\n\n\n\n\nDoctors at work | Source: Pexels\n\n\n\n
My dermatologist called it \u201cearly scar tissue,\u201d raw, shiny, and red. It stretched from an inch above my hairline, down my brow, cutting across my cheek, and ending near my jawline. Part of my eyebrow would never grow back, and my cheek had an indentation where the cut had been deepest.\n\n\n\n
For weeks, my face was covered in bandages. At first, I couldn\u2019t bear to look in the mirror. But as the wounds closed and the bandages came off, I had no choice but to face it.\n\n\n\n A woman with bandages covering her face | Source: Midjourney\n\n\n\n My friends tried to cheer me up, calling it badass, even sexy in a mysterious way. I tried to believe them, but it was hard when strangers stared or looked away too quickly.\n\n\n\n The healing process was slow and uncomfortable. Every morning, I applied the creams and ointments the dermatologist recommended, ensuring the skin stayed clean and hydrated.\n\n\n\n A woman with cream on her face | Source: Midjourney\n\n\n\n But no amount of care could change the shiny, slick appearance or the harsh red lines that seemed to scream for attention. I knew they\u2019d fade over time, but the thought of them never disappearing entirely sat heavy in my chest.\n\n\n\n Now, as I walked to my seat on the plane, I could feel every pair of eyes on me. I dropped into the window seat, my heart racing.\n\n\n\n A woman settling into her window seat | Source: Pexels\n\n\n\n At least I\u2019d boarded early, avoiding the crowds. I slipped my headphones on, letting the music drown out my worries. Closing my eyes, I prayed for a peaceful, uneventful flight.\n\n\n\n I woke up to voices. Loud ones.\n\n\n\n \u201cYou\u2019ve got to be kidding me,\u201d a man grumbled. \u201cThese are our seats?\u201d His tone was sharp, like he was angry at the world.\n\n\n\n A close-up shot of a grumpy man | Source: Pexels\n\n\n\n \u201cRow 5B and 5C,\u201d a woman\u2019s voice replied, clipped and impatient. \u201cIt\u2019s fine. Just sit down.\u201d\n\n\n\n The couple settled into the seats next to me with a lot of huffing and shuffling. I kept my eyes closed, hoping they\u2019d leave me alone. The man had a rough, gravelly voice. \u201cI don\u2019t believe this. We pay for this flight, and this is what we get? Last-minute seats next to \u2014\u201d He stopped.\n\n\n\n A grumpy couple on a plane | Source: Midjourney\n\n\n\n \u201cNext to what?\u201d the woman asked, her voice rising. \u201cOh.\u201d I felt her eyes on me. My skin prickled. \u201cYou\u2019ve got to be joking.\u201d\n\n\n\n I stayed still, my heart pounding. Please just stop talking.\n\n\n\n \u201cHey, lady!\u201d the man barked. I opened my eyes slowly and turned toward him. He flinched, then scowled. \u201cCan\u2019t you cover that up or something?\u201d\n\n\n\n Young woman with scars on her face | Source: Midjourney\n\n\n\n I blinked, too stunned to speak.\n\n\n\n \u201cTom,\u201d the woman hissed, covering her nose with her sweater sleeve. \u201cThat\u2019s disgusting. How did they even let her board like that?\u201d\n\n\n\n \u201cExactly!\u201d Tom leaned forward, pointing a finger at me. \u201cThis is a public place, you know? People don\u2019t need to see\u2026 that.\u201d\n\n\n\n A disgusted couple | Source: Midjourney\n\n\n\n I felt my face flush. The words caught in my throat. I wanted to explain, to tell them it wasn\u2019t something I could help, but no sound came out.\n\n\n\n \u201cAre you just going to sit there?\u201d the woman said, her voice sharp and nasally. \u201cUnbelievable.\u201d\n\n\n\n Tom leaned into the aisle and waved down a flight attendant. \u201cHey! Can you do something about this? My girlfriend is freaking out.\u201d\n\n\n\n A flight attendant in the isle | Source: Unsplash\n\n\n\n The flight attendant approached, her expression calm but serious. \u201cIs there a problem, sir?\u201d\n\n\n\n \u201cYeah, there\u2019s a problem,\u201d Tom said. \u201cLook at her!\u201d He jabbed a thumb in my direction. \u201cIt\u2019s upsetting my girlfriend. Can you move her to the back or something?\u201d\n\n\n\n The attendant\u2019s eyes shifted to me. Her face softened for a moment before she turned back to the man. \u201cSir, all passengers are entitled to their seats. Is there something I can help you with?\u201d\n\n\n\n Flight attendant talking to the passengers | Source: Unsplash\n\n\n\n \u201cI just told you!\u201d Tom snapped. \u201cShe\u2019s sitting there looking like that. It\u2019s gross. She should have to cover it up or move.\u201d\n\n\n\n The woman added, \u201cI can\u2019t even look at her. I\u2019ll throw up.\u201d\n\n\n\n The flight attendant straightened, her tone cool and firm. \u201cSir, ma\u2019am, I\u2019m going to have to ask you to lower your voices. This kind of behavior is not acceptable.\u201d\n\n\n\n An angry middle-aged man talking to a flight attendant on a plane | Source: Midjourney\n\n\n\n Tom scoffed. \u201cBehavior? What about her behavior? It\u2019s inconsiderate! She\u2019s scaring people!\u201d\n\n\n\n The attendant ignored him and crouched slightly toward me. \u201cMiss, are you okay?\u201d\n\n\n\n I nodded stiffly, barely holding back tears.\n\n\n\n The attendant stood tall again. \u201cI\u2019ll be right back,\u201d she said, her voice steady. \u201cExcuse me for a moment.\u201d\n\n\n\n A flight attendant confronting an angry passenger | Source: Midjourney\n\n\n\n As she walked toward the cockpit, Tom leaned back in his seat, muttering under his breath. The woman beside him folded her arms and glared out the aisle. I stared at the window, wishing I could disappear.\n\n\n\n The cabin was quiet except for the low hum of the engines. I kept my eyes on the seatback in front of me, trying not to cry. A few rows back, someone whispered. I imagined they were talking about me.\n\n\n\n A sad woman with a scar | Source: Midjourney\n\n\n\n The intercom crackled. The captain\u2019s voice came through, calm but firm.\n\n\n\n \u201cLadies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We\u2019ve been made aware of behavior that does not align with the respectful environment we strive to maintain on this flight. Let me remind everyone that harassment or discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated. Please treat your fellow passengers with dignity.\u201d\n\n\n\n The pilots of the plane | Source: Pexels\n\n\n\n The announcement sent a ripple through the cabin. Heads turned, passengers shifting in their seats as they glanced toward row 5. I caught sight of someone across the aisle shaking their head in disapproval, and my stomach twisted.\n\n\n\n The flight attendant returned, standing tall and composed. She leaned into our row and addressed the couple directly. \u201cMr. and Ms., I\u2019ll need you to move to seats 22B and 22C at the back of the plane.\u201d\n\n\n\n A flight attendant talking to passengers | Source: Midjourney\n\n\n\n The man looked stunned. \u201cWhat?\u201d he barked. \u201cWe\u2019re not moving!\u201d\n\n\n\n \u201cSir,\u201d the flight attendant said firmly, \u201cthis is not negotiable. Your behavior has disrupted the flight, and we need to ensure a comfortable environment for all passengers.\u201d\n\n\n\n \u201cThis is ridiculous,\u201d the woman snapped, pulling her sweater tighter around her. \u201cWhy are we the ones being punished? She\u2019s the one causing the problem!\u201d\n\n\n\n A young woman shouting at flight attendants | Source: Midjourney\n\n\n\n The flight attendant didn\u2019t flinch. \u201cMa\u2019am, your new seats are ready. Please gather your belongings.\u201d\n\n\n\n The man scowled, his face flushed red with anger. \u201cThis is insane,\u201d he muttered, yanking his bag from under the seat. The woman followed, grumbling loudly as she snatched her purse. Passengers nearby watched silently, their expressions ranging from disapproval to quiet satisfaction.\n\n\n\n A dissatisfied couple walking | Source: Midjourney\n\n\n\n As the couple shuffled down the aisle, someone clapped. Then another. The sound grew, scattering applause throughout the cabin. I bit my lip, trying to hold back tears. Not from embarrassment this time, but from the strange, unexpected comfort of the gesture.\n\n\n\n The flight attendant turned to me, her expression soft. \u201cMiss, I want to apologize for what happened. No one should have to experience that.\u201d\n\n\n\n A nice flight attendant talking to a woman | Source: Midjourney\n\n\n\n I nodded, not trusting my voice.\n\n\n\n \u201cWe have an open seat in business class,\u201d she continued. \u201cWe\u2019d like to move you there as a gesture of goodwill. Would that be okay?\u201d\n\n\n\n I hesitated. \u201cI don\u2019t want to cause trouble.\u201d\n\n\n\n \u201cYou\u2019re not causing trouble,\u201d she said, her voice kind. \u201cPlease. Let us take care of you.\u201d\n\n\n\n An unsure woman on a plane | Source: Midjourney\n\n\n\n I nodded, murmuring, \u201cThank you.\u201d\n\n\n\n As I settled into my new seat, she brought me a cup of coffee and a small bag of cookies, then left me to relax. I stared out the window, the clouds a soft white blur against the endless blue. My breathing slowed, the knot in my chest loosening.\n\n\n\n A woman with a book and a coffee in a window seat | Source: Freepik\n\n\n\n For the first time in what felt like weeks, I let myself cry. Quiet tears slid down my cheeks. I thought about my friends\u2019 words, how they\u2019d told me I was still me, scars and all. \u201cYou\u2019re still beautiful,\u201d one had said. \u201cYou\u2019re just fierce now too.\u201d\n\n\n\n I looked out the window again. The clouds seemed endless, stretching far into the horizon. My tears stopped. I took a deep breath, the air filling my lungs like a promise.\n\n\n\n A woman looking at her phone on a plane | Source: Pexels\n\n\n\n As the plane glided forward, I felt something I hadn\u2019t in weeks: hope.\n\n\n\n Liked this story? Consider checking out this one: My mother-in-law is obsessively organized, but when she started hauling her towels and sheets to wash at my house every week, something didn\u2019t feel right. I was annoyed, and I knew she was hiding something. But what I discovered upon returning home early one day left me rattled.\n\n\n\n This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.\n\n\n\n The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided \u201cas is,\u201d and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When Carla boards a flight, her healing scars become the target of a cruel couple\u2019s disgust, igniting a tense confrontation in the cabin. 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