Page 54 of In Too Deep

“You can do it, Caro,” I call.

“Just think of the sweet treat you’ll get if you get through, babe,” East chimes in. Everyone glances around. Caro glares at him while I chuckle slightly. “What?” He shrugs as I bump into his shoulder and shake my head.

She walks out.

East and I watch the screen.

“She’s gonna get through,” East murmurs, more like he’s trying to convince himself.

He’s nervous for her, and that’s sweet.

“She will, Caro’s got this.” I try to ease his nerves.

He takes a deep breath.

“She’s worked so hard for this.”

He watches her intently. For the first time, I don’t see a joker or a tween. I see the man who’s falling for my best friend. The man who cares for Caro and wants to see her do well and achieve her goals. I see the man inside of East. I’m glad that he’s in there somewhere, beneath all the jokes and bravado, beneath the sexual innuendo and childlike behaviour. That mandoescare for her. It’s not just a sexual thing for him.

The starting signal fires, breaking me from my trance, so I turn to the screen. Caro races. I regret missing the start, but I’m right here with her now. She bobs up, takes her first breath, and strokes smoothly and proficiently. She glides through the water and is in the lead of the pack. I beam as she hits the wall in first. She ducks, heading back for the final fifty of her race. She’s fading slightly as the girl next to her is lighting the match. It is only a heat, so she doesn’t have to hit first to go through to the semi. But she’ll be disappointed if she isn’t in the top two. She fades a little more as the other girl powers through, taking the lead.

“Shit! C’mon, Caro. Lift, babe,” East whispers as he stands and stares at the screen.

I stand next to him, watching as I chew the side of my cheek. But she isn’t lifting. She’s fading. As they duck to hit the wall, the other girl hits first. Caro comes in second.Still, not a bad effort.It’s only a heat, so she can improve.

“Dammit,” East curses. “She’s gonna be hard on herself.”

I rub his back for comfort. “But she can do better in the semis. At least she got through.” I turn him to face me. “Now, don’t let this faze you, okay?Yougo out there, andyouswim your heart out. Don’t worry about Caro, leave her to me. Focus onyouright now.”

He’s not taking anything in, and it makes me worry for him.

“100 Back, please line up.”

“Make sure she’s okay,” he tells me.

“I will. Just focus! Get your spot in the semi, East.”

He takes a deep lung full of air, turns, and steps over to the lineup area, where he will take his place. He’s nervous. Unsettled even. But he walks out smiling at Caro as she strolls in, giving him two thumbs up. He tilts his head. She moves in and sits next to me as I wrap my arms around her. I’m trying to judge the situation because I was expecting her to be upset, but she’s smiling.

“I did okay, right?” she asks as she hugs me back.

“You did great. You qualified, which is what matters. You need to save your full strength for the finals.”

“Exactly.” She gulps, but her brave face is only going to last so long.

“Caro, you did amazing, that’s all that matters. It wasn’t the final, so there’s definitely time to improve. Don’t beat yourself up, okay?”

She glances at me and offers a subtle gesture of agreement. “You’re right. It wasn’t the final. I don’t need to wineveryrace. Only the one that counts, right?”

“Exactly. I didn’t win my first heat either, remember?”

She smiles. “That’s right, you didn’t. But you’re gonna win this next one.”

“Wouldn’t that be nice?”

The starting signal goes off again, and I jump slightly at the shock of the sound. Caro and I both turn to spot East hurtling through the water. His stroke is sloppy and slow. Something is off. I’m not sure whether the Caro thing has him rattled or whether nerves are getting to him, but something is messing with his performance.

“What’s going on with him?” Caro murmurs as he hits the wall in fourth position. He needs to pull up, or he isn’t going to qualify.

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