Page 58 of Matched Up

‘I have an idea,’ I said, as I walked towards the exit with Shane.

I opened the door at the back of the hall and walked out into the night.Megan had done it before with Jasper in Year Thirteen, after one of the previous Year Fourteen’s had told her if you go into the caretaker’s room at the back, there’s a spare key to the pool in a red box on one of the shelves.

‘Where are we going?’Shane asked as I took off my shoes and pulled up my dress.

‘You’ll see.Come on.’I ran across the grass, ignoring the buzzing phone in my bag.

When we reached the building at the bottom of the hill, the one that overlooked the lake, I pushed the caretaker’s door and hoped to God it would open.

‘Yes,’ I whispered, as it did.

It was dark, and Shane followed me inside.We used our phones as torches and scanned the shelves for a red box.

‘That one!’I pointed it out to Shane.

He brushed past me and reached up for the box, then passed it to me.

‘And the key should be in … here.’I pulled the box open and there it was, a silver key shining at me.

We walked back round to the main door of the pool.Shane kept watch as I twisted the key in the lock, trying to be as silent as possible.I pushed the door open and pulled him in behind me.

‘Is this a swimming pool?’Shane asked, inhaling the chlorine air.

I smiled.‘Maybe.’

‘Are you serious?We have to use the gross one in town.’

The pool glowed turquoise with the underwater lights.I led him to the edge, and we stared down at the water together.

‘What now?’Shane asked, leaning into me.

I didn’t say anything.Just took off my dress and dived into the pool.And when I came up for air, Shane was staring at me with a smile on his face.

I splashed water towards him, and he moved backwards, laughing.

‘Come on!’

‘Sorry.Coming now.’

I watched him as he took off his suit, slowly, carefully, folding each piece of it on the bench.I ran my eyes over him standing there in his boxers.I’d never wanted anything more.My gaze stopped on his legs.Half-healed cuts and bruises patchworked on his skin.

‘Jesus, Shane, your legs,’ I said, treading water.

‘Ah, yeah, way worse now I play for Westing.Didn’t have any of that at Ferndale, unless I was playing against Oscar, who just hacks you because he has zero coordination.’He laughed and walked to the edge of the pool.Because of the light and the shadows, I could see every contour of his stomach.The outline of the muscle, the V-cut abs and the way he clearly didn’t know or care how amazing he looked.He jumped in beside me.When he emerged from the water, he pulled me close and I wrapped my legs round his waist, mouth on mouth, melting into each other.

Ecstasy.My mind was one hundred per cent on Shane.Where Niall or Megan or Zoe couldn’t touch it.Not even football got a look in.

After we swam, we sat on the edge in soaking underwear, leaning against each other to keep warm.

‘You look amazing tonight,’ Shane said, turning to me.

And we kissed again, cold wet bodies pressed against each other.

Shane sighed.‘I wish we could do this all the time.’

‘Why can’t we?’

‘Life, I guess.’He hesitated, then said, ‘Football?’He nudged me.‘How much do you love it?’

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