A Single Daffodil [Harry Styles]

London's Calling.

"This seriously feels like we're going away to summer camp." Jayden had to raise his voice in order for me to hear him over the chaos behind us. "Except we're the camp leaders, and the basketball team is the uncontrollable children."

I chuckled as I nodded my head in agreement. In the back, the basketball team started clapping and chanting, "Everyday we're hustlin'! Every day we're hustlin'!" Lebron James and Chris Bosh were the loudest.

The second we touched down at Heathrow Airport, everything turned into one chaotic blur. Turns out the media found out what time we were landing and since the paparazzi would do just about anything for a picture in exchange for a buck fifty, we were bombarded by flashes when we entered the terminal. The attention was so bad that the airport security had to radio in backup.

I made sure to stay in the very back when the camera flashes went off and the phones were pointed in our direction upon arrival. I pulled my sunglasses over my eyes and kept my head down as I calmly followed my dad, Sophia, Jayden and the rest of the USA basketball team through Customs and Baggage Claim.

I understood that people were just getting excited for the Olympics and that it was a big deal that Lebron James, Kobe Bryant and Derrick Rose would be playing on the same team together for the first time in NBA history. And I was aware that we lived in a very technologically-driven world, where people needed to take pictures with their cameras and their iPhones so they could share the pictures on every social media website possible. But I didn't want to be photographed. The last thing I needed was a paparazzi or onlooker recognizing me as Vita Spoelstra: Harry Style's ex-girlfriend. I didn't want my name to end up in any of the tabloids this summer. I didn't need the rumors to start. I was here to relax. I was here to support the team. I was here to heal.

Once we got everyone through U.S/U.K Customs, we were immediately escorted away from Baggage Claim and straight to a parking lot that was strictly sectioned off for Olympian Participants. There was a fleet of over two hundred buses waiting for us, labeled with every country flag. As we boarded the USA bus, I managed to catch a glimpse of the Russian Gymnastics team getting on their own bus as well as the United Arab Emirates athletes arriving at their bus. It hit me then just how lucky I was to be in this position.

My dad called order to the bus once the last couple of bags were loaded underneath and the bus door was closed shut. He gripped onto the back of my chair when the bus jerked forward. We were pulling out of the parking spot and leaving the airport.

"Alright, alright. Hey! Settle down. I just want to keep everyone in the loop about what's happening today. We're headed to the Langham hotel now to check into our rooms. You'll have a chance to take a shower, freshen up, take a nap, whatever. I don't care as long as you're dressed and ready for dinner by 5:30 pm sharp. That goes for you three too." My dad stepped back to point at me, Jayden and Sophia before looking back at the team. "The hotel has been gracious enough to offer us a welcome reception in its main hall. Not only will we be there, but the rest of the USA athletes will be too, so don't embarrass me."

"We won't embarrass you, coach!" Chris Bosh shouted from the back. "Shit, we'll make you look damn good!"

A couple of the other teammates called out in agreement and even clapped.

"Okay, okay." My dad laughed, bringing the attention back to him. "Consider today your only day off. Come six am tomorrow, we're meeting in the gym and we'll be working harder than you ever have before. This isn't the NBA anymore, fellas. This is the Olympics. We're going to work hard to play hard and we only have a week to get it together before the Opening Ceremony."

"Here, here!" Kobe Bryant exclaimed two rows behind me and Jayden. "Let's show the world what we're made of, boys! U-S-A! U-S-A!"

Jayden and I shared a look before shaking our heads. Uncontrollable children indeed.

I tried to hide the scowl on my face when my dad gave my shoulder a squeeze before he returned to his seat. I had every reason to never talk to my father again. I could never forgive him for what he did to Grandpa Gene. I was so mad at him that I could barely look him the eye any longer than a minute. I resented him for abandoning me. I hated that he cared more about his career than his own father and, well, me.

But for now, that battle would be pushed aside. There was no use in causing hell while we were here. For now, I will be civil and speak when spoken to. Thankfully, I wasn't going to see much of him for the next two months. He was going to be too busy with everything else going on.

Thankfully, I'll have Sophia and Jayden to keep me company. I can't believe how lucky I was to have best friends like them. Nowadays, it felt like they were the only two people in this entire world I could rely on.

"Hey, Vita. Check it out." Jayden jerked his chin towards the window. "We're about to drive over the London Bridge."

I leaned into Jayden's shoulder to get a better look out the window. My mouth parted slightly as I watched the heart of the city come into view. The weather was pretty gloomy with its grey overcast but wow, was it beautiful. Everything about London was so different from Miami. The architecture was more complicated, tall and eroded with historical meaning. Palm trees were replaced by apple and holly trees. Miami Beach in exchange for the River Thames. Even the people looked different! I was visiting an entirely new world.

"And look!" Sophia said from across the aisle. "The Olympic rings!"

Everyone on the bus was now leaning into the windows and looking up. Hanging from the two towers were the five iconic Olympian rings, interlocked together proudly. Things on the bus sort of settled down after the drive over the bridge. I think it finally hit everyone that we were no longer home. We were thousands of miles away from home.

For the first time in what felt like forever, I felt something other than mournful contrite.

It was optimism.