Chapter 15
Jules and Nate were still hanging out later
that night. Aaron had spent time with the swimmers, doing things he had to do.
Allie had spent the time touring the town.
Afterwards, she had read one of the books she had brought
with her, trying to stop her from counting the seconds as they slowly crept by.
It was driving her insane not really being with Aaron. But, she knew she was
going to have to get used to it when they arrived back in Athens.
Aaron still have a few more days in Spain while Nate, Jules
and she were heading back on Monday. He was actually in another part of Spain at
the moment, doing his swimmer duties. She had told him before he had left that
she was leaving on Monday. He was okay with it, reminding her that he'd be back
on Tuesday.
But, everyone would be arriving back at that time. She'd be
bouncing from team meeting to practice to whatever interviews she agreed to be
part of.
Allie could already tell she was going to hate that. Jules
would start having her sign in and out of her room, mostly cause that was how
her team coach kept track of his athletes. Allie always tried to find ways
around it. But, her roommate would end up signing her out.
Allie had sat the book down when she had tried to read the
same sentence ten times or so. She knew she wasn't concentrating on the book
anymore. So, instead she started writing.
Writing had always been an outlet for her. She would always
rewrite events that happened or moments she wished would happen. She wrote
poetry or she would sketch. Whatever hit her at whatever moment, she wrote.
Every now and then, she'd doodle or sketch along the side of her paper.
She opened up her spiral bound notebook, looking over
everything already in there. Each new entry had the date written at the top.
"You writing in your journal?" Allie heard Jules ask.
"It's not a journal." Allie softly said.
"It's your place where you pretty much write every day about
how horrible you did at a meet, or in an interview. You maybe write about how
much your parents annoy you or use you. You write down your hopes and your
dreams and pray that you achieve them. And probably, you've started writing
about how much you miss Aaron." Jules said.
"Okay, so I guess it would be a journal." Allie said, closing
the spiral notebook. She set it next to her and looked at Jules.
"Which may explain why you're sitting in Aaron's empty room
instead of packing." Jules said.
"Cause I have a journal?" Allie asked.
"No, cause you miss Aaron." Jules replied, laughing a little
as she walked over and sat next to Allie on the bed.
"I have to get used to not seeing him all the time." Allie
said.
"You'll be bouncing back and forth from event to event."
Jules reminded her.
"Trying to balance my feelings and not seeing him with all my
events." Allie said.
"You'll be able to do it. You're strong like that. You'll be
able to handle all that." Jules said, giving Allie a reassuring hug.
"He has faith in me. Let's hope it applies to this too."
Allie said.