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Chapter 22 -Reminiscing & Reaping

Jamie's POV

I headed to soccer practice as soon as school finished. Coach made us do laps when we were late, actually he made us do laps when we were early too.I guess he just liked making us do laps. I didn't mind because any physical activity helped me improve myself, I really needed to be fit enough to play with the rest of the team and if I wanted any Ivy League school to take a look at me even for a second I needed to at peak performance level.
As I headed on to the field I saw Nicky tying her her hair up and fixing it in place with a blue hair tie. I waved her down and noticed Coach Kevin talking to someone at the end of the field.
"Ayo", Nicky smiled at me with a nod as she fist bumped me.
" Someone's early", I said returning the smile.
"I figured I'd help you impress Coach before the rest of the douches arrive, if you want to make starting line up you need to get noticed."
"Well he was there when I made the team", I shrugged with a smile.
" He knows you got skill but you need to show him that you're better than Trent, I mean you are better than Trent right?", Nicky raised an eyebrow with a smile just to mess with me.
"Damn right I'm better than Trent. "
"Well then, eight laps boy and don't run like my grandma! "

Mia's POV

"How much further? ", Sarah groaned from behind me.
" We've been walking for three minutes, where's your will power?", I laughed.
"Maybe I left it at home", she shot back and I could feel her making a face at me, I couldn't help but laugh some more. By now I had realised that Sarah wasn't all that bad. I guess I was just bitter about the idea of her and Trent.
"So what's the deal with you and Trent?", I asked immediately regretting it.
"Um-nothing, we're just close I guess", she replied a bit hesitant.
" I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked, sometimes I blurt stuff out", I apologised.
"No, no, I understand. The two of you dated. For a while too and I can't expect either of you to move on from that so easily."
"Did he tell you about us? "
"Not much, just that you guys dated", she shrugged trying not to make it seem important but also trying not to make it  unimportant.
"Did he tell you that he cheated on me? With some girl he met at a college party?"
She was quiet. We carried on walking, I didn't want to make it seem like I was dwelling on the past.

I stopped and lifted my head.
"Acer saccharinum."
"Speak English Mia", Sarah said shocked at the words that I just uttered.
" Silver Maple", I replied and pointed up.
The tree was about sixty feet tall and hovered over us completely, as common as it was it was absolutely beautiful. The burnt orange leaves made the atmosphere look like a stereotypical image of Mexico in the movies. It was breathtaking.

"I never knew a tree could look so beautiful", Sarah mumbled.
" It's the environment, if the environment is hospitable than the tree is happy", I explained.
"Did you plant it?", Sarah looked at me after touching a wet leaf.
" The leaves of the tree are usually moist because of the pigment it produces", I avoided her question.
"You planted it with your dad didn't you? ", she shook her head and touched my shoulder.
" Now my shoulder is wet, nice work", I rolled my eyes jokingly. I heard my phone vibrate and I took a quick peak at it. It was a message from Jamie telling me to meet him at the restaurant we went to near school.
"Mia... "
I put my phone off.
"Okay, okay. From the age of five I loved trees and nature, animals too. One day I convinced my dad to plant a tree in our backyard and so we went out and bought a Dogwood seed to plant. We spent an hour making sure it was planted perfectly. I was so excited, I waited for over a month just to see something but nothing happened. My dad eventually explained to me that the top soil in our back yard was eroded during construction and the weather, he said my tree wouldn't grow and that he was really sorry. "
As I told the story I felt tears forming in my eyes, Sarah came close to me and held me. I had never told anyone this story but there was something about Sarah that told me I could trust her.
"I cried so much, I cried until my father said he knew another place we could plant my tree. We got into the car and went to the superstore to by seeds, I settled on Silver Maple seeds after my dad told me how big the tree would grow.Then we drove for more than an hour to the place he said we could plant it, he didn't have a place. I knew he was looking for one. We eventually stopped here and walked a little until my dad stopped in awe of this spot", I pointed right where the tree was.

"He fell in love with the spot and said this is where my tree would go, I told him that this is where our tree would go."