Chapter ①
Adeline
Two weeks. I'm spending two weeks in one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
Rome, Italy.
I guess I'm biased considering I've never been to Europe before. And normally I wouldn't do something as crazy as going out of the country without my parents, but I'm technically going for school purposes. My best friend, Mia, and I have been doing volunteer work with our favorite teacher, Mrs. Banks, since freshman year. In May, she got in contact with her cousin, Victoria, who lives in Italy through Facebook. They started catching up, recalling all the times Mrs. Banks used to visit as a kid. Then a week before school ended Victoria asked Mrs. Banks if she wanted to come down sometime at the end of the summer and help put on a little musical to end summer camp with her preschoolers. Seeing it as not only a wonderful opportunity to visit the beautiful "eternal city," but also as an volunteer opportunity that is too good to pass up, Mrs. Banks asked Mia and I if we wanted to come.
After discussing it with our parents, rearranging schedules, and booking flights, long story short, we're going to Rome!
Pushing open the top of my small navy blue suitcase, I carefully layer the piles of clothing inside. Since Europe is an ocean away I'm trying to pack as little as possible, but looking down at my now stuffed suitcase, I think I'm going to have to sit on top of it in order to get it to close.
A soft knock echoes throughout the room and I look over my shoulder to find my mom standing in the doorway.
"Do you need any help packing?" She asks taking a step inside.
I take a step to the side to reveal my overflowing suitcase. "Does it look like it?"
She laughs with a shake of her head and comes over to help me close my overflowing suit case. I push down on the top of it while she holds the zipper chains together and drags the zipper around to the other side of it. Once I'm sure its not going to spontaneously burst back open, I sigh and we both take a step back to examine it. The zipper looks pretty strained, but at least I know I have everything. All I have to do is slip my toiletries into the front pocket tomorrow morning and finish packing up my carry on.
"All right, well, do you think you have everything?" My mom asks and I pull my suitcase off my bed, letting it land with a thud against the floor.
"I think so."
She nods, taking a step back. "Do you have your passport?"
"Yes." I nod, giving the necessary flight documents on my nightstand a knock with my fist.
"Good, good." She nods and yawns as she heads back towards the door. "Oh," she turns back around. "We bought international coverage for this month, so you can call whenever."
I smile and she sends me a smile back, but I can tell it's strained. I walk back over to her and wrap my arms around her, breathing in the smell of her perfume mixed with the lavender laundry detergent on her clothes. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight," she mumbles resting her head against the top of mine for a second before squeezing me with all her might.
"C-Can't breathe," I mumble as her arms continue to restrict the oxygen flow to my stomach and she laughs releasing her hold on me.
"Love you." She places a quick kiss to the top of my head before stepping out into the hallway.
"Love you, too." I walk back over to my bed as she closes the door halfway behind her.
A sigh escapes me as I flop down on my bed. I can tell this trip is making my parents nervous. Between double checking flights, weekly clarifications with Mrs. Banks, uneasy looks, and strained smiles, it couldn't be any more obvious. I can't really blame them for being nervous though because I'm a bit nervous myself. I've never been across the country let alone out of it. But it's only two weeks, and I can call, and there's going to be adult supervision, and I'm helping people. Basically, I'm just repeating the pep-talk Mia gave me to calm my nerves and stop me from over thinking to the point where I no longer want to go on the trip.
But have you seen the movie Taken?
I rest my case.
Everything should be fine though... or at least I hope.
****
"Eek!" Mia lets out a girly sound, bouncing up and down in her seat. My mom winces from her place in the passenger seat diagonal from mine since my parents are the one's driving us to the airport. "I'm so excited!" She throws her hands up before dramatically dropping them against the leather beneath us. "Aren't you excited?"
"Yeah," I murmur as my gaze falls out the window. I don't know how she has so much energy at this early hour in the morning.
"Adeline Preston, are you getting nervous on me?"
I turn back around only to see she's raising her brow. I shrug. "I can't help it, Mia, I — "
"No." She holds her finger up. "Don't think, just relax. We're going to Rome!" She gives my shoulder a shake. "Rome, Italy!" I smile despite the nerves fluttering around in my stomach, and she smiles back. "It's going to be awesome." She squeezes my shoulder and her brown eyes sparkle, catching the early morning light of the sun outside. "Okay?" I nod and she drops her hand.
I reach up and pull the rubber band out of my hair and go to pull the long strands back up into a ponytail. Unlike Mia with her naturally chestnut colored hair, mine is dark brown, and while she can rock a big messy bun, I, sadly, cannot.
A few minutes later we arrive at the airport and my dad parks in front of the entrance. I unbuckle my seatbelt with a shaky hand, and we all step out onto the curb. My dad helps get our suitcases out from the trunk and after placing them on the sidewalk beside us, my parents turn to me. I can practically feel the nerves radiating off them. I stick my head in between their necks and wrap my arms around both their shoulders, squeezing them in a hug.
"I'll call you as soon as I get there," I say before pulling back.
"Yes." My mom nods and gives my hand a squeeze. "Call whenever."
"Love you," my dad says, and they both plant quick kisses to the top of my head before walking back over to the front of the car.
I sling my cross body bag over my shoulder as my carry on before griping on to the handle of my suitcase. I will it to keep me grounded as I take a step back onto the curb. Mia and I send my parents one final wave as they drive away before heading inside the airport.
Immediately, I'm hit with the smell of metal, feet, and anxiousness which I think perfectly sums up traveling in just three words. There's already a decent amount of people waiting on the lines to get their luggage checked and the buzz of their conversations fill my ears.
"Adeline! Mia! Over here!"
I turn to see Mrs. Banks standing a few feet away with her daughter and the backs of three guys.
My eyebrows draw together in confusion as questions begin to flurry around in my head. Then the backs turn and I'm met with the most piercing green eyes.
Mason Carter.
A.k.a our schools number one quarterback and supposedly most popular guy followed by his quote on quote sidekicks, or, better yet, partners in crime, Ben and Andrew.
Now the question is, why are they here? I don't remember hearing their names in any part of the plans for this trip. I break eye contact with Mason and look over at Mia only to see she looks just as confused. She then meets my gaze and we share a look, before slowly making our way over to them.
Mrs. Banks smiles at us once we reach her side. "I believe you've met my daughter, Georgia."
"Yes," I smile. "And you remember Mia." I tug Mia towards me in attempt to get her to stop staring the guys down with one of her signature death glares.
Georgia laughs unfazed. "Of course! How have you guys been? Are you excited to go to Rome?"
Mia and I have met Georgia a few times before on some important volunteering jobs we went on in the past with Mrs. Banks. She's like a spitting image of her mother, with her big brown eyes, naturally tan skin, and big smile. The only difference is that, unlike her mother who normally, being a teacher, keeps her hair secured in a low bun, Georgia has unruly curly black hair that flows and frames just the right way around her face.
"Yes," Mia gushes, gripping my arm. "Ade already knows how excited I am."
"All right," Mrs. Banks says using her teacher tone. "Since everyone's here, we better go get our bags checked out and everything, so let's head over." She waves her hand, picking up the handle to her suitcase and leads the way to all the lines that have seemed to have already gotten longer. Great. I grip the handle to my own suitcase, but before I can take a step forward Mia tugs me back.
"Who invited them?" she asks staring daggers at the guy's backs as they follow behind Georgia and Mrs. Banks, seeming to be having a completely casual conversation amongst themselves.
I shake my head. "I have no idea." It's like they totally just tagged along on a trip that has been planned three months in advanced.
"Weird," Mia mumbles as we continue to stare at their backs. Andrew, I recognize as the tallest and most gangliest one, reaches out and shoves Ben, but that doesn't stop Ben from laughing.
"Hey, didn't you use to be friends with Ben?" I ask. Mia nods as her eyes follow him for an extra few seconds before she waves her hand and turns to me.
"Whatever, this is our trip and we're not going to let big shot football playing guys ruin it."
"Right." I nod and she loops her arm through mine as we head towards the dreaded lines.
****
Eight hours. Eight hours on a plane. And then thirty minutes of Mia bouncing and blabbering next to me on a bus.
It was torture, but I survived because I spent most of the time dozing in and out of sleep. Now it's around ten o'clock at night, Europe time, and even though I wasn't like Mia who stayed up the whole time too excited to sleep, I'm still exhausted. I know people normally say it's about the journey, not the destination, but I couldn't be more relieved that we're finally here.
As soon as we step off the bus, my mouth drops. Okay, the journey was totally worth it. I blink my eyes a few times, but the golden effect doesn't go away. With all the scattered lights being emitted from some of the building windows and the street lamps shining down on the street, combined with the stars shining in the dark sky above us, it's like the New York City of Italy. I take a step forward and crane my neck up, still trying to really take in what's in front of me.
"It's beautiful." I whisper to no one in particular.
"It is."
I whip around to see Mason standing next to me, seeming as if he's trying to restrain a smile at my not-so-cool reaction to his presence. My eyes widen a little and I gulp not really sure how to respond.
We've never really spoken before, only shared a few glances here and there being in the same grade and all. But ever since he moved here freshman year, he's been on one end of the popular scale and I happened to be on the other, so our paths never crossed. Of course, I've noticed him. I mean, how could I not. He's popular for a reason not only because of sports, but also because he's pretty attractive. With his short dark brown hair that is a little longer at the top and has a slight wave to it, his perfectly chiseled football muscles, and mesmerizing green eyes.
Whoa, wait.
I shake my head, shaking away my thoughts, and turn my head away from Mason's gaze. What am I even thinking? The only reason he's even talking to me is because he's standing right there and technically he shouldn't even be standing there, so I shouldn't be thinking about him.
"Ade!" Mia grabs my arm and tugs me along to start walking with her, thankfully pulling me away from that awkward encounter and out of my thoughts. Now I'm back to admiring the view.
The hotel we're staying at is supposed to be good. Tourist recommended with included breakfast and not overly expensive. It also happens to be a few blocks away from the small theater that we will be volunteering at.
Due to Mia and I lagging behind the group we got to the hotel last with Mrs. Banks waiting in the lobby to hand us our keys. Too tired to question where everyone else was, I accept my key and turn to face the large staircase at the far right against the wall that leads up to the second floor. Sighing, I walk up the stairs dragging my suitcase behind me as exhaustion finally sets in. I find the door with my matching key number, but then see Mia continue on to a door a few ways away across the hall. I assume she had a question for Georgia, or even maybe Ben, but my lethargic state refuses to analyze it.
I push open the door and stumble into the room, but see a tan muscular back facing the window, oblivious to the ruckus I made with my one suitcase and carry on.
"Hey I — " The back turns around and faces me, stopping mid sentence just as I freeze in my position.
Oh no.
No. No. No.
This is not happening. No.
No way in hell am I sharing a room with Mason Carter.
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