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  “Something tells me you don’t need a ride today.”

  My eyes flashed open with a few tired blinks. I found Sean standing above me. He bent his knees, lowering down to reach the back of his hand to my right cheek.

  “Your skin is so warm,” I said.

  I could hear the weakness in my own voice now. It cracked in-between syllables.

  “So is yours,” Sean said.

  He then reached his arms under my knees and around my waist, lifting me up into the air and against his chest. I didn’t have enough energy to wrap my arm around his neck. I was practically dead weight and yet he held me without complaint as if I were nothing but a pillow.

  I wanted to protest for I was fearful that the motion would only send my stomach into another purge. But Sean was already laying me down into my bed and pulling a light sheet over me before I could even think the words aloud. I was too exhausted to ask how he had been so swift.

  I closed my eyes as I rolled to my left side. When I opened them again, Sean had already put a trashcan beside me. He sat on my bed near my chest, dabbing me with a new damp washcloth. I closed my eyes again to the comfort of it.

  I couldn’t see but I heard my mom come back into the room. “Did you take off from school too,” Sean asked.

  “Yes, I just got off the phone with the substitute and principal,” she said.

  “Here, Em. Take a sip of this,” Sean said.

  I opened my eyes, feeling my body already lifted with one of his arms. He held a glass of water with the other, inches in front of my mouth. I pressed the glass to my lips, letting him tilt the water into my mouth. There was a burn from my small gulp but ultimately the ice cold water was refreshing down my throat. Once he laid me back down, I gazed up into his eyes gratefully. “Thank you,” I said.

  I watched his lips curl as he swiped a piece of hair from my forehead. “Anytime, Em.” I looked up into the golden honey of his eyes. They appeared to glow more beautiful the longer I stared. “Get some rest.” I sighed before closing my eyes to his request. I felt the delicate pressure of his lips on the top of my forehead. Twenty minutes later I was grateful for the trashcan.

  On Thursday, not much had changed except a little less nausea. After school Sean came by to lay with me for a little bit. My mom was worried he was going to catch what I had but he never seemed concerned. At times he even seemed to challenge it. I was more than anything disappointed I couldn’t go to the river. But Sean told me he would take me once I got better.

  By Friday I was tired of lying in bed. I had only missed school because my mother wanted me to get back some energy. Thankfully, the stomach flu had passed by Thursday night. Lauren called me to check how I was doing after school. I told her that I was feeling better and that I would still meet them for Pamela’s swim meet tonight. She promised to pass on the news to Erika before we hung up. I was just happy to be able to finally get of the house for the first time in three days.

  I got there a little late but thankfully before Pamela’s first event had started. Thank goodness, I thought. I had to remember to not get so distracted when reading. Unfortunately, I thought the hobby would be something to do for the hour of waiting till I had to meet my friends. I should have accounted for getting so involved with the fictional world of Pride and Prejudice. Being one of my favorites, it was hard to ever put down the book once I started reading it. Then again that was the problem with most anything I read. It didn’t help that I had gotten used to nothing but reading the past two days when I wasn’t sleeping or throwing up.

  But now walking into the Moore Center, I found the girls easy enough on the full wall bleachers that were facing the left side of the swimmers. I took a sit between Lauren and Erika on the front row. I was glad to notice I wasn’t the only one who had contributed some school spirit. I found my old white and blue sleeved jersey T-shirt that Lauren had bought me as a going-away present three years ago.

  “Nice shirt,” Lauren said.

  I looked down with a prideful nod. “Thanks. The person who gave it to me must have had good taste.”

  She exhaled with amusement.

  “Feeling better?” Erika asked.

  “Much. But I think I’m a few pounds lighter from all the puking.” I said jokingly.

  She smiled as I began looking around the bleachers where we sat. I swore that Becca said she would be here.

  “She’s over there,” Erika said.

  My head turned back just as my eyes caught sight of her pointed finger. I followed it until I found Becca—who was decked out in a bit more spirit than any of us—now standing on the far end of the pool. She was walking sideways, mouthing to someone with a thumbs-up gesture. Following her gaze I realized it was Pamela on the far right corner. She was stepping up onto her platform, reciprocating Becca’s gesture before adjusting the goggles over eyes and bending into her starting stance with a new focus on the water below her.

  From the moment the starting horn blew, I was torn between watching Pamela’s leading strokes and Becca’s enthusiasm. She was running alongside the pool—maybe jogging was a better term—yelling what I could only assume was encouraging motivation toward Pamela. I couldn’t help but join in the laugher with Erika and Lauren.

  It was nice feeling the warmth of their friendship again after so long. I hadn’t liked being the loner I was in Dallas. I may have not needed them as much as Sean, but it didn’t mean that I hadn’t missed them. It was safe to say that I had missed all of my life when I left Washington. Having that life back now made it easy to smile.

  Pamela adjusted her bag over her shoulder as we all walked into the parking lot. “I’m just saying that I could have done better,” she said.

  “What’s better than first in all four events?” Becca said. “They’re lucky that had you as anchor to win the 400 relay.” She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “I was worried when Chelsea let Northside catch up on strokes.”

  Chelsea Barns, a sophomore, was the third leg for the second to last event of the night. The 400 freestyle relay. I had to admit I became alittle worried myself when I noticed she had lost Washington’s lead by her final turn. She was lucky Pamela had been about to take it back with her strong front crawl strokes—winning the race.

  “I didn’t get a good push off the wall for my last flip turn on the 200 freestyle.”

  “You still won,” I said.

  Pamela looked to me with a grin as she pulled her damp hair back into a bun. “I didn’t beat Lindsey Tate’s 200 freestyle record though,” Pamela said.

  “Didn’t she just set that record?” Erika asked.

  “Last year,” Pamela confirmed. “I missed it by four seconds.”

  “But that record also took her all four years. She was a senior when she finally set it,” Laura added.

  “You know, she’d say if she beat Lindsey’s district record that she wished she had beaten the state record. Then the national record.” Becca rolled her eyes as she shook her head with her teasing smirk. “She’s never satisfied. Not even if she made the Olympic team.”

  Erika was smiling and even Lauren and I couldn’t resist the twitch of our lips. Sure we all knew that most athletes held that competitive nature, but it was Pamela who was the most competitive of us all. She always wanted to top herself with faster times and harder spikes. I wouldn’t doubt that I might see her competing in the 2016 Olympics and passing any previous world records—still believing she could do better.

  “Shut up,” Pamela said.

  She pushed Becca playfully with her own smile. At least she could laugh at herself. As we walked toward our cars, I naturally moved my hand to adjust my purse strap across my shoulder. But my stomach tensed when I didn’t feel anything there. The memory of placing my purse in between Erika and me had resurfaced with a drop in my stomach.

  “Oh crap,” I said.

  My friends all stopped, turning to look at me.

  “What?” Lauren asked.

  I rolled my eyes at my own frust
ration.

  “I forgot that I didn’t pick up my purse.”

  I tilted my head back with a sigh before turning back toward the center.

  “Do you want us to come with you?” Lauren asked.

  I was walking backward, waving my hand in dismissal. “No, that’s all right. I’ll just see you later.”

  “You sure?”

  “Yeah,” I said. I nodded with a reassuring smile before turning to walk forward again. I could hear them laughing about something as Erika hollered across the lot. “’Night’ Emma! Glad you feel better!”

  I opened the door as I turned my torso with a small wave. We had all stayed later than everyone talking inside before we went out to the parking lot. So now, all that was left in the empty aquatic center was the blue and white banners on the wall and the ones that hung above the pool.

  The secluded darkness made me think that maybe I should have asked one of my friends to come with me after all. I shrugged as I headed for the bleachers where we had sat together. I looked around the empty seats with the anxious drop in my stomach before I heard a voice that made me jump.

  “Looking for something?” The man stepped back with the realization of my fright. He wasn’t very much taller than I was. “Oh, I’m sorry, miss.”

  I slowly inhaled a few deep breaths to calm my accelerated heartbeat before I waved him off. “That’s okay. I was just looking for my purse.”

  “What kind is it?” He asked.

  My eyes shifted with the type of question. “Um . . . it’s a small black one.” His eyebrows lifted with recognition that gave me hope as he turned to walk a few feet over toward a brown box, I hadn’t seen under the bleachers until now.

  He reached inside with a smile before pulling out a small black purse. I hadn’t followed him, thinking he might find it a bit invasive. But without another question, he trustingly walked back to place the purse in my waiting hands. My shoulders dropped with relief to see the familiar thick braided strap and three different zippers. I sighed with the same relief that melted away the bubbling worry in my stomach, one that had already begun to rationalize how I would explain losing my phone and temporary paper license to my dad. Not to mention the disappointment I would cause my mother by confessing I had already lost the new camera. Thankfully, they would never know how close I came to that.

  “This is it, thanks,” I said.

  I awkwardly smiled with the exchange. He nodded.

  “No problem. Have a nice night.”

  I wasn’t sure if it was the abandoned center or because of his scruffy appearance and overly inviting tone, but I was eager to leave.

  “You too,” I said.

  I slipped out the door, placing my purse over my shoulder before beginning my walk across the parking lot. It was practically empty by now, except for two cars—including my own.

  “Hey, Emma!”

  I turned my head toward the other car across the lot. I hadn’t much noticed or focused on it until now. But I instantly knew who had called my name. It was Ross and Nick.

  I smiled in recognition before I walked over to them. Once I was close enough I could see the window rolled down and hear the music playing from the truck’s stereo.

  “What are you doing here?” Nick asked.

  “I was watching Pamela swim,” I said.

  “What are you still doing here?” Ross asked.

  He narrowed his eyes with curiosity.

  “I forgot my purse and it has my wallet and camera.” I looked back over my shoulder. “By the way, the janitor in there is kinda creepy.”

  “I think all night janitors are creepy,” Nick said with a wink.

  “So how’s Washington since you’ve been back?”

  “It’s like I never left,” I said.

  I grinned at how welcoming that statement truly felt.

  “Are you with any of your little friends?” Ross asked.

  “I was, until I had to go find this.” I patted my purse, rolling my eyes to the embarrassment of my forgetful moment.

  “All alone then, huh?”

  “Yup.” I shrugged my shoulders. “What are you guys doing here?” I asked. My eyes traveled back and forth between the two boys.

  “Just looking for something fun to do.”

  “I see.” I nodded with a small grin. “Well, I better go.”

  “Oh, come on. What’s the rush? It’s Friday.” He used his head to gesture back toward his truck. “We’ve got beer. My brother Derek bought it for us,” Ross said.

  “No, thanks,” I said.

  I wasn’t the drinking underage type. Mostly because of my experience watching the lowered inhibitions that convinced even the shyest girl to spill her guts and abandon her clothes. But then maybe it was also attached to carrying the image of how hostile my father got when he drank; not a violent hostile, just more verbal rudeness.

  “At least see what we have,” Nick said.

  He opened the driver’s side door. But I didn’t need proof because I could smell the alcohol on him. They had already been drinking. I grimaced at the thought of them driving just as I caught the scent of beer on his breath. It wasn’t a pleasant smell. And to make things worse, I could now see that he was drunk.

  “I don’t need to look to know,” I said.

  I turned my body back toward my car, until the yank on my arm forced me back.

  “I said look.” The force of Nick’s swing sent me on a forward momentum, a momentum that ended right inside the front seat of his truck. I landed on my back, using my elbow to break the force against the seat. To my right on the passenger side floorboard, I caught a glimpse of a blue cooler full of ice and thick-glass Budweiser bottles.

  “All right, I see it. Now move.”

  But Nick refused to move. In fact, he bent forward, leaning his torso inside the truck so that my exit was blocked from the left side.

  “You know, since you came back I’ve noticed things.” He moved his hand over the outline of my bra before he began to slip it under my shirt. I pushed his shoulders back as I lifted myself back into the vehicle onto the middle cushion. “Stop, Nick.” But there wasn’t the slightest budge or yield to my protest. “Cut it out.” The panic that realized it wasn’t a joke forced my legs to kick as I began to swing my arms with force into his chest. “No,” I said. “Don’t!”

  I grimaced as the light volume of music had suddenly begun to blast through the speakers with a deafening volume. I felt the cold air blow on the back of my neck as Ross opened the passenger side door, flinging his entire torso over my head, forcing my arms still with his grip. I tried to scream but my throat was muffled. It was hard to breathe. My face was being forced into the seat. With each kick, I only weakened. I was a 120-pound girl against two boys, both of which weighed close to 180. My muscles continued to struggle uselessly, with the surreal mental acceptance of what was happening.

  Even though it only resulted in a twitch from my elbow, I continued to push back on Ross’s chest. Please, I thought. Please let one of my friends come back. Please let the janitor look out into the lot. Please…anything. And just like an answered prayer, I felt the lifted pressure from my upper body. I could breathe easier again.

  I titled my chin up and my head back as far as my neck would allow, letting my eyes investigate the unexpected release. Ross was nowhere in sight. My arms were free but I only lifted my head as my gaze traveled back in front of me to watch Nick’s confused terror. The same that had been on my own face not a moment ago.

  I still refused to break his gaze, afraid his confusion would soon fade with his returned lust. But it never did. Instead, he lifted off of my body and onto his feet, turning to his right to look for Ross. I knew his distraction was my only hope. I pulled my feet inward, rolling onto my knees before crawling out the other side. Unfortunately Nick’s agility had headed off my escape just as I turned around the right corner taillight. He grabbed both of my arms, grasping them hard, until his hands instantly dropped to his sides as if contr
olled by magnets. He looked down with confusion as if I had been the reason. His eyes glared with irritation as they lifted back up for a second attempt. This time his entire body lifted backward into the air a few feet, dangling his toes an inch from the ground. My eyes widened. Nick moved his neck around to investigate before shifting his eyes looked down in true fear. He was frozen in the air as if the gravity of earth no longer had an effect on him.

  My feet began to move slowly backward as I continued to look up at him. Finally his feet dropped back to the ground. He glanced at me for a moment before turning to run and jump into his truck, shutting the door with security. He started the engine, throwing the truck into reverse. Right where I was standing. I had only taken the moment to inhale before I felt a secure pair of arms slightly lifting my body from the ground. When I felt my feet drop back onto the pavement, I gazed to my left to see Nick’s truck in the exact spot I should have been. A trickle of chills ran down my arms. Just because I had seen it didn’t mean that I understood it.

  I could hear the squeal of tires coming from Nick’s exit. I guess he had forgotten Ross because I could hear him shouting words of profanity in the distance. I turned my neck toward his voice to see him lying on the ground in one of the parking spaces, a couple yards away, grasping at his right ankle in pain.

  The warmth of hands still on my skin made it easy to forget the winter night air. My savior, I questioned. Finally, I lifted my chin, gazing up to see the face of the one who still held me protectively close. But my gaze froze upon discovering the reveal of who the arms around me belonged too. It was Liam Alexander.

  My blink was the only movement I could manage as he dropped his arms from around me. How, I thought incompletely. None of it was possible. My heart began to pump fear from my veins as I caught sight of the emerald green color of his brightened eyes. I stepped back, never looking away from the alluring and abnormal glow. Something in my mind strongly advised me they weren’t contacts.

  “Are you hurt?” Liam asked.

  I shook my head silently. No, I wasn’t hurt. Not like I should have been. I could have had two broken legs. But I didn’t. I could have been killed. But I wasn’t. All because Liam had…I don’t know.