A Harsh Reality | ✓

Chapter 30

Amanda

"Be careful," my mother said before hugging me tightly. I hugged her back before turning towards Tyler.

We were at the Miami International Airport saying our goodbyes before I had to get onto a plane towards Atlanta, Georgia. The entire level 10 of the Field Sports Club gymnastics unit was flying to GA to compete in the Individual Invitationals for the Nastia Liukin Cup. The eight members of the team, including me, were all hugging their parents and families.

My mind recalled the exact moment when Coach Johnson had announced that we had been invited to participate in the Invitationals for the NLC. I was in so much shock that I didn't react to it at first until the pieces in my brain clicked and realized what I had just been told. I gasped, smiled, laughed and cried as I hugged Hailey and Riley while jumping up and down excitedly.

People will say I was just exaggerating, but gymnastics is everything to me. Just a normal meet can make me really thrilled, imagine the NLC.

I walked towards Tyler and sighed, stretching my arms out to him. He walked into them and wrapped his arms around my body, hugging me delicately as I buried my face into his chest.

"I'm going to miss you," I stated.

"It's only a week," he reassured me, or more like convinced himself.

"I know." Even though it's just one week, I'm still afraid he might leave again. I stepped back and looked at Hailey, who was hugging Katy, her sister, as she smiled warmly at me.

"Where's Heather?" I asked Tyler for his girlfriend.

"Right here!" I heard her voice shout. Her blond hair bounced as she walked towards us. Her blue eyes were shining brightly behind her glasses as she opened her arms and ran the rest of the way. Her arms held me close as we hugged. We had become very friendly with each other after Tyler basically told her to babysit me, even though I tried to argue my way out of it, I'm glad it happened.

She pulled away from and adjusted her white crop top before smoothing down her light blue jeans. She was wearing the simplest outfit but still managed to look beautiful.

"You are going to be amazing!" she squealed as she placed her hands on my shoulders. Heather stared at me for a few moments before smiling. "I hope you have fun and enjoy the trip!" She gave me a quick hug and squeezed my hands. "Good luck!" I thanked her happily and grinned as I hugged both my brother and mom again.

That's when I turned to see the person I didn't expect to be here in front of me. He had his hands tucked into the pockets of his black jeans when I saw him, a sign that he was uncomfortable as heck. He looked up from the floor at me when I finished saying goodbye to my family, his blue eyes staring intensely at me. He ran a hand through his black hair and shot me a smirk as I walked towards him.

"What are you doing here, Noah?" I asked in surprise, "I thought you were not going to make it."

"But I did," he replied making me smile. I sighed and looked back at my team, who were finishing saying their goodbyes.

"Guess I'll see you in a week," I stated before hugging for long moments in which we just stood in silence.

"Well, good luck," Noah said and gave me a small smile, "You're gonna kill it."

"Thank you." I smiled and kissed him on the cheek before running to meet with Hailey and Riley as I waved at my family.

"Oh my god!" Hailey squealed, "What was that about?" I told Hailey what had happened after the party and she believed that Jack overreacted and should've asked me first if something had happened between Noah and me.