Second Chance At Love

Airport Trips.

Cgc

Practice today starts at 6 in the morning but I woke up earlier tonight to drive out to Los Angeles. I promised Nova I'd pick her up from the airport. She got in at 3:30 in the morning, weirdly. The only reason she requested I pick her up is because Valdez has no idea she's coming home today. She wasn't supposed to be coming home for another week but filming wrapped up earlier than expected.

I get into the passenger's side after putting her suitcases in the back of my car. She hands me the coffee she bought me inside and I take a drink from the hot liquid immediately, placing it back in the empty cup holder as she starts to drive off. She told me she would drive back to Oak Hill so I get some sleep in before practice. "I feel like I haven't seen you in years," I joke. She smiles but keeps her eyes on the road. "Months actually," she says.

Ever since Novalee moved to Oak Hill last year, we've gotten closer. We went to high school together for two years but we weren't as close as we are now. Last year, we kind of ran into a problem with our friends from back home. They were assholes to her and it didn't sit right with me. It didn't matter how much longer I had known them than her. I did the right thing and I don't really regret it anymore. Plus, I've made a lot more friends since I moved to Oak Hill. I'm fine where I am at.

"Okay, so tell me everything. How was the first week of school?" It's Friday meaning the first week of senior year is over after two final classes today. It went well for me I guess. I like my classes this year so far and despite what people might think, just because I'm a football player doesn't mean I'm a complete neanderthal. My dad's company was handed over to him from his dad as soon as he graduated college, meaning I'm next. My dad's a businessman. He owns a bunch of businesses everywhere but his biggest is his real estate company. He's handing it over to me in a couple of years.

There is no way I'm getting it as soon as I graduate since he still doesn't trust me enough. Doing well in school is one of the ways I earn his trust. Especially passing all and every single one of my finance and business management classes with A's and occasional B's - he doesn't really like those. I don't want my dad thinking I'll do a shit job and burn what my grandfather built, so I try my best every single day to prove to him that I'll be ready soon enough. Dad's tough though, so it will be a challenge.

"Good, so far. Footballs killing all of us, but we're getting there. How was fucking Hollywood? I'm sure we missed more than you did here," I say. She smiles again and nods. Nova getting cast as the main character on an upcoming Netflix show is still fucking surreal to me. She deserves it one hundred percent but it's just crazy to think that she'll be a public figure in a couple of months. She's been talking about being an actress since we were in high school. "Well, we've talked, it's great. It took a while to get used to but the cast and crew were so good to me. I also made lots of friends along the way, so I wasn't totally alone after Valdez left," she says.

"Leaving us soon for your equally famous Hollywood friends," I joke. She shakes her head quickly. "Never. Just because I was having a good time with them doesn't mean I didn't miss you guys like every single day. Besides Maddy and Xander because I saw them like all the time," she says. I laugh. Maddy and Xander spent almost the whole summer in New York with his family since Maddy doesn't speak to her parents anymore. "How did Valdez feel about your new boyfriend?" I say, grabbing a pretzel from the bag she placed in the middle console. Normally, I won't let anyone eat in here but she's my best friend and not a total snob like my roommates, so I don't really mind.

She gasps and shakes her head. "Don't call him that! He's not actually my boyfriend," she tells me. I'm highly aware that her on-screen boyfriend and her aren't actually dating but I like to joke around with her since she always takes what I say seriously. I know she's friends with the guy though since she's always posting him and her other castmates on her stories. "I know but you lock lips with that dude, I'd be jealous," I shrug. She turns to look at me quickly before looking back at the road.