Page 9 of Jump on Three

Ivan was swimming again. I looked up from the death drop to watch his long arms propel him through the water. He’d made the team, which wasn’t a surprise. Those arms of his were like oars. I hadn’t seen him race anyone yet, but I was certain he’d be faster than the other boys.

His presence on the team would be a good thing. I just wished he wasn’t here now. This was my time. I couldn’t concentrate with all his splashing.

Jump. Just jump.

It shouldn’t have taken concentration, just the flex of my muscles and gravity. Lean forward and let the earth’s pull take care of the rest.

But my mind thought it was protecting me from imminent death. It would not allow me to shuffle those final millimeters that would send me plunging.

My fingertips pressed into my thighs. I tried not to press there too often. When I went through particularly stressful times, I wore angry black and purple bruises, a dot for each finger. Since I wore a bathing suit most days, these bruises were visible. I didn’t like this. People thought I was strange enough without giving them more evidence.

I’d let myself become distracted. Ivan had gotten out of the pool while I’d been lost in my thoughts, and he had almost reached the diving platform. If I climbed down now, I wouldn’t make it before he got there. Did that matter? Indecision froze me in place, and before I knew it, he was at the bottom of the ladder.

“Hello, Evelyn. Thinking of flying this morning?” he called.

“I’m considering it.” I glanced over my shoulder. Though I couldn’t see him, I heard him climbing the ladder. My stomach twisted, but I fell back on my manners. “Good morning, Ivan.”

He hopped up on the platform like it was nothing and sauntered to the edge beside me. “You spend a lot of time up here.”

My eyes narrowed. I would have backed up a step, but space was limited, so I leaned away from him. “Have you been keeping track of where I spend my time?”

“And if I am?”

“I would think it a pointless thing to do since I am the least interesting person in this school.”

He lifted one tattooed shoulder. “I don’t know anyone else who spends as much time as you trying to fly.”

“You only know about my goal of flying because I told you. There could be others trying to fly or catch fire or become invisible, but you haven’t asked them.”

He lowered his chin. “This is true. I hadn’t considered it that way.”

“It’s important to consider things all ways. Anyway, if you want to watch someone, there are a lot of people far more entertaining. Did you know Sariah Mendoza paints with her feet? She often does this on the green.”

He grinned. “Yes, I’ve seen her. It’s an…interesting talent.”

It was hard to miss a girl with a paintbrush between her toes. Even I’d noticed her, and I had a habit of not paying attention to my surroundings.

“Skylar Thomas is the hacky sack state champion.”

Ivan chuckled. “I’ve seen him practicing near Sariah, though I did not know we had a champion in our midst.”

“We do. Being a toe painter and a hacky sack champion is far more interesting than anything about me.”

“That’s for your observer to decide, isn’t it?”

“I suppose so. If you enjoy being bored, carry on.”

He folded his arms over his chest, which was also tattooed. I wondered if his tattoos felt like anything, or were they simply flat? I’d never touched one, nor had I ever been tempted until now. Ivan was no more than two feet from me. If I reached out, I could brush my fingers over his skin. I brought my hands together at my waist, clasping and unclasping them. Feeling my own skin didn’t truly satisfy the urge, but it was better than touching this massive boy in front of me without permission—not that I would ever ask him.

He sauntered to the very end of the platform and peered over. “You know I made the swim team?”

“Congratulations.”

His mouth hitched to one side. “Thank you, Evelyn.” Then he turned to face me, his heels precariously close to the edge. “They told me about the tradition that starts the season. All seniors have to dive off the highest platform.”

I supplied the rest. “If they don’t, the season is doomed. It’s a superstition as old as the school. No one could possibly believe it’s real, but they all go along with it. That means I have no choice but to go along with it too, or they’ll blame me for every mishap that happens this season.”

Ivan blinked several times. “You’ve never spoken to me this much.”

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