Page 32 of Rival Summer

I lingered long enough to avoid the rush for the showers, then got in and out and changed quickly. As I was walking out of the locker rooms I heard a high-pitched voice.

"Hey, Boston!"

I turned to Caroline, twirling a strand of blonde hair around her finger.

"Caroline," I acknowledged with a nod, ready to make my escape.

She pouted playfully, stepping forward. "Haven't seen much of you yet this summer. Was hoping you'd be giving me more attention."

Her tone was flirty. Caroline was hard to ignore—girls like her usually were—and if this was last summer, she would have had my attention.

"Sorry, it's been busy," I shrugged, thinking that ‘busy’ was an understatement. Between practices and the complicated Chandler situation, there wasn't much room for anything—or anyone—else. “I’ve had a?—”

"Lot going on? I know." She cut across me with a dismissive wave of her hand. "But you're here now, and since you're part of the team, you're part of all team activities."

"Right," I agreed, unsure where she was going. But I knew better than to argue—especially knowing how pissed off Coach already was. "Devil's Day Out, huh?"

"Exactly," she confirmed with a smile that suggested she was pleased to have captured my attention, even if only for a moment. "And I need your help."

I let out a resigned sigh. "Okay, what do you need?"

Her expression softened, and she rewarded me with a pleased smile. She handed me a pile of small envelopes and then a pile of large ones.

"Here. These need to go inside this." She tapped a finger on the large manila envelopes. "And don't peek."

"Wouldn't dream of it," I whispered, wondering what the hell I was doing this for. Taking a seat in the chair nearby, I started stuffing envelopes, the paper shuffling softly with each motion.

"Thanks, Boston. You're a lifesaver," she squealed.

"No biggie," I said with a half-smile, wondering if Chandler would be roped into this event too. "But, um," I paused my envelope stuffing. "Why are you doing all this anyway?"

Caroline halted mid-step, turned back to me, and sighed. For a moment, she looked almost vulnerable. "My mom," she began, her voice tightening. "She’s convinced I'll mess up being the president and won’t do the job as well as she did." A shadow crossed her face as she added, "So I have to prove I can not only handle this, but outdo her."

"Got it. Moms... they're great, aren't they?" I tried to keep the tone light, but something about her disappointment felt familiar.

"Right?" Caroline chuckled, shaking her head. "Right. I get it. They come with the family package, but there should also be a therapist thrown in there somewhere."

When she let her guard down like that, Caroline wasn't so bad. We continued to work on her project, slipping into a comfortable silence. Soon, the room began to fill up with teammates and committee members. I caught sight of Chandler and Willow toward the back, heads together in quiet conversation.

"Coach kicked our ass today." Parker slid into the seat beside me, his eyes scanning the growing crowd.

“When does he not kick our ass?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Suddenly, a piercing whistle cut through the noise, and the room fell silent. Caroline stood at the front, confidence radiating off her. With a flick of her wrist, she commanded attention like a pro.

"Alright, everyone!" She lifted her chin and shoulders. "Each player teams up with a committee member. Inside your packet, you'll find envelopes—each one is numbered."

Curiosity rippled through the room as Caroline continued. "You must complete each task listed inside, and you need to submit photo proof in the group chat. First team who submits all photos and followed directions wins," she said, pausing for everyone to process the instructions.

"Let's make this Devils’ Day Out one for the history books," she concluded, a spark of determination lighting her eyes. The excitement and chatter in the crowd rose again.

"Five minutes," Caroline announced, checking her watch. "Then we open our envelopes and may the best team win!"

I glanced around, hoping I could get Chandler's attention and that she’d partner with me, but I also wondered what kind of tasks were inside the envelopes. I knew this was going to be more than a game—we were all competitive, and the committee took anything Blue Devils related very seriously.

Reese's voice cut through the buzz as he pushed off from the wall and stepped into the circle that had formed around Caroline. "And winner gets what?" he asked, suspiciously.

Caroline's smile broadened. "Great question. I’ve talked with Coach and the winners get a room upgrade next week for the away tournament," she declared with emphasis. "Both members on the winning team get their own suite." A collective cheer rose, and I understood the excitement. Last year I had to share a tiny hotel room with Parker, and we were practically on top of each other.

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