Chasing Courtney

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

I sat in a super uncomfortable airport chair, listening to Taylor Swift on my iPod and absentmindedly playing catch with Ariana. Lauren called me about five minutes ago telling me that she was about to go through security. Lauren Brewer was well known for being at least fifteen minutes late to everything. It was actually quite hilarious.

"I'm gonna go get some coffee, anyone want anything?" Bennett asked as he stood up.

"Can I have some coffee Benny?" Ariana's hazel eyes twinkled. Everyone told me that Ariana was a younger version of myself, with her red hair and green eyes. While I was flattered to know that my younger self was extremely adorable, it also felt like a punch in the gut. Did I have to look like Sloane's daughter? The woman that changed my dad and ruined my family? Couldn't people say I looked like Courtney? Or Bennett? Or even my mom? But, then again, no one remembers her.

"No, Ari. Sorry hon. Benn, will you check if they have apple juice?" Sloane responded for him.

"Uh, sure. Dad? Courtalina? Lexanelope? Want something?" He winked at us. When Courtney and I were little, we would pretend we were princesses. We thought "Courtney" and "Alexis" weren't proper princess names, so we demanded to be called Princess Courtalina and Lexanelope. He would call us that to embarrass us, espically in front of our friends. Courtney and I shot him dirty looks and he smirked. 

Dad and Courtney placed their orders. I shook my head no, and started jiggling my leg. I hated waiting for things; Lauren, our jet, my mom's return....stop it. You promised yourself you would stop thinking about her. I scolded myself. But I knew I had broken that promise long, long ago 

"Lex!" I heard a bright, singsongy voice chirp.

"Lauren! Heyy!" I sprung out of my chair and gave my best friend a hug.

"Ohmygod, I can't believe we are going to Boston together! I mean, we always planned on a spa retreat in Tahiti, but an adventure in Boston is good enough!" Lauren's dark brown eyes twinkled, which always happened when she was happy. She plopped down in the seat next to me. I laughed. Leave it to Lauren to make the situation better!

"Cute sweats! Did you order them online?" I asked. Since Nantucket is such a small island and there isn't a mall, Lauren and I usually order our clothes online.

"Yup! They are sooooo soft!" Lauren said, flipping a strand of her chestnut brown hair behind her shoulder.

"They're a little big though." Courtney pointed out, looking up from her copy of Seventeen. She was right. Lauren was the shortest girl in our sixth grade class this year at four feet eleven inches. She still had to wear stuff from the kids department. She didn't believe that was the truth, however, so she just ordered extra small in everything. If she was lucky, she could get extra extra small.

"Aren't you the sweetest?" Lauren stuck out her tongue. I rolled my eyes. Even though Lauren was my best friend, she and Courtney had a rivalry. Playful wasn't the correct word to describe it. They've been fighting like cats and dogs since I was in the first grade, when Courtney accidentally pushed Lauren off the monkey bars, leaving her with a fractured elbow. They still haven't forgiven each other to this day. Sloane said it was opposites attract and I would reply that her theory made no sense whatsoever. She shrugged and said that it made sense to her. I always hated those conversations.

"I'm back!" Bennett comes, holding a paper tray of coffee cups. "Hey Lauren. Sorry I didn't get you a coffee. But after the incident..."

Lauren's face turned bright red. "The incident" involved Lauren, a cup of coffee, a sugar-high that lasted a whole night and three broken vases. "Shut up!"

Bennett snickered with delight. "Says the girl who my family is bringing to Boston." He had that devilish twinkle in his eye that told me he thought he had won.

Lauren opened her mouth. I expected she was to have a few choice words for him, but she clamped her mouth shut and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Hello, everybody!" A woman wearing a gold, flight attendant-like dress and aviator sunglasses (our pilot uniform) says to us. "I'm Alana, if you don't remember from last time.."

"Hi Alana, great to see you again!" Sloane said in a peppy-cheerleader voice. 

"Likewise! Are we ready to go?" Alana asked.

"Yup!!!" Ariana smiled and grabbed the handle of her Dora the Explorer rollie.

We all filed out of the airport. Since Nantucket Airport was quite small, we had to go out a door to get to the runway. We arrived at our plane, which we affectionately nicknamed "Carter Carriage" and boarded. We modeled the jet after British Airways first class; the little cubicles containing a plush reclining chair, a flatscreen and a desk. We had WiFi on our plane, however. Since we had sixteen seats, it was more than enough for everyone.

"OHMYGOD!! THERE IS A FLAT SCREEN TV IN MY SEAT!" Lauren shrieked with delight. She had only heard wonderful tales of our plane and she swore she would someday see it. That day has come. She bounced around the cabin, geeking out over everything for about fifteen minutes. We were all seated and (kind of) patiently waiting for Lauren to finish her spaz attack. When she did, she took the seat across from mine and mouthed to me, "Best day ever!" I snorted. 

Alana gave us the safety procedure and started up the engine. I reclined in my seat and relaxed. I shut my eyes and drifted off into a light, dreamless sleep.

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"Home sweet home!" Sloane unlocked the door to our apartment.

"Sweet? Not so much." Courtney muttered.

Since we would be in Boston three whole months, we were renting an apartment. It was on Beacon Street, a rustic old street. Our apartment was 5 bedrooms (Lauren, Courtney and I would be roomies on this trip) and two bathrooms (one for all the kids). The apartment was cute, with it's old-fashioned furniture and small interior. But what really made the apartment worth staying in was the spectacular view of the Charles River below us.

"Well, I think it's pretty nice. Thanks Sloane for doing this." Bennett smiled sheepishly. He knew how pissed this would make Courtney and I, so he mouthed "Sorry."

"Of course Benny!" Sloane kissed him on the cheek. He smiled and then widened his eyes as if to say " Help!"

That's whatcha get. I thought with a smirk.

"So," my dad clapped his hands together. "Who's ready to have the best summer ever?"

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AUTHORS NOTE: so did u like it? Plz comment and thank you soo much to VampireRox for becoming my very first fan!! You rock!!