The rest of the plane ride is short and silent between us. We stay seated together, but I stare out the window and act like I am engrossed in watching the nothing in the darkness and just watch aimlessly for city lights. Alexi stays with me, quietly listening to his family and occasionally joining in across the aisle to chat without really returning to the party—an uneasy vibe between us.

I don’t care. I wish he would move and leave me be, but he seems oblivious to what I want. We are close to landing anyway so it isn’t that much longer before we do, and Alexi seems introverted and...