Falling (7 page)

“As your house captain, I thought I would go one step further than everyone this year and get myself a new pair of yellow swimmers. I thought I would lead by yellow example, of yellow awesomeness.” I climb off my chair, reaching for the bottle of yellow body paint, my heart racing from the adrenaline of actually talking to people and having them stop and listen to me.

“Is the paint waterproof?” I ask anyone who is listening, and hold the brush against my leg. There's no point in painting patterns on me if it's just going to wash off after my first swim.

“Yes.” Hannah screams out, holding out another brush. “I bought it myself yesterday.” She sings over the top of the song in time to the lyrics.

I study my legs, I'm not really sure what to draw. I dip my brush into the jar again, slowly scraping the side, trying to get an image of what I should paint.

“You want me to do it for you? I can make it match the banner.” Jess holds her hand out for the brush.

“That would be awesome, I’m really bad at anything that includes drawing or painting.” I tell her, sitting back in my chair stretching my legs out. I watch the others while the wet paint brushes up my legs.

“Who's gonna win?” I shout suddenly. Every head snaps toward me.

“We are!” Hannah shouts back, ignoring that this is completely unlike me.

“Why?” I might as well keep going now.

“'Coz we're yellow!” Hannah screams.

“'Coz we're yellow!” They all repeat.

My alarm clock beeps on my table next to me, but I only just hear it over the music. “Let's go.” I shout.

“Coz we're yellow!” Hannah shouts again as we file out my door.

I hold up the banner while they organise themselves single file behind me. We march down the hall and out the front of the building, to our right following the path to the pool. I pull the latch to open the door. “'Coz we're yellow!” Hannah screams from the back of the line, announcing our arrival.

We are the last of all the houses to arrive, but we look the best. I climb right to the top of the bleachers with the other yellow house day students waiting to start. Someone played with the lane ropes overnight, and they can't figure out how to get them back properly.

Swimming day is the best. No class. I can sit in the sun, and it's not too hot. I get to swim a few races, win them, and the rest of the time shout for people in my house and maybe even get time to read a bit of a book. You can't get much better than that.

“Reid.” I look around. I’m sure I heard someone say my name, but no one is looking at me.

I lean back into the wooden boards that make up the fence at the back of the seats, and close my eyes relaxing. “Reid.” I keep my body still and look around.

I lean over to Kelsey. “Did you say my name?”

“No, but I think he did.” She points through the gaps in the fence behind us.

“Who?” I ask, looking around.

“Him. Down there.” I squint through the sun light. Keller is standing behind the fence.

“Hey. I didn't get your number yesterday.”

I take it back, you can't get any better than this.

“How did you know I was here?”

“I went to the office, but,” he stops. “I’ll tell you later.” He waves his arm like it doesn’t matter. “You probably need me to be quick.”

“Kind of. Aw crap.” I whip back around. “This is Braithwaite house banner.” I say rushed, trying to yank it up, Kelsey and Hannah grab an end each and it goes up in front of my face.

“'Coz we're yellow!” Hannah shouts.

Mr. Nash cheers loudly and Mrs. Snouse moves on quickly to drown him out. “Carmichael house.” She calls.

“Hannah, did you bring any more paint?” I ask.

“Yeah.” She shout-whispers, passing it down to me.

“Anyone got some paper?”

“Yeah.” Hannah shout-whispers again.

I take the tiny piece of paper and the huge paint brush she passes to me and dip the tiniest edge of the end of the brush in the jar, and paint my phone number as small as I can. I blow on it a couple times to make sure it's dry. Fold it in half, check to make sure no one is watching and drop it over the top of the fence letting it sail to the ground.

“Have fun swimming.” He disappears as quietly as he arrived.

I laugh. “Say bye to Hayden for me.” I whispher, I can’t see him anymore.

My phone vibrates in my bag and I leave it inside as I check it. They will take it off me if they catch me with it.

“She left an hour ago,” he texts me, and I check to see where he is, I said it so quietly.

Sara's eyes are huge, then she starts fanning herself. “Wow.” She mouths at me.

“I know,” I call out. Everyone turns to look at me. I forgot Sara wasn't actually speaking.

My phone shakes again. Another text from Keller. “I’m so disappointed at your lack of commitment why aren’t you wearing your jeans and shoes to swim in?”

I fumble around in my bag, trying to look like I am finding something. “Sorry, my swimming shoes are only for special occasions,” I text back.

“Reid. You're up.” Mr. Nash calls out urgently.

Me. Right. My heads jerks down to look at him. Seven other swimmers are almost lined up at the start blocks. Me.

“My turn.” It finally sinks in and I say it out loud.

Hannah jumps up, hands in the air. “Reid's turn! It's …” And the whole of yellow house erupt to their feet as I move through them, “'coz we're yellow!” They all scream for me. This is crazy, I have never had people cheer for me like this, ever.

I stand behind the blocks staring into the water. It is totally still. The sun is shining on it from the side, making it look crystal clear. I can't believe he came. I cannot believe he came and found me. The gun fires. He came to school and found me.

Gun. The water splashes up at me from the other girls diving in. I jump on the edge, not bothering to waste time with getting up on the platform. I launch myself into the water, kicking as hard as I can, until I break the surface. My mind goes blank, I know my arms are moving and my feet are kicking. There's the black T mark at the end of the lane. I throw my hand out and touch the wall.

I stand up. Yellow house is screaming, and I look around. I won. I can't believe it. I dunk myself back under the water looking down to the other end. He came to find me. I spring through the surface attempting to control my stomach.

Out of the pool.

“Reid, focus. Okay?” Mr. Nash stops me as I walk back to my seat.

“Sorry, I will.”

“It's okay. You still won.” He smiles. “Go get dried off.” Then he’s calling out the next race.

I dry off in the sun, checking my phone.

My turn.

Out of the pool.

Dry off in the sun. Check phone.

At last, a text. “Are you winning?”

“Course,” I text him back.

My turn again.

No time to dry off, my turn again.

Walk back to dry off. It's really hot now.

“Reid again.” Mr Nash calls out, pointing to the board. My next race is moving to the blocks. I run to the end of the pool and dive back in.

Back to my spot in the sun. I need to stop entering so many races.

“What you doing after school?” Keller texts me when there’s only a couple of races left to go.

“Don’t know, you?” I text back, chewing on the side of my nail completely oblivious to the race.

A couple of minutes go by and I check my phone again. I will control myself and not ask if he got my last message. I will sit here and wait, I tell myself.

“Who's gonna' win?” I chant standing at the top of the bleachers to distract myself from my silent phone.

“Sara!” They all shout back. Her face burns red.

“Who's gonna beat them all?” I keep going.

“Sara!”

“Why?”

“'Coz. We're. Yellow!” We all shout out for the last race of the day, and Sara's first. Everyone has to enter at least one race or your house is disqualified.

She slowly walks to the end of the pool, looking back at me every few steps. We don’t stop cheering until the gun fires and everyone moves to their feet to get a better look. I think she’s going to come third.

She climbs out the other end looking surprised that she didn’t come last, and bows in front of our house once she gets back to the cheers like she won.

Mr. Nash steps up to the podium once everyone has changed and sat back down in the stand. “Thanks everyone for participating so well. And Braithwaite house, congrats for winning overall.

He holds our house trophy up, everyone in yellow screams out one last time. “It's. ‘Coz. We. Are Yellow!” Mr. Nash smiles at us. “And to Reid South for winning the most races individually.” He continues.

Megan snickers. “Well that's because she doesn't have an actual life.”

I smile at her. Losing isn't her strong point.

“That's about it. We are a couple of minutes early, make your way around the school and your buses or parents should be there to collect you. Don't forget, all classes resume as usual tomorrow, use this time if you have any outstanding homework.” He has to speak quickly and loudly to get the last part out over people talking and getting up to leave.

I follow the crowd exiting the complex, wandering around the side of the school.

Sara bounds over to me. “I like all your trophies. But did you have to be such a hog? I would have liked just one. And I think your best friend Megan wanted one too.”

I hold out the smallest trophy laughing. “You can have this one. I don't think I'll miss it.”

“Your generosity, it’s just amazing. I am almost speechless. Your crappiest, tiniest trophy. Wow. I couldn't have asked for more from my best friend.”

“I try.” I sniff.

“Sooo,” Sara drawls. “What did your gorgeous boyfriend want?”

“He is very unfortunately not my boyfriend.”

“Right oh, what did he want then?”

“He forgot to get my number yesterday.” I say casually, pretending to count my trophies.

“And when does his actual girlfriend leave?”

“Gone.” I shrug my shoulders trying to be all nonchalant. But my giant grin ruins it.

We come around the school from the back. People are everywhere being picked up by their parents and buses leaving.

“I just want to clarify that he isn't your boyfriend.”

“No,” I pout as I follow her gaze.

I launch myself down the stairs to Keller waiting by his car, totally redeemed for not answering my last message. “Have fun with your friend.” Sara calls after me.

I slow down and stroll up to his car. “Hey,” I say like it's nothing seeing him here.

“I thought you might like to go on another excursion. But you might be too busy with all your trophies instead.” He raises his eyebrows at them.

“Oh, yeah.” I look down at my arms. “Sara,” I start to call out, but she’s already behind me. And she’s distracted.

“Hi, I'm Sara. You must be Keller.” Her voice shakes slightly.

“I am.” He beams at her. “Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too,” she says in a dreamy voice.

“Nice to meet you too,” I say sarcastically.

“Sorry.” She drags herself away from Keller’s smile to look at me.

“Can you take these back for me. I'm not going to need them am I?” I ask Keller.

“Don't think I've got anything that exciting planned.”

“Okay, bye then.” I eagerly load Sara up while she pouts at me.

“Have fun,” she says, extending her pout to a full blown sad face.

“Will do.” We watch her walk slowly away.

“You sure you want to come with me?” Keller asks me once she’s gone. “You could stay and play with your trophies if you want. Line them up from biggest to smallest or something.”

“Oh, you know, whatever.” I say not really looking at him, “I could I guess, maybe from prettiest cup to ugliest.” I say stretching my arms and pretending to yawn. I jump in the car and have my seat belt on before he has opened his door.

He eyes up my seat belt. “But you don't really mind if you come or not?”

“You know. Either or.” I say nonchalantly while he laughs and swings the car into a space between two buses.

We just get out into the traffic and his phone rings in his pocket. He hands it to me. “It's my dad can you answer it for me?”

“Oh, um, sure. If you want me to.” I look at the screen with DAD pulsing at me. I stare at it for a second longer and tentatively put it up to my ear.

“Hi, this is Keller's phone,” I say gently.

“Hello, person that is not Keller. Is he there, or did you steal his phone.” His dad asks me.

I laugh and look at Keller. “Nah I didn't steal it, he's just being socially conscious by not driving and talking,” I announce.

“Yes my son is Mr. Socially Conscious,” he says sarcastically. “Could you tell him I need him back at the store? I need a couple of boxes of CDs taken over to Lilly's.”

“Your dad needs you to take some boxes to Lilly's,” I tell him.

“Dad,” Keller whines at the phone. “I'm out with Reid.”

I put it on speakerphone. “Sorry. She can go with you though.” He sounds bright and cheerful about it.

“Wow, thanks.” His voice drips with sarcasm.

“Anytime. See you in a few minutes.”

“I'm going to be at least ten. I'm in Clapham.” The bus in front of us stops suddenly. “Probably more like fifteen. School traffic.”

“Well drive faster, then. Bye.” His dad hangs up.

“Sorry,” he says. “I wouldn't have come to get you if I knew I would have to go back to work. I worked through my lunch break so I could get off early.”

I freeze, staring at him, oh my goodness, that is the nicest thing I think anyone has ever done for me.

“Sorry,” he says again looking really apologetic. “Next time we'll do something better then delivering things for my dad.”

“Don't worry. I really don't mind. I would have just been going back to my room to do homework that was set before the break.”

“As long as you don't care.” He looks at me out of the corner of his eye. “We could get something to eat. There's an awesome burger place right next to Lilly's.”

“Sounds good to me.” I’m starving. Lunch was ages ago, and I swam six races after we ate.

We drive in silence to his dad's store while I look through the huge pile of CDs in his case. “There's like a million in here.” I don't think I have ever seen so many outside of a store.