Love Lives and Lies

Summer Before Junior Year- 1

Chapter 30

"So when do you leave?" Chase asks while taking a sip of water between sets.

"Next week," I wheeze before taking a hit off my inhaler.

"You all packed?"

"Hell no. I've barely started. My mom's been on my ass all week about it and I keep putting it off."

"You'll be fine," he jokes. "You're only going to Spain for two months. It's not like you need a shit ton of clothes and toiletries or anything."

"They have clothes and toiletries in Spain, you know? If I forget something it won't be the end of the world. What I'm most worried about is where I'm going to work out when I get there. How do you join a gym in Spain?"

Chase shakes his head, laughing at my response. "You're something else. Any other girl would be freaking out about making sure her straightener will work, but you're more worried about your workout regimen."

"I can't fall behind! Not going into my junior year and coming off such a strong season. Coach expects me to be as good as, if not better than, I was last season. Two months off would kill my vertical."

Chase grabs my shoulders, forcing me to look him in the eyes. "You're going to be fine, Ava. Trust me. You'll find a way. You always do."

I stare into his eyes. I never noticed how cool they look in the sun before. Brown eyes really aren't as boring as I thought they were.

I start nodding along with what he's saying. He's right. I have bigger things to worry about than working out.

We finish our break and then take off on the track for a few more sets of sprints. I'm trying to work on my explosiveness, so Chase is helping me with some new sprint centered workouts.

We finish up twenty minutes later and head back to our cars.

"Same time tomorrow at the gym?" Chase asks as he wipes a towel across his face.

"You bet. It's leg day after all. My favorite day," I grin knowing it's Chase's least favorite day.

"Ugh, don't remind me," he groans.

He subconsciously leans towards me to give me a hug, but thinks better of it with the amount of sweat on both of us. Instead he reaches out for a fist bump.

"Catch ya later, bumblebee."

I smile at the nickname he gave me a few weeks ago. We've become a lot closer since that night I drunkenly called him while I was visiting Cody. Something changed in our relationship and we aren't just workout buddies anymore. We're actually friends now. Maybe not best friend status yet, but getting there. We see each other every day for our workouts and we text each other when we're not together. He's become my emotional rock now that Cody is preoccupied with his new girlfriend and Theo isn't in the picture anymore.

I jump in my car and head home. Maybe today will be the day I actually start packing.

~~~

"Mom! Where's my swimsuit?" I yell from the top of the stairs.

"I don't know, honey. It's your swimsuit. Why would I know where it is?"

"You're a mom! Aren't you supposed to know everything?"

I hear my mom groan from the kitchen before stomping up the stairs. I run back to my room because I know she isn't in a good mood. I leave for Spain tomorrow. She's been getting on me to pack for weeks, but I only just started today. Things are just a little bit hectic in the Langley household today.

Mom doesn't even look at me as she goes behind my closet door, digs through a pile of shoes, and pulls out my swimsuit. It's a crumpled mess, but it's my swimsuit nonetheless. She looks at me exasperatedly before walking out of the room, not saying a single word. I have to admit, I wasn't wrong. She does seem to know everything somehow.

I stuff the swimsuit into my suitcase, honestly not caring whether it's clean or dirty. I can wash it when I get there.

Two hours later, I'm finally packed. I've double checked to make sure I packed everything on the suggested packing list from the school as well as the extra things I thought would be important.

I fall down on my bed and glance at the clock. It's nearly midnight and I have to leave for my flight at six in the morning.

I groan thinking about how tired I'm going to be. I hate trying to sleep on planes. My legs are just too long for the amount of room we're given so I'm constantly uncomfortable.

I think it's a good thing today was a mass scramble to get me ready. I haven't had a chance to be nervous, but now that I'm settled down in bed, the nerves are quickly settling in. I'm going to a foreign country for two months on my own. I'll be staying with a host family and taking classes entirely in Spanish. I won't know anyone when I get there.

This doesn't sound like an adventure. It honestly sounds like my worst nightmare.