Boot Camp

31: Old Version

I don't talk to Axel for the next two days.

I realized that after our argument, I needed to think through everything he told me free of his presence. I needed a little more time to cry about it, panic, and then convince myself I made the right choice before repeating that process multiple times.

Martina caught on to the fact that something was wrong over the last couple days and finally speaks up as we're packing up the last of our things in our room.

"Whitney, I really hate being nosy, but did something happen to you?" she asks, pulling me away from the clothes I've been busying myself. We sit down on my bed. "Something that might have to do with a guy named Axel?"

"Would there be a point in lying?"

"Really, Whitney?"

"Yes, something did happen," I admit, running my hands down the thighs of my jeans and sighing. "But I don't think I have the time to explain it all."

She places a comforting hand on my shoulder. "I wasn't looking for an explanation. I'm just worried about you, okay?"

"I appreciate it, Martina," I reply, giving her a thankful smile. "There's not much you could do anyway."

She sighs, getting up and stretching her arms behind her head. "Oh, guys. This is why I think I'm bi. They are just too much sometimes." I hold my mouth at the unattractive chuckle that comes out of it, and a self-satisfied smirk crosses her face. I jokingly link our arms as we leave our room to head to Room 100 for the last meeting of the camp.

We head out together, catching Willow on the way, and the three of us walk in together. The girls have begun to gather, and I realize all the trainers are standing against the back wall. Axel is at the end, and he slowly tilts his head up when he notices my presence. He sends me a small, weak smile, and the one I return is even less noticeable.

"Everyone stand," Bob orders, and girls scramble up to their feet. It feels identical to what happened when we first arrived, only all of us know exactly what to expect now.

"As owners of this camp we are very proud of all of your progress and accomplishments here at Bob Campbell's Intense Boot Camp," Cindy says, linking arms with Bob, and he gives her a smile. My heart warms at their small display of affection.

"And none of this could have been done without all of our hardworking trainers, so go ahead and give them a round of applause," Bob tells us, and all the girls break out into loud claps. I clap quietly, looking at the floor.

"We have a certificate here for each of you to mark your completion and to always remember this experience," Cindy says and begins passing them out by names. When she approaches me, she also hands me a large brown envelope.

"This has all the rest of the details for becoming a trainer," she tells me. "We'll be in touch once you make your decision."

"Thank you," I say, and she smiles and nods.

"Anyway, you'll all be going home very shortly so we just wanted to say we wish you a great rest of the summer and hope that if you got anything out of this camp, it's that there are other forms of working out besides walking to the fridge," Bob says, and we all begin to laugh. "You're all done here so you may leave."

Lots of the girls quickly file out, but I trail behind, Martina and Willow a few feet ahead of me. I look at the envelope in my hands and peek inside, seeing a stack of forms and papers.

As I step outside, a familiar hand lands on my shoulder. I turn around, gulping as I see Axel standing there, his hands stuffed into his pockets and his eyes set more on the ground than my face.