Fifteen: Free Fallin'

Chapter 1: Like That

There was so much that had happened during the remaining weeks of the summer. There were so many memories shared that still made Aria smile as she finished packing up the remainder of her clothes. It was finally August and she and her friends were all heading back to Texas University to start the fall semester.

That summer they were given the opportunity to spend over a week on campus and go through their schedules. Aria was thankful that she did not have to make any changes, but her friends Preston and Gracia had to shuffle a few courses around to better fit their night owl needs.

She smiled as she thought of Preston and Gracia. They were two of a kind and always had the group laughing. Their group was a big one with many different personalities and characters within it, but they all gelled and it made her happy.

Everyone seemed to fit and add to the group dynamic. Even Caleb. The image of him hit her hard. She did her best to remain busy when she returned to San Antonio to avoid the lonely moments where she went over what happened between them or lack thereof.

Caleb was what she liked to label an enigma wrapped in a riddle. His actions said one thing while his words bluntly said the opposite. She refused to start school with any kind of drama or confusion and let him know as much before leaving. He had her number, but never once used it to check in on her or catch up.

She even tried calling him a few times to no avail. That fact stung, but she told herself that he was just busy with summer school. He, Gracia and Daisy were all enrolled in the Fish program that allowed some freshman students to take two summer courses. Gracia was great about filling her in on all the fun activities that went on even during the summer.

Her best friend and fellow dance team member, Sophia Kate agonized about how she wished she were in summer school instead of home in Sadler, Texas. Aria knew she just felt that way because of how things ended between her and Trey. Trey was her best friend turned boyfriend turned it's complicated to finally crashing and burn in epic flames.

She didn't have the heart to tell her that even she knew that wasn't going to work out. Aria knew Sophia Kate had to figure things out on her own regardless of how painfully obvious certain things were.

Despite the majority of the group's excitement to get back to campus, Aria was hesitant. She was going to miss her brothers and mother more than she thought possible. The reality of her going away grew stronger and stronger, but her mother was putting on a strong front for her.

The refund money she would be receiving would greatly help them out and she was grateful for the opportunity to follow her dream of dancing. She just wished it wasn't so far away. "You've got to go and be great!" Her mom would say when she felt the familiar pangs of homesickness creep up.

Aria knew it would be tough, but if she was going to be great then Texas U was where she had to be. Madame Boudreaux's dance company was one of the most illustrious and elite organizations nationwide. She was still in shock that she made the team, but as uniforms arrived in the mail and phone calls with her officers occurred the reality set in. She was looking forward to learning and growing as a dancer, which was a positive for returning to campus.

There was also Stefan. He was one of the hottest guys she had ever met and he was interested in her – like really interested. They talked every day and night and when they weren't talking, they were texting. They had such a strong friendship and then some.

She smiled to herself as she remembered the day he was busy running errands for his brother and let his phone die. She was so worried he'd think she was crazy for texting him nonetheless, but afterwards he just responded to every single message.

They liked each other and shared a few steamy make out sessions, but he wasn't pressuring her for a title and she wasn't sure how she felt about pursuing one at all. They were getting to know each other and having fun. For now, Aria was content with that.

She would be leaving in the morning by Greyhound to head back to Austin where her college career would begin and she was filled with emotions. There was so much in store for them all and she prayed that their dynamics and relationships wouldn't change so much that it negatively impacted their group.

Aria wasn't sure what this semester had to offer, but if it were anything like the summer then it would be a fun-filled adventure for sure.