Me, Myself, and Dallas Lynn

Chapter 1

(Picture above: Rylee Adams)

All my life I've been told my parents what I needed to do and if what I did wasn't good enough, they'd make me redo it till it was. Now before you go all "OMG That's sooo not right!!", it was their version of getting me to not do stupid things like most of the girls my age were doing. Never once did they get physical with me, but that's only because I did as I was told so they wouldn't have to. I have 2 other siblings so I'm not an only child, thank god. Twins Annalisa and Max, my parents adopted them from Brazil when they were 8. Anna, Max, and I were only a year apart in age but I didn't really use my "seniority" against them like most older siblings would do. Anna and Max fit in so well with us that my parents said it was obviously meant to be, which I believe that 100%. 

I remember getting ready for my 16th birthday party last year, it was nothing big and glamorous like you see in movies and tv shows. I wasn't about the "I need to look absolutely perfect for the party my parents spent thousands of dollars on" life. Anna and I shared a room which made things so much easier when I needed outfit help for special occasions. My siblings were there for me through everything needless to say, we looked out for one another. Now I did have friends at the time, it wasn't just me, Max, and Anna against the world. I did have somewhat of a life when I wasn't dancing or swimming or studying. Not many friends but I had them, Mori and Lucas were my best friends. Mori I met when I started dancing in pre-K and we met Lucas during swim season my 7th grade year. Now I have my senior year ahead of me, my best friends by my side, and my entire future is finally coming together. We have a couple days left to salvage our summer so while Lucas is away at some beach in California, me and Mori decide to have our own fun.

"God I can't believe that jerk!" Mori props herself up and looks over at me through her sunglasses. I nod and laugh at her response as she huffs and pushes away her kinky black curls away from her face. 

I had been dating a guy named James for the past 5 months but a couple weeks ago I walked in on him and another girl messing around, which was what I had just finished explaining to Mori. 

"I would've told you sooner but you and your man were on your getaway and I didn't want to ruin that." I sit up, shielding the harsh rays of sun from my eyes to get a good look at her. I watch her smile at my mentioning her long-term boyfriend but then watch it fade when she sits up and looks at me, removing the sunglasses and putting them in her hair. 

"Girl you know you came before he did. I don't care if he's in the middle of asking me to marry him, if you need me you better pick up the damn phone and call me. I'll always answer." She giggles at her answer and I laugh.

"I promise I'll call if anything serious goes on in the next couple days alright? But if Jeremy plans on purposing now, he better do it before my phone call is all I have to say." I laugh. "I'm gonna feel awful if interrupt that for you." 

A couple hours later, I have to say a quick goodbye then head to my car for swim practice. Walking into the pool feels like deja-vu from my first year swimming, the comforting smell of the chlorine consuming me. No matter how stressed I was or what I was doing, I would always drop everything to come here. It was my safe haven. I walk into the locker room seeing that other girls have already gotten here and are getting dressed and go to my block to do the same. I quickly put my stuff in my locker after changing then head out to the pool. I walk and talk with some of the guys on the way over until I look out of the corner of my eye and see him.