by Lauren Helms
Level Me Up
by
Lauren Helms
Copyright © 2017 Lauren Helms
This book is meant for personal enjoyment only. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it from a proper retailer, won in a verified contest, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please delete or return to your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Published by Lauren Helms
Cover design by Kristin @ sweetbirddesigns.com
Edited by JL Anderson TheAverillScribe.wordpress.com and Jessica Bucher www.jbucherediting.wixsite.com/editing
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
Chapter Twenty-two
Chapter Twenty-three
Chapter Twenty-four
Chapter Twenty-five
Chapter Twenty-six
Chapter Twenty-seven
Chapter Twenty-eight
Chapter Twenty-nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-one
Chapter Thirty-two
Chapter Thirty-three
Chapter Thirty-four
Chapter Thirty-five
Chapter Thirty-six
Chapter Thirty-seven
Chapter Thirty-eight
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
About the author
To my own gamer boy…
Robert, I will always love you more.
Chapter One
Morgan
Chewbacca.
There is a dancing Chewbacca twelve feet in front of me. And when I say dancing, I mean like full out break dancing. What the…
Ok, so I knew to expect this, but we haven't even made it into the convention yet, and Chewy is already busting moves and has gathered quite an audience too. Ruby had warned me that I was going to see some strange and crazy things, so I shouldn’t be surprised. But still, this is my first Comic-Con, so I guess I really didn’t know what to expect.
One of my closest friends, Ruby, asked me to attend the San Diego Comic-Con with her. I was a little shocked when she told me that the trip was already paid for. Her brother had a last minute work crisis and couldn’t make their annual trip. So why wouldn’t I say yes? A mini vacation with one of my favorite people for next to nothing? Totally.
But to Comic-Con? Not really my scene. I’d much rather go to the beach, or better yet, a book conference and then a beach, where I could lay out in the sun and read the books I picked up at said conference. I’ve never actually been to a book convention, but from what I read from other book lovers, it sounds amazing. I’m a total book nerd, almost obsessive. And beach reading has always been at the top of my list of obsessions. Comic-Con is totally Ruby’s scene. While I nerd out when it comes to everything books, she nerds out to everything...well, nerdy. She loves it all, but mostly she has a thing for comic books. The one nerdy thing we agree on is cult TV. Mostly, we find ourselves binge-watching Netflix.
When I was checking into the details of the event, I must admit I got pretty excited about attending. Once I found out that there would be a lot of actors from the shows I enjoy attending the Con, I was sold on going. But now, as we are standing outside this huge event center, I’m a tad overwhelmed. I didn't realize how enormous this Comic-Con actually was. Call it a side effect of my naiveté.
This line we are standing in is rather impressive in size. From what Ruby tells me, the dancing Chewy is typical and to be expected. There are a lot of people dressed up as well-known characters from pop culture, and I'm told it's called cosplay. So, I kind of feel out of place here. I think more than anything, I’m tagging along with Ruby just for fun. This is going to be quite an experience for sure.
As we finally start to move slowly in line, Ruby squeals, "Oh my gosh! Morgan, I'm so excited for you to partake in your very first Comic-Con!"
"I know. I’m excited too,” I cautiously reply, “but maybe a little bit nervous. There are some really strange, uh, people, er, characters here. I can’t even imagine what we will see when we get inside."
"Look, it's probably going to be overwhelming, but who doesn’t love people watching? And trust me, this is the perfect place for people watching! We’re going to see all walks of life here," Ruby says. "Plus, seeing the stars of our favorite shows is so worth bumping elbows with pop culture weirdos."
I chuckle and shake my head and continue to scan the crowd. Yup. I definitely see some weirdos... and palm trees. I've never actually seen palm trees. I've never really been anywhere exciting. My first time on a plane was yesterday when we flew out of Chicago, and it was a long five-hour trip.
I'm from a small central-Indiana town, and my family never really traveled much. We went on a few car trips to Chicago, Michigan, and Nashville, but that was it. After my mom passed away, any and all trips, no matter how close the destination, abruptly ceased. So, little ol' inexperienced-traveler me, is excited to actually be seeing real palm trees and flying on an airplane.
We flew into California last night around 10 p.m., and the time difference caused killer jet lag. I didn't have a chance to really check out the scenery when we arrived. But now, in the light of day, I find that this large courtyard shared by the hotel and convention center is beautiful, despite the horde of fans milling about.
As soon as we walk out the sliding glass doors of the hotel, we are greeted by a multi-level courtyard, scattered with palm trees and flower beds. People are everywhere. There isn’t an empty picnic table in sight. People are even lined up leaning or sitting against the half brick walls that provide height to the flower beds. Past the courtyard is the grand convention center which looks to be made of only windows. Huge floor-to-ceiling windows line the outside walls of the building. And already, a long line of people waiting to fill the center looks unbelievably massive when reflected off the windows. A line so extensive that I didn't even realize it had grown by a thousand in the fifteen minutes it took us to navigate from one side of the courtyard to the other.
"Ruby, thank you for inviting me to come with you. I don't think you realize how much it means to me that you asked me to come," I say as I continue to scan the crowd.
"Girl, I love my brother, and I'll definitely miss my time with him this year, but I’m also excited that we finally have a reason to travel together. I’ve been dying to take a girls’ trip and experiencing your first flight was pretty awesome. You did a lot better on the plane than I thought you would,” Ruby replies.
It’s true, Ruby’s been pestering Gia and me for a year about planning a girls’ weekend somewhere fu
n, but we just haven’t done it yet. And I have to admit, I handled the plane a lot better than I thought I would too. I was totally prepared, though. I had a bag full of bubble gum and a bottle of Dramamine.
“And I know work is getting stressful for both of us with the management change, so this was a well-needed vacation. Plus, bringing you here and witnessing all the expressions and reactions you're sure to have is totally worth it,” she adds.
I laugh and fold my arms, "Oh, I’m sure you are in for a treat when it comes to my reactions."
I love my friends, but sometimes I think they get a kick out of throwing me into new and sometimes awkward situations just to see how the "sheltered-girl-next-door" will react. Ok, so honestly, it doesn't really bother me. I know I've lived a sheltered life. I’ve done everything in my power since I graduated college to rectify that.
I had a great life as a kid. I enjoyed school, and I loved my friends, and I even loved my part-time job as a check-out girl at the local grocery store. My parents were amazing. They were the kind of parents that insisted on dinner as a family every night, family game nights once a week, knowing my friends and their parents, and being at every softball game and school event of mine. And they loved me to no end.
I grew up with parents that weren't afraid to show each other their love. They were always holding hands and telling the other they loved each other. Needless to say, I came from a very loving household. But that all changed the day my mom passed away from cancer. I was sixteen.
While my mom had spent the better part of her diagnosis preparing us for life after her death, it didn't change the fact that once she was gone, my dad became a different person. He lost the love of his life, his best friend, his soulmate. It devastated him. He became a workaholic.
It didn't happen right away, but by my eighteenth birthday, I was on my own for dinner almost every night, I saw him for about fifteen minutes every morning before school, and then I'd watch football with him every Sunday. He still tried to beat significant events, and he always made sure I had everything I needed, but when it came to being emotionally there for me, he just shut down. He didn't want to talk about mom, and if I tried to talk to him about anything that had to do with being a teenage girl, he'd just find an excuse to hide from me for the rest of the night—that is if he had even made it home before I went to bed. Not that I blamed him or anything. What dad understands his teenage daughter? We never talked about our new way of life; it was just our new normal.
I focused more on school; getting to college was my primary goal. I secretly hoped that by going to a school a few hours away, my dad would realize that he wanted me around more. Unfortunately, by the summer between my freshman and sophomore year of college, I realized that nothing changed, and there was no point in my sticking around.
I knew he loved me, but being at home by myself sucked. I hated it. I missed my mom like crazy but felt that my dad just abandoned me. That's when I decided that my future was wide open and that I could go anywhere I wanted. While I knew, I would still visit my dad, there wasn't anything holding me to Indiana anymore.
We visited Chicago the summer before my mom passed. We did all the typical sightseeing: the Shedd Aquarium, Field Museum, and Navy Pier. My mom said she had always wanted to spend more time in Chicago, so I fell in love with the city. After I graduated from college, I moved to Chicago with my best friend, Gia. We rented a small, two-bedroom apartment on the North Side, found jobs, and called it home. I loved Chicago.
I still do.
Next to me, Ruby elbows me in the side and says, "Maybe we'll even find you a hot nerd to hook up with."
My jaw drops slightly before I can recover from her declaration. "What...uh. Ruby, no way," I reply.
She chuckles, "We are going to have so much fun.”
Chapter Two
Morgan
We finally make it inside the Convention Center when I'm able to actually process what Ruby meant. I love Ruby. Like my roommate Gia, she dates a lot. I wouldn't describe Ruby as a serial dater like Gia, but they both have plenty of experience in the dating scene while I've only dated a handful of guys since moving to Chicago.
The girls say I’m too picky when it comes to dating. They both agree that your twenties are made for dating and having fun. Ruby truly believes that you won't know you've found “the one” until it just happens. That dating (a lot) is the only way you will ever find “the one.” Gia, on the other hand, is convinced that there is no such a thing as “the one” and plans on dating until she's ninety. As for me, I know my soul mate is out there, but finding him will take time. I know I can find him without dating every single guy I cross paths with.
"Ruby, I didn't come here so you can pimp me out to the first nerd that meets your 'perfect for Morgan' criteria. I came here because I wanted to spend time with you and gain some new experiences—not hook up," I tell her, honestly convinced this might have been the only reason she brought me with her.
Instead of taking back what she said, she replies with a bemused smile. "No, Gia and I discussed this in-depth. You need to hook up with at least two guys this week. We've decided that you need to get some action, and that is my goal for the week, well…besides getting as many celebrity autographs as I can.”
What? They know I can't just "hook" up. They know this…right?
After a long sigh, she retorts, "Mo, I'm joking. I didn't bring you here to get laid. Come on, you know I'd never push you to hook up with someone—unless it were Justin Timberlake. I would always support a JT hook up."
I let out a shaky laugh and realize how dumb it was to think she'd really bring me here to try to force me into a hookup. She and Gia tease me sometimes about my "pickiness" when it comes to dating, but they never push me to date. I take that back, I let Ruby set me up on a blind date once, and it was horrible. But because I let Ruby set up a date, Gia threw a fit about how she wanted the chance to do the same. Tad and Brady were both really nice guys, but neither of them were the "I can see myself with him forever" kind of guys. Honestly, I don't even remember why I never called either of them for a second date. I know both Gia and Ruby were sorta bummed, but I don't think they were surprised.
I’ve had only two serious boyfriends: one in high school and the other in college. Ryan, my high school sweetheart, cheated on me. I know high school relationships don’t usually last and in the grand scheme of things don’t really matter. How can you have a real “relationship” with someone when you’re not adults yet? But like most teenage girls, I thought I was in love with Ryan. And so when we broke up, so did my heart.
In college, Dylan, my boyfriend of eighteen months, decided that he wanted to transfer to a university in upstate New York, a “measly” ten hours away. That was more important than our relationship. He didn’t even offer me transferring with him as a viable option. I’m not saying I would have moved with him, but I would have liked to have had the chance to consider it.
Nevertheless, I cared for both ex-boyfriends deeply, and both let me down. In retrospect though, my life was better without them. Those relationships weren’t meant to be, but break-ups are hard, and I didn't want to get hurt again, so I made it a rule not to give out my heart so easily in the future.
Because of that, I limit my dating. I haven’t had a boyfriend since Dylan, and the most dates I've gone on with the same guy was two. I maybe go on one or two dates a month. It’s not normally a top priority for me. Don't get me wrong, I want to be in love, but I don't want to rush into anything. I need to know that I've found the right person. I can't—I won't have my heart broken again. The next relationship I have will go nice and slow.
I have to get Ruby past this topic.
"So, what's on our agenda for today? I forgot the plan," I ask in an attempt to move on. I just wanted to have fun with one of my besties. We were on vacation. I don't want to dwell, or have Ruby dwell, on my lack of love life.
"Well, we've got The Hunger Games panel, Doctor Who panel, and a few comic book pa
nels we need to attend. Since there is so much going on, I've already outlined what events and activities we can do in our downtime. But then you already knew that, so nice change of subject there, Morgan," she replies.
Dang it. She knows me too well. I did know the plan since she created detailed schedules for each day. We’ve actually gone over them several times. I'm not sure I'm going to have any time to really catch my breath and reflect on what's going on here, but we are only here for a few days, and Ruby wants to make the most of the trip and see as much as we can.
"Great! You know how I love Katniss. I can't wait to see the cast in person! How much shorter do you think Josh Hutcherson is than J-Law in real life?" I ask excitedly. I read all The Hunger Games books on the day of their release and absolutely love the movies.
"Oh, good question. He is super short. Like, I bet you're taller than him, Morgan," Ruby replies.
"Yeah, thanks," I say sarcastically. I’m a whopping 5'3” on a good day. I'm used to the short jokes. I only wear heels sometimes—plus I can’t even walk in anything taller than two inches, so I’m still short when I wear them. Despite my height or lack thereof, I have other things going for me, like my eyes, hair, and boobs. In that order.
I've been told I have beautiful blue-gray eyes. I got them from my dad. I'm almost a spitting image of my mom, except for the color of my eyes. Next comes my hair, which I love. It is currently shoulder length, and it has always been thick but never unmanageable. It’s a lovely dark brown that tends to pull a hint of red. So on occasion, I let my stylist highlight shades of red in the fall. I don’t ever admit this out loud, but I have a really nice pair of breasts. I know that sounds vain, but it’s the truth. There is nothing worse than not being able to fill out that killer halter top you're dying to buy. I like my body and looks in general, but I, of course, have my problem areas. Doesn't everyone? I have some curves, and I’m not overweight, but I’m not super skinny either.
