Page 20 of Dahlias, Sapphires, and Cool Autumn Dusk
I couldn’t disagree, since they gave me a permanent wedgie.Do they need to see our ass cheeks?I glanced around. Other than Sarah, two other girls looked comfortable, but otherwise, the rest of us lurked pathetic and uncomfortable looking.
“Okay,” Sarah said and clapped her hands. “We have a week to get ready for our first game against Greystone. They’re just a club team, too, so no stress. It’s not like we have to play any of those teams in Greenwich.” Sarah frowned. “But they are about as good as we will be, which is to say that we are all terrible. Everyone, in the water. Let’s go.” She clapped again, and I wondered if someone should get her a whistle. Imagining her whistling for my attention, I frowned and realized I didn’t really want that at all.
We headed back out to the water, the smell of chlorine biting at my nose. They had a smaller practice pool and the playing pool. Overall, the room seemed so much quieter than when the water polo team played, save for two people who were sitting in the stands—Julian and Jeremy.
“No,” Sarah yelled at them, gesturing with her thumb at the door. “Out. I won’t have you here during my practice, Lents. No way. Go deal with your own team. Yourvarsityteam. Leave mine alone.”
Jeremy rose to his feet. “We’ll leave, but this is fucking ridiculous, Sarah. The room is open to the whole school. I could sit here all day every day if I wanted.”
“Really?” She stormed over to him, facing off toe to toe. “Is that why I can’t use this pool when you’re using it? Is that why I have to cancel my practices if you need times I have already reserved?”
The twins hated water polo; they were only captains because it was one of the things they had to do for the family. Still, I didn’t get the impression Sarah understood that about them.Does she actually believe they are. . .forcing her out?
“I don’t make the rules.” Jeremy said then shook his head. “I can promise you I have never purposefully taken the pool when you wanted it. We practice at five-thirty in the morning, and I don’t make association rules about when and where we play games.”
They shouted the words at each other, so Julian grabbed Jeremy by the arm and tugged him. “We’re going but we’re not leaving. We’ll be waiting outside.”
“Why?” she laughed. “I am not going to let your friend drown. Is she one of your girlfriends? Whatever. I don’t care. Go, out.”
Julian laughed. “You can’t ban us from the hallway.”
Sarah turned around, hands on hips again. “Everyone in the pool. We’re swimming laps. Now.”
I jumped in the pool, terrified not to obey her. I probably would do whatever Sarah wanted, especially if she kept barking orders. Cold water stole my breath, so I shrieked when I came up for air, startled. I wasn’t alone. Several of the girls, Valerie included, yelped some version of the same surprised shriek.
“We won’t feel it if we swim,” Sarah pointed out, jumping in without any startlement whatsoever. “Let’s move.”
We started to swim, and I realized I wouldn’t possibly be able to keep up.
Somehow,I didn’t drown. I could barely tread water for the amount of time they wanted let alone sprint across the pool, but I managed not to die. The starters were set, with one goalie and six players. Sarah needed a requisite amount of alternates, though, to give her main players breaks. I hoped no one ever needed a break during a game, since I would be utterly happy never seeing another drop of water.
Still, I survived the practice, and pride made me feel good about it. We didn’t have another practice for two days, so I would get a break—because the boys hogged the pool, in Sarah’s words.
“Good work, Al.”
I blinked.Does she mean me?Sarah patted me on the shoulder. “I thought you might just be a warm body, but you have heart. I’ll make you into a helluva polo player.”
In that moment, I wanted to prove her right.
“Showers, ladies,” she shouted. “Then you can go home.”
Al? No one calls me Al.My cheeks heated, but I liked having a nickname, even if it was a terrifically masculine one. The hot shower water felt so good against my frozen skin from the pool, easing my muscles and making me sigh. I would have to get tougher if I wanted to survive the sport, I realized.
I no sooner had I closed my eyes than the shower curtain was ripped back, the clank of the rings on the curtain making a clatter. A girl I’d never seen before stared at me, her lips curled in disgust. Blonde, blue eyed, and dressed to the nines, her expensive black shoes matched the rest of her black outfit. Her beauty could likely make most men gasp, and I certainly did.
Then I grabbed my towel, covering myself quickly.
“Which one are you dating?” she shouted, pointing her finger at me in judgement. She wasn’t on the team, so I didn’t even know why she was in the showers.
I wrapped myself in the soaked towel, water still streaming around me, and tried to get around her but she shoved me back, not letting me pass. “Which one are you dating? Because Jeremy Lent is mine.”
“What?” I managed to squeak. “What are you doing? What do you want from me?”
She repeated, getting in my face, “I asked you a question. Jeremy is mine. You arenotwith him.”
Jeremy is hers? What the fuck? Did anyone tell him?
“Hey, Maggie,” Sarah said, also totally naked but obviously not concerned by the fact as she posed with her hands on her hips as boldly as normal. “Go away. Jeremy Lent isn’t yours, and he never was. Sorry if you thought so, but you don’t belong in here harassing my team. If you bother my player again, I’ll shove your face in the toilet.”
