Chapter 90 Chapter Ninety
Hello Reader, it's me, Author!
Don't worry, I promise I'll be brief.
I really hope you all enjoyed the recently completed first arc of the story.
From this chapter onward, we will begin with the second arc: The Rebirth of Lena Hartwell.
Follow Lena as she slowly develops her confidence and she transforms from caterpillar to butterfly; she'll fall in love and out again, leave old friends and make new enemies, begin a makeover and then another.
She will win, then lose, then win some more.
Until finally the diamond in the rough is perfect and polished, ready to hit college and beyond with the love (or loves?) of her life by her side.
Thank you all so much for your love and support thus far, I look forward to going into the next arc with you.
Pink Pixie Dust Out!
CHAPTER NINETY
"Go Lena, go! You've got this!"
"Come on, girl, push through!"
"LENA! LENA! LENA!"
It had been two weeks after spring break and my friends were already trying to kill me.
My lungs were burning. My legs felt like they were made of lead. Sweat poured down my face, stinging my eyes, and soaking through my tank top.
The treadmill's display mocked me: 4.2 miles. Heart rate 178. Incline 8%.
"Please," I gasped between breaths. "Please can I stop now?"
"You're doing amazing, babe!" Noah called from where he lounged on the weight bench, looking annoyingly fresh in his workout gear. "Only fifty-nine more laps to beat your last record!"
Nicole bounced up beside the treadmill, her ponytail swinging. "And you've lost so much weight! I'm so proud of you!"
Those words affected me differently than she’d probably meant them to. I'd lost weight, but so what?
Everyone kept saying it over and over like it was the greatest achievement of my life.
Noah must have seen the disappointed look on my face because his expression softened. "She was beautiful then and she's beautiful now."
He stood and walked over, adjusting the treadmill speed down slightly. "Don't dwell on it, Nic. We're only here because Lena wants to be here. Right, babe?"
I nodded, too breathless to speak.
"Right," I finally managed.
"Perfect." Noah checked his watch. "As soon as you finish this set, we'll grab lunch; something light and protein-heavy, then we've got your two PM appointment with my aunt's dermatologist for your final round of chemical peels and the premium facial."
I sighed.
"Then you mentioned something about a new wardrobe?" Jake cut in from the corner, his mouth full of pizza that he definitely wasn't supposed to be eating in the gym.
“I've got a plug in Manhattan. We could make a whole road trip out of it! Spring break adventure!"
"Oh my God, yes!" Nicole's eyes lit up with glee. "I've always wanted to see the Statue of Liberty! Maybe I could write about it for my first publication when school starts back."
“Nerd,” Jake muttered.
“Hey! Take that back jerkwad!” Nicole snapped. Jake just winked at her and went back to his pizza, pretending to be innocent.
Noah grinned at me, grabbed a water bottle and passed it over to me. I took it gratefully, nearly draining half the bottle in one go.
"What do you say, sweetheart? Road trip to New York?"
"We could hit up SoHo, check out the vintage shops in Brooklyn—" Nicole was already pulling up her phone, going through Google maps looking for good restaurants.
"There's this sneaker store in Queens that's supposed to be insane—" Jake added.
"And we can catch a show on Broadway if we have time—"
"Wait, wait—" I held up a hand, still catching my breath. "I don't know if I can—"
How was I supposed to tell my mom I couldn't just disappear to New York for a weekend?
Our last conversation had been me awkwardly explaining to my mother that I'd somehow joined the cheerleading squad and would be home less on weekends.
She’d dropped an entire pot of her special spaghetti in shock, gaping at me.
"You? A cheerleader? Lena, baby, that's wonderful! But when will I see you? You're already gone so much with tutoring and.."
I couldn't ask for more time away. I just couldn't.
"Come on, everyone loves a good vacation, right?" Noah's voice pulled me back. "Your mom will be fine with it. She loves me."
Nicole nodded enthusiastically. "That's actually true. Mrs. Hartwell thinks you're the best thing that ever happened to Lena."
"I don't think—" I started
"Lena!"
Martin's head appeared around the doorframe, his backpack hanging off one shoulder.
"I need your help with my history homework. It's due next week when I go back to school. Can we start now? I have a feeling it’s going to be very hard…”
The machine made a beeping sound and I looked up. I finally hit my target of 5 miles, and the treadmill began its cool-down sequence. I gave Martin a shaky thumbs up, my legs trembling as I stepped off.
"Time!" Noah checked his stopwatch. "Forty-two minutes, eighteen seconds. New personal record!"
Nicole whooped. "Yes! And as your reward, you get to eat five whole extra calories at dinner tonight!"
“You’re joking… right?” I asked, squinting one eye.
Nicole laughed, her eyes twinkling with mischief “Of course.”
So… why did it feel like she wasn't?
This was my life now. The LENA 2.0 routine. It had been my idea in the beginning—well, mine and Noah's—but somewhere along the way it had grown into this massive, all-consuming thing.
Morning runs, strength training, cardio, meal prep, skin treatments.
Hair appointments, wardrobe consultations, cheerleading practice and tons of homework somehow squeezed in between everything else.
Not to mention I was beginning to work on my college applications, looking at different Ivy Leagues and their financial aid programs.
My friends were being so supportive, and so helpful. They only wanted the best for me.
Right?
I grabbed my towel and wiped the sweat from my forehead, forcing a smile.
"Let's do it!" I called out. "New York, here we come!"
"YEAHHHHH!" everyone cheered.
I grinned right along with them, muttering, "Here we go again."
I couldn't wait to see what the future had in store for me.
There was no way it could be as traumatizing and full of drama as last month...
Right?