golden girl (b.t.c.)

chapter forty-eight

monday, september 7
the metal detector went off as eliana's bag went through security.
"jesus." she muttered. the agent opened her bag and pulled out the four medals the had just won, then held them up to the light. "what's this?"
"gymnastics." eliana explained. "world championships were in glasgow, i'm heading back to the states."
the agent raised an eyebrow. eliana sighed and pulled out her wallet. lola was snickering behind her. she showed the agent her team usa access card. the agent nodded and zipped her bag back up. "congratulations. have a nice flight."
"thanks." she grabbed her bag and her shoes and waited for the rest of the team. phoebe sinclair came through the line next and stood next to eliana. "i wanted to ask you something about your bars yesterday, but i forgot."
"shoot." eliana said.
"how did you get your shaposhnikova?"
"hard work." eliana said. "that's all."
"well, i know, but, like, what drills did you do?" she pressed.
"oh, i don't really remember." eliana lied. "i was with easton when i was working that."
phoebe sighed. "well, can you ask him?"
"ask him?"
"yeah, just email him or something?"
eliana blinked. "phoebe, coach easton was awful to me. i'm sorry, but i'm not gonna email him to get some drills."
"but-"
"i'm sure your coach has drills for it."
phoebe went silent. luckily, lola came up and started a new conversation.
ben, sky, and the rest of the boys walked into the airport terminal in los angeles. eliana had taken two planes, one to chicago to pack for her next months on the road, and one to los angeles to meet ben. phoebe sinclair had insisted on taking the same planes as her and talked her ear off for the entire four hour flight.
this is your captain speaking. we'll be touching down in the city of angels in a few minutes, so please buckle your seatbelts and put your tray tables up.
"thank god." eliana muttered as phoebe kept blabbering about the flaws in the collegiate scoring system. when the plane finally landed, she stood up quickly and grabbed her suitcase from the overhead compartment and rushed off, leaving phoebe alone. she got off the plane and sighed, getting a moment to herself.
"eliana!" phoebe called. "i lost you!"
eliana plastered a fake smile on her face and turned around. "i'm so sorry! i think your mom's over there." she pointed to a woman who looked like an older version of phoebe.
"oh, yeah! that's her. i guess i'll see you later." she smiled.
"yep!"
eliana rolled her eyes as phoebe walked away and started towards the exit of the terminal, when she saw a familiar group of boys.
"there she is!" josh yelled. they all started to chatter over one another and rushed towards her. she laughed and held her arms out as they crowded around her in a big group hug. ben stood off to the side and smiled. she looked up and saw him, then started to shoo the boys away, clearing herself a path to ben. he grinned and picked her up off of her feet, spinning her around a few times before pressing his lips to hers.
phoebe watched from across the room as eliana hugged the blond boy.
she decided that she wanted what eliana had, and phoebe sinclair always got what she wanted.
"can i tell you something?" ben said as he set eliana down.
"anything."
he licked his lips and looked into her green eyes. "i love you, ellie."
she smiled. "i love you too, ben."