Katie's POV

It had been a few days since Caleb texted me, but I was honestly too busy to even remember who he was.

I was training at the gym getting ready for Woodward in a couple weeks, and it's been pretty tough. I've been working on difficult skills I've barely even tried before, which made gym feel even longer than it was.

"Great practice everyone! Let's take our lunch break!" Coach Mary exclaimed when it was around 12 PM.

We all shuffled into one of the rooms and sat at the tables to eat our lunch. I went to Flora and I's usual table and waited for her.

While I was waiting, I decided to pull out my phone, and to my surprise, I had a text from Caleb.

"Are you texting him again?" Flora asked with a wink as she sat next to me.

I shrugged.

"Don't shrug at me," Flora gave me a look as she pulled out her lunch.

I rolled my eyes. "He texted me."

"Aw, that means he's into to!" Flora exclaimed.

I almost choked on my Nutella sandwich that I had just taken a bite out of. "No it doesn't! It could mean he just likes talking to me."

"Which means he likes you," Flora added.

"It could mean he just wants to be my friend," I explained. "Flora, just because a guy texts a girl, it doesn't mean he likes her."

"Whatever you say," Flora said in a sing-song voice before continuing to eat her food.

When I finished my lunch, I went back on my phone and had actually forgotten that I was texting Caleb. I looked at our thread and saw he sent me a message.

"Come on, Katie!" Flora yelled as she grabbed my arm and dragged me out onto the floor.

Coach Mary had us do some warm ups and conditioning before going back to practice. Flora and I decided to go to bars to work on new skills we were learning.

"Let's try what we learned last week," Flora suggested as she put on her grips.

"Okay, you go first," I insisted.

Flora rolled her eyes. "Fine."

Flora jumped up onto the low bar and quickly swung to the high bar. She kept swinging until she had enough momentum to push off and do a pike in the air. She twirled in her pike and then grabbed back onto the high bar.

"That was great Flora!" Coach Mary called as she walked over.

"Thanks," Flora smiled as the high fived. "Now it's Katie's turn!"

"Do I have to?" I whined.

"Yes! Do it! You'll be fine!" Flora gave me a light push towards the bars.

I chalked up my hands and made sure my grips were on correctly before I jumped up onto the bar. I hadn't practiced this skill as much as Flora had, so I was a little nervous.

I swung up to the high bar and continued swinging to gain momentum. When I though I had enough, I pushed off and began to spin, but I had pushed off too much.

I swung backwards away from the bar and hit my head on the low bar and landed on my right leg wrong.

I screamed from the pain and shock when I had landed on the ground. I could feel blood trickling down the side of my head as my coach and friend ran over.

"Katie! Oh my god!" Flora exclaimed as she gasped and covered her mouth.

"Someone call 911!" Coach Mary yelled as a bunch of the other gymnasts started screaming and panicking.

"Katie, you're going to be okay," Coach Mary said as she took off her jacket. Her hands were shaking and her lip was quivering as she wrapped her jacket around where I hit my head.

"It hurts," I said quietly.

"I know, I know," Coach Mary said in a soothing voice, but it wasn't soothing enough to get rid of my pain.

A few minutes later an ambulance arrived and took me to the nearest hospital. Coach Mary went in with me while Flora waited for my mom to get her and meet us at the hospital.

They wheeled me straight into the x-ray room and started taking x-rays of my leg, which hurt a lot to move. Then the doctor confirmed to me that it was broken, and that I would need surgery because one of my bones was not aligned due to my fall. They also said I needed stitches on my head wound, which was near my right temple.

"Katie, oh my god what happened?" Mom asked frantically as she ran into the ER.

"I fell," I simply answered as she hugged me.

"She was trying a new trick and her head hit the bar, then she fell and landed on her leg wrong," Flora attempted to explain to my mom, but she kept stammering.

"Flo, I'll be okay," I said as I held her hand. "But the doctor said I will need surgery."

"Oh," Mom said. "Where is the doctor?"

"Out there, I'll walk with you," Coach Mary offered as they left.

"This all happened so fast," Flora said as she sat on the edge of my bed. "I-I didn't even see you fall until it was too late."

"Flo, it's not your fault," I said.

"Yes it is!" She said. "I forced you to do the skill, and I shouldn't have; I caused this."

"Stop saying that," I said quietly. "I didn't have to try, yet I did. It's not your fault."

Flora sighed shakily. "I don't want to argue, you need your rest."

"Actually, do you have my phone?" I asked.

"Y-yeah," Flora handed me my purse. "I grabbed this before your mom got me."

"Thank you," I gave her a small smile and pulled out my phone, immediately having someone come to mind to text.

"Katie, I have to go, my mom is here to pick me up," Flora announced as she stood up.

"Okay. Well, I guess I'll see you when I get out of the hospital," I said with a weak smile.

"I guess so," Flora gave me a hug. "When do you get discharged?"

"After she has surgery, which is on Thursday," Mom replied as she walked back in.

My eyes widened. "I have to stay here for two days?"

Mom nodded. "I'm sorry, Kate. But after the surgery you get to go home."

"I guess I'll see you Thursday then, bye Katie," Flora waved before leaving.

"Bye, Flo," I said sadly as Mom sat down.

"It's gonna be okay, Kate," Mom said reassuringly as she rubbed my hand.

"Will it?" I asked as I snatched my hand away.

Mom sighed and left me alone, knowing that I wasn't in the mood to talk.

Just imagine that Caleb is here; he would make this experience a whole lot better by probably cracking jokes.

Speaking of Caleb, what does he even look like? I've never even looked him up!

I hope I can meet him one day.

And that's when I remembered the school contest; what if I could go to wherever Caleb lives?!

And that's when my brilliant plan formed, and it gave me an opportunity to meet Caleb.

•••

A/N: lol I have mixed emotions about this chapter 🤷‍♀️ what did you think of it though? Who's your favorite character? Do you think Katie could visit Caleb through the student exchange program? Let me know all your feedback!

And anyway, how are you? Tomorrow (technically today since it's midnight ?) is Labor Day, so I have no school :D but I have homework and no one will hang out with me D: but I went to a trumpet sectional today and I died but🤷‍♀️ oh whale

Anyway I hope you enjoyed this chapter! If so please don't forget to vote comment and share because I love your feedback!

Thanks, until next time ;)