Tom jumped up, scattering ice in all directions, and everyone in our aisle began protesting very loudly. I held my head in my hands and groaned. I wanted to crawl under my seat and die a quick death. Or, at the very least, maybe Mendez could die a quick death. That way, I could go and sit with Jodi and everything would be fine.

Tom sat down again, gingerly, his face squirming with the distaste of one who has to endure wearing soaking wet pants.

“What’s wrong with you?” he hissed at me.

“I – uh – I’m not feeling so good all of a sudden. I just want to get out of here. Can we go?” Not waiting for his reply, I stood up and walked out, grinning at Jodi grimly as I left. I noticed that Mendez had advanced to the arm-around-the-shoulders level. He glared at me malevolently. I gulped.

Once outside in the hall again, I sighed. Someone put a hand on my shoulder. I turned around, saying, “Tom, be a friend and just put me out of my misery. I’m so embarrassed.”

Then I noticed Tom wasn’t standing there. But Jodi was.