Page 55 of Away We Go

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Cherry

I CAN’T wait to get to Italy.

I’m dreaming of pasta and pizza.

Nicky

and gelato…

Cherry

omg, I’m counting down the days till I get there!

Nicky

Me, too…

RACE SEVEN

Italy

Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola

23–25 May

CHAPTER 12

Cherry

A violent sneeze rips through my body and I hang on to the door handle to keep steady.

“Ouch.”

My ribs throb from the effects of the sneeze and the days of never-ending coughing that preceded it, and I give in to the inevitable.

Gingerly, I bend over and take off my shoes, walking back to the king-sized bed in the middle of the room and sinking into it.

I’m not going anywhere.

Fishing my phone out of my backpack, I message Serena.

Cherry

Yeah, I’m too sick to make it.

Her response is immediate and I can hear the ‘I told you so’ in the tone of her text.

Serena

Good. It’s for the best. Youare SICK.

She’s right. She’s been right all weekend, but I’ve been in denial about the whole thing. This was my first time in Italy and I was dying to see and do as much as I could while I was here. Unfortunately, my immune system didn’t get the memo and went on strike, leaving me with a cold that is turning mutant.

Cherry

Can you let the team know?

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