"So let me get this straight, you're not coming with the squad skiing because your parents have decided to drag you to some island in the middle of the goddamn Pacific?" My best friend Olive said, flipping through one of the many old fashion magazines I had stashed in my room.

"That's right." I muttered, stuffing my clothes into the suitcase and uttering some inaudible curses.

"How long are you going to be there? Surely you can tag along if you get back soon enough." She said, crossing her legs on my unmade bed.

"Whole summer Olive." I said and I could see the sadness in her eyes.

"Oh." Was all she said before coming over to sit on the floor with me.
I leaned my back against the bed and closed my eyes, wanting nothing more than to sleep.

"What's with all the summer stuff? Do you want a death wish?" She asked, picking up one of the summer dresses and holding it up against her, doing a little twirl.

"Apparently it's warm where we're going." I grumbled in a huff.

"Oh c'mon stop loathing you lazy beanbag. Think of it as a good thing." She said and squated in front of me looking at me with her brown eyes. Her big curly hair shaped her face and her chocolate skin looked amazing as usual, not a pimple in sight.

She was sucking on a lollipop and then she suddenly slapped me.
"Ow! What the-"
"You needed that. Thank me later." She said and stood up, trying to menouver her way around my dirty room.

She wore a blue jeans today with a crop top, a red scarf and leather jacket. Her boots stomped loudly against the wooden floors and she went to my door.

"I'll leave you to pack in peace, just have fun okay? Maybe you'll meet some hotties in the sun and if he has a cousin or brother, you know what to do." She said, winking and held a makeshift phone with her hand to her ear.

I couldn't help but laugh at her attempt to make me smile, but that was Olive for you. Making you feel good on your worst day.

I tried getting up but halfway up, I fell, landing on my favourite pair of sunglasses. I swallowed, praying that I didn't just hear that cracking sound of the broken glasses.

Olive put a hand to her mouth to stop her laughter and I hopped up in horror,looking at the remains of my glasses.

"Oh my god. Are we going to throw it a funeral now?" She said and tapped her foot impatiently on the floor.

I walked over to her and opened the door.
"Hey, have a great time love. We're going to miss you this summer. So enjoy yourself for my sake." She said and I knew she meant it with all her heart and she pulled me in for a tight hug.

I hugged her tightly in return and fought the urge to cry.

"Okay, before I let out the waterworks, let me get going. I've got a plane to catch." She smiled and I closed my bedroom door behind her and heard my mother saying farewell to my friend.

I watched as she got onto her bicycle we used to ride as kids and race off down the street back to her own home. Back to begin her skiing trip.

I saw the grey clouds begin to drop small snow flakes over the small town of Steamboat Springs.
Steamboat Springs was a cute little city in northern Colorado's Yampa Valley and was below freezing in this time of year. It was cold, but it was home. I sighed.

"Why do I have to go on that stupid trip." I asked myself softly and someone knocked on the door softly.

Jumping down from the window, I went to lay on my bed. Someone knocked again and I grumbled incoherently.

"Go away." I said into my pillow and I heard the brass doorknob rattle before the door opened slowly.

"Oh honey. Why are you not packing? We are leaving tomorrow morning early." My mother said and I felt her sit next to me as the bed dipped beside me.

Her soft hand landed on the back of my arm and I shrugged it off.
"Don't tell me you are still angry about that ski trip are you? Ashley?" She asked and I turned over onto my back.

My mother was a strikingly beautiful woman with jet black hair and light skin that needed a tan. Her had a oval face and big eyes with a lean body and long legs.

Unfortunately, for me, I got my looks from my father. I had his rounder head and had some meat on the hips.
My hair was a light brown and my eyes were big and curious.

I was 5'4ft and a handful of stubborn, which apparently I'd gotten from my mother. Or so my father says.

"I don't want company right now." I told her and she sighed.
"Ashley, you are coming with us either way so you better get used to the idea of spending the summer with me, your father and your lovely grandparents. They haven't seen you in a while." She said and got up before heading for the door.

Before dissappearing, she poked her head in again.
"Might want to tidy the room sweetie." She said and I snorted.

Yeah right. As if I,
Ashley Alexander ever cleaned my room.

I leaned on my elbows to get a better look at the room. It wasn't that bad. Right? Just a few piles of clothing that I didn't know weather they were clem or dirty and books, so much books, scattered all over my room floor.

Okay. Maybe it did need a little tidying up, but it didn't need to be done right now. I still had plenty of time on my hands.

I turned over and grabbed my phone to scroll through my instagram feed.
Nothing really new to me. Some jocks from school posting videos of their abs.

Eww.

Who wants that? That's like spinach wrapped in a cabbage leaf. I know, who the hell uses terms like that?

After finding nothing interesting to look at, I switched my phone off and picked up my book.

It was about a girl going back in time three times and each time she did, she had to find out why she was there.

Living in a world of books was my passion and I knew that one day, I'd publish my own book. Make the world see that reading a real book is as good as scrolling through pages on your phone.

Very little people knew the value of books and most of them, threw books aside like dirt. Me, I treasured every single one of my book in my collection. Every book had it's purpose and every book had its own story to tell.

Page after page, I flipped through and eventually I realised it was dark outside and the street lamps were the only source of light in my room.

I reached over to my lamp, flipping on the switch and putting my book down, I swung my legs over the bed.

"Ashely! Food's done." My mom yelled and I rolled my eyes and muttered,
"I'm coming your majesty."