Page 20 of Backstroke

“Uh, not really,” I mumble, trying to sound casual. “Just been busy with classes and all.”

Rowyn hands my phone back with a knowing smile. “Well, if you do see him, you should totally walk the other direction. He seems like a prick.”

I nod, forcing a smile. “Yeah, he’s an asshole.”Not a lie.

Wanting to change the subject, I ask, “So, what are your plans for the weekend?”

Rowyn’s face lights up. “Oh, I’m going to the beach with Lyndsy and some friends. There’s a little bonfire party. You should come! It’ll be fun.”

My stomach drops at her mention of the ocean. That’s the last place I want to be right now. “That sounds like fun,” I lie. “But I have to meet my mom Friday night.”

Rowyn’s face falls, and I feel guilty for not telling her the whole truth. “Maybe you could come after?” she asks, hopeful.

I contemplate her question. If I stay far away from the water, then maybe it won’t be that big of a deal. I need to start facing my fears, instead of running from them.

“Maybe. I can call you when we’re finished and see if you are still out there,” I finally answer.

Rowyn grins. “Perfect! We’ll save you a seat by the fire. It’s going to be a blast.”

“Thanks, Row,” I say, feeling a bit more relaxed.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you. I signed us up for this game thing tonight,” she grins.

“Um, what?” I stop walking, waiting for her to elaborate.

“It’s like hide-and-seek in the dark.”

“O-kayyy…” I say, a bit skeptical, but intrigued.

“Come on, it’ll be fun! We could use a little adventure. Plus, this new hottie on the swim team told me I should come and bring my roommates! I think he likes me!” Rowyn squeals in excitement.

Mr. Red Flags pops into my head, but surely it wasn’t him that asked, right? I’m hoping this doesn’t mean that the whole swim team will be there, or at least one member in particular.

I shrug my shoulders. “Sounds kinda spooky, I guess I’m in.”

Reaching her next class, we say our goodbyes and I head back to the dorm.

As I walk, I think about the game tonight and the weekend plans. It feels good to have something fun to look forward to, especially with everything else on my mind.

Back at the dorm, I drop my bag on the floor and flop onto my bed, staring at the ceiling. My thoughts drift back to my mom’s mysterious news and the upcoming dinner. Whatever it is, I hope it’s good, but I have an uneasy feeling about it.

Just then, my phone buzzes with a new message, distracting me from my thoughts. I pick it up and see a text from an unknown number.

Unknown:

I’m glad you signed up for the games tonight.

Fallon:

Who is this?

Unknown:

Your worst nightmare. See you tonight, Fallon.

A chill runs down my spine as I stare at the message.Who could this be? And how do they know about the game tonight?I take in a deep breath, trying to shake off the anxiety. It’s probably just someone trying to mess with me. Maybe it’s just a coincidence, a wrong number. Then I reread the message and see my name.How did I miss that before? How the hell did someone get this number?There is only one person that could be behind this, Remy. I don’t think Rowyn would have given it out, but then again he can be intimidating.

Fallon:

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