Better Off Away (BOOK 2)(Wattys2016)

Homesick

I make it back to my room twenty minutes later because I managed to drop my entire luggage three times and got lost twice. When I open the door to the Lavender Room I find Lola sitting on her bed in a black bikini, waiting for me with an extremely bored expression.

She arches an eyebrow at me. "So, the asshole had your stuff?"

I grunt in reply and she laughs before crossing to help me with my bags. "He really is an asshole."

She rolls her eyes and motions to a bag. "Do you mind if I help you unpack?" I tell her no and she continues to help as she begins hanging up my clothes in my closet. "You know, Macey, Jack has... a history."

"Wait, how do you know about Jack?" I begin hanging my clothes as well.

Lola rolls her eyes. "Well, when I got the letter saying that I was accepted into Creal I immediately began Googling their family and the company until I learned all I could from the world wide web. And, while doing it, I learned that Jack Creal isn't exactly the poster-boy for Creal Publishing - at least, not in his father's eyes."

I look at her, ready to hear what she has to say. I need to know who Jack Creal is.

Lola shrugs. "He left home at the age of eighteen, declaring he was finished with the superficial lies of his family and the Creal Publishing Company. Apparently he hated the shark business of being in publishing. He hated the way things were run and he'd rather pursue his own dreams elsewhere before he had to live under his parents' rules and regulations."

I shake my head. "Wait, how old is he now? When did that happen?"

Lola shrugs, thinking. "Um, I think that was almost three years ago, so I'd say he's twenty."

"He lived in California for nearly two years?"

Lola begins organizing my makeup and accessories in the vanity. "Well, he studied something at University while there, but I couldn't figure out what it was. He also traveled a lot, and I think it had to do with what he was studying. When Jack left home he became a very private person, but a very public one at the same time. Or at least, that's what People magazine said."

I roll my eyes. "How does that work? Private and public?"

"He liked to party. He liked to spend money on girls. He's friends with celebrities and other rich kids, but he never told anyone what he was doing in his private time. No one knows the real Jack Creal. I doubt even his parents know him. I think he likes keeping it that way."

I let silence envelope us as we finish unpacking my things and when Lola hands me one of my bathing suits I take that as a sign that the topic of Jack is no longer going to be discussed. I dress in the aqua colored bikini and silently promise myself one thing: I'm going to know who Jack Creal is, one way or another.

***

As soon as Lola and I reach the lavish outside of the Creal Home I'm met with loud music and cheers as Cael and Micah go catapulting into the deep end of a huge, Olympic sized pool. Lola rolls her eyes and sheds her light swimsuit cover before doing a cannonball into the pool after them.

I'm not much of a swimmer, but I move to the edge of the pool, laughing as Lola shows off, clearly a natural swimmer. I'm so focused on her swimming that I don't realize I'm being pushed in until Tom's arms wrap around me and we're slipping into the lukewarm water.

When I'm able to get out of his arms I jump on his back, taking him under. He doesn't expect it and begins coughing on the water. This spurs on an entire water fight and I must say, I'm pretty good at water fights. I may not like to swim, but growing up with Gemma's brother Clive around meant that I was forced to be in many water wars.

I catapult myself at Tom and pull him under as he tries to splash me with water. As I wrestle him Lola joins me with a water gun and begins shooting Tom time after time. I laugh, seeing the look of determination on Lola's face as she aims the water pistol at his face. Tom relaxes in defeat, but we don't stop attacking him until he promises he won't do anything else to us.

We all retreat to lawn chairs, shivering from the night air and laughing from the water war.

Tom shakes his head, smiling. "Macey, you should have seen your face when I first pushed you in..."

I stick my tongue out and lean over, wringing my hair out on him.

Lola sighs and plops down on my chair next to me, slinging an arm around my shoulders. Her short red bob of hair is dripping and plastered to her face. "That was fun. We should do it again."

Angel, Adeline, Micah and Cael are retreating into the Home and Tom, Lola and I start following them. I look up at the dark night sky and my eyes immediately find the Big Dipper. Strange how even miles and miles from home I can still find something familiar, something from home.

Home.

I immediately feel the strongest urge to hear my friends' voices.

"Hey, I'm gonna go Skype my friends back home. I promised them I would." I wave goodbye to Tom and Lola before running on ahead to the Lavender room.

I pull out my laptop and lay down on my bed, waiting for Gemma and Olive to answer the call. They do so almost immediately, as if they were waiting for it. I let out a huge squeal at the sight of O and Gem. Stacked around them are piles of junk food and I feel a longing to be back home with them.

Gemma leans close. "Macey! How is it!?"

I smile, or rather beam at them. "It's... amazing! I'm so psyched to be here!"

"How many interns are there?" Olive asks, munching on a peach ring.

"There are eight, but only five will receive big scholarships and beginner positions at the end of this. The other three only get scholarships." Not wanting to dwell on that thought, I change the subject. "I love my roommate! Her name's Lola Bradford and she's the best! I also like this guy named Tom - he's hilarious."

They're both smiling, genuinely happy for me. "Are you... wet?" Gemma asks, her nose wrinkled slightly in confusion.

I laugh. "Yeah, we just went swimming, but I got a little homesick and wanted to Skype you two."

"How was the flight?" Olive asks.

I roll my eyes. "Long story."

I begin telling them all about my traveling experiences with Jack; from when I bumped into him to when I flew beside him to him being a Creal to getting my luggage from him.

When I'm finally done, they begin commenting almost immediately.

Olive nods slowly, all the information visibly sinking into her mind. "I remember seeing you bump into someone. Right after you went through security."

I nod too. "Yeah... it was when I turned away from waving to you guys that I bumped into him."

Gemma smirks. "So... how hot is he?"

I snort as the door to the room opens. "Gem, he's hot, but he's an ass."

The door closes and Lola comes over, plopping on the bed next to me. "Who? Jack? Total asshole."

I laugh. "Guys, this is Lola. Lola, this is Gemma and Olive."

They say hi and Lola stays for a few moments longer before retreating to her own bed with her own lap top.

I talk with Gem and O a little longer, but they have to go because Gemma's mom is calling to them that dinner is ready. And I realize, I have to go too. I have to cut the homesickness and realize I'm here, right where I want to be.

We're thousands of miles apart and I'm just now realizing that it's a really, really big gap.