feet. Though she tried to reassure herself with the fact that she'd never experienced any issues during previous flights, a hint of anxiety always lingered.

Seeking comfort in her usual coping mechanism, she quickly made herself as comfortable as possible and retrieved her trusty walkman from her backpack. With practiced movements, she placed the headphones over her ears and pressed the play button.

Dove released a soft, relieved sigh as the familiar opening notes of 'Under the Bridge' by Red Hot Chili Peppers began to flow through her headphones, providing a welcome distraction from her pre-flight jitters.

──────〃‪‪♡   𝑫𝑶𝑽𝑬 𝑾𝑨𝑺𝑵'𝑻 𝑺𝑼𝑹𝑬 𝑾𝑯𝑬𝑵 𝑺𝑯𝑬 drifted into unconsciousness, her headphones still playing softly in her ears, but the piercing sound of multiple screams violently jolted her back to consciousness, her heart immediately beginning to race.

The first thing her disoriented mind registered when her eyes fluttered open was the yellow oxygen mask dangling ominously in front of her face, swaying back and forth with the plane's erratic movements. The sight made her stomach drop with dread.

The second thing that caught her attention, as her gaze instinctively darted to the window beside her, was the horrifying scenery outside. Through the small oval window, she could see the world tilting at a sickening angle.

The plane was plummeting from the sky at a terrifying speed, its nose aimed directly toward the dense forest canopy that stretched endlessly below them, getting closer with each passing second.

Her eyes widened in pure terror, "Oh, fuck!" She screamed as the entire aircraft shuddered violently around her, her panicked gaze frantically scanning the chaos erupting throughout the cabin. The screaming and desperate wails of terror from her teammates crescendoed to a deafening level as the threatening tree line rushed up to meet them with frightening speed.

Dove's breathing became increasingly erratic, her chest heaving with panic as she fumbled to grab the oxygen mask with trembling fingers, securing it over her mouth and nose. Her eyes remained fixed on the window, unable to tear her gaze away from what she feared might be their final descent.

A violent jerk of the plane sent her upper body lurching forward without warning, her forehead connecting with the seat in front of her with a sickening thud that reverberated through her skull. The impact drew forth a pain-filled scream that was muffled by the oxygen mask.

Dove let out a choked sob as she felt something warm trickling down her face. With shaking hands, she reached up to touch her forehead before pulling her fingers back to examine them. The sight of deep crimson coating her fingertips sent her already racing heart into overdrive, her breathing becoming even more frantic.

Without any warning, the plane made its final, devastating impact with the ground. The force was catastrophic, throwing her body forward with brutal force. In that moment of chaos, the safety belt that had been her only anchor snapped with a sharp crack, leaving her completely unrestrained.

Time seemed to slow down as she found herself airborne, her body helplessly launched over the seats in front of her like a ragdoll thrown by an angry child.

When she finally made contact with the ground, the sound that filled her ears was unlike anything she'd ever heard before - a sickening, bone-chilling crack that seemed to echo through her entire being.

The scream that tore from Dove's throat was primal and raw, unlike any sound she'd ever made before. White-hot agony coursed through every inch of her body, the pain so intense it felt like molten metal had replaced the blood in her veins, burning her from the inside out.

In that moment, despite her desperate will to live, to survive, to see her loved ones again, a small part of her mind couldn't help but wish for the pain to end, for everything to just stop.

And then, as if granting her silent plea, consciousness slipped away, and the world faded into an all-encompassing darkness.

JILLIAN SPEAKS !
and that concludes act one.
everything goes down hill, or should
i say down plane, from here.