Page 21 of Backstroke

Hey, Row. Did you happen to give my number out to anyone?

Rowyn:

No. Why? What happened?

Fallon:

Nothing. Just a wrong number I guess. I’ll see you later!

Rowyn:

Okay. We need to wear something dark tonight so we won’t be found easily.

I send her a thumbs up emoji before I put the phone down on my desk. Unease curls around my body, threatening to take over. I try to shake it off, reminding myself that it’s just Remy being an ass. Still, I can’t help but feel a bit unsettled.

Is Remy planning something tonight? And if so, can I handle it?I’ve never been left unscathed by our past encounters. I should have taken his warning from the library to heart.“I’m the king of this school and I. Always. Get. What. I. Want.”Chills run through my body.What the hell have I gotten myself into?

Nine

Remington

Practice starts before thesun is up Monday morning. All the guys in the house are awake and milling around as we head to the door.

“None of you fuckers better be late,” I warn before we leave. Nix, Gray and I are always the first to the gym to get everything set up. It’s become a routine now. We throw our bags into the Jeep before climbing inside.

The drive to the gym is quiet, the early morning stillness only broken by the hum of the engine. I’m at the wheel, eyes focused on the road while Nix sits in the back, scrolling through hisphone. Gray stares out the window as my mind drifts back to Fallon, and the events of the weekend. The scene of her near-drowning repeating over in my mind makes me feel agitated.What would have happened had I not been there?She wouldn’t have even been near the pool if it wasn’t for me.

“So, what’s going on with that blue-haired chick?” Gray asks, looking over at me. A growl escapes my throat at his question as I glance back at him with burning rage pouring from my eyes. He holds his hands up in defense, but continues, “What? She must suck cock like a dirty slut if ‘The Shark’ wants her more than once.” I slam on the breaks, throwing his ass forward and forcing his head to hit the dash. The motherfucker should have been wearing a seatbelt, for one. And two, my warning should have been enough for him to drop the subject.

“What the fuck, Remy!” Gray holds his nose as blood gushes out. Nix chuckles from the back, clapping Gray on the shoulder.

“I wouldn’t bring up Fallon if I were you. He’s got a new toy, and no one is allowed to touch,” he jokes, throwing him a towel for his nose.

“I didn’t touch shit!” Gray howls.

“What’s got your fucking panties in a twist lately? This shit isn’t cool, dude.” He gestures to his nose, but I laugh darkly.

“Take Nix’s advice and drop it. She doesn’t concern you.” My anger is steadily simmering under the surface, ready to explode on any unsuspecting target. Normally I have my temper in check with the amount of time I spend in the gym and at the pool, but the past few days have shown me exactly how fucked up I can become. I don’t know what it is about Fallon, but she sank her claws in deep and won’t let up.

I press the gas and speed off again. Gray grumbles something under his breath, but he’s not a pussy. Once he gets a few laps in, he’ll be back by my side, especially since tonight is initiation night. The freshmen on the team will have their loyalty testedin the most unconventional and twisted way. The founders, my great grandfather and a few others, set up this little game and it’s continued down through the generations. It’s gotten more aggressive over the years, and the administration is forced to look the other way. They get enough hush money to conveniently be unavailable on game night, giving us free reign of the campus.

A signup sheet will be placed in the freshmen dorms today, urging people to come play hide-and-seek. Unfortunately for them, this is a fucked up version where the swim team tracks them down, then does whatever the fuck we want to with them. Being the bastard my father is, he found a loophole in order to protect his image, ensuring that if anything goes awry no punishment or lawsuits could be executed. That’s probably the only thing he’s good for, covering my tracks.

When students sign their names on the sheet, they are agreeing to the rules, even if they aren’t exactly visible. They’re there, but you’d need a blacklight to see. Basically, anything goes as long as it’s consensual.

Once we arrive at the gym, my anger is redirected at Emerson, thinking of all the ways I can teach him a lesson. Not only will he be paying for his late times from the last meet, he will be punished for pushing Fallon into our pool that night. He thinks I brushed it off, but if there is anything he should know about me, it’s that I never forget someone who crosses me.

Our shuffling feet echo through the dark, enclosed gym. Nix turns on the lights, casting long shadows that flicker ominously across the water. He quickly gets to work, setting up the equipment and preparing for the team’s arrival. Gray begins positioning the lane markers, his movements unusually tense this morning, probably from the incident in the Jeep.

The smell of chlorine fills my senses, calming my nerves. I need to remain in control. Showing my rage too soon will nothave the desired effect on Emerson. I want to make him suffer first and for that, I must give him a false sense of security.

With a twenty-five-man team, we split up between the pool and gym exercises, then switch after a couple of hours. Most everyone’s class schedules are conducive to early morning practices. I jot down everyone’s expected exercises and sets for the morning, my pen scratching loudly in the silence. As I glance over the list, I notice a smudge next to Emerson’s name, almost as if someone tried to erase it. My lips curve in a smile, because I wish I could wipe him away. I wish I could make him disappear with a single flick of the eraser.

As the rest of the team begins to trickle in, most of them look as though they’re still half asleep.

“Wake your asses up!” I bark, making a few of the newbies flinch. Oh those poor fuckers haven’t seen anything yet.

“Alright, let’s get started,” I call out, clapping my hands to get everyone’s attention. The team gathers around and I go over the day’s workout plan.

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