Page 42 of The Love Interest
“Ready?” she asks.
“Sure am.”
She ducks down and spins. Her shin hits the back of my calves. My legs fly out and suddenly I’m looking up at the ceiling.Whack!My back hits the mat first, then the back of my head follows, rattling my brain. I stare up at the high ceiling as my lungs splutter for air. A dull ache forms at the spot where my head first hit. Natalie walks over and offers her hand. I grab it and she pulls me to my feet.
She’s grinning. “You’re weaker than you look.”
Through watery eyes I look at Dyl. He’s holding Juliet close to his body. Really close. The entire length of his body is pressed against her. His hands are wrapped around her wrists, moving her through the motions of a punch. Her face is set in concentration, exactly like his. His eyes flick up for a heartbeat, find mine, and his lips curl upward.
Then he turns his attention back to Juliet.
CHAPTER
FOURTEEN
Self-defense was the only class I had with Juliet today, so I spent every other class planning our next encounter. I didn’t see Dyl either, and that made everything worse. It took every little piece of self-control within me to stop myself from sprinting out of the classroom to track them down. What if they were alone? What if they were still looking at each other like they were before? There are so many possibilities and they all suck elephant balls.
The lunch bell rings, signaling the end of the school day, because the entire afternoon block is devoted to the swimming carnival. I leave the classroom, shove my books back into my locker, then head out into the courtyard. At our spot are Juliet, Natalie, and Trevor. They’re leaning in a row against the chapel. Everything looks normal. I reach them and wave.
“Hi,” I say.
Juliet lifts herself up off the stone wall. “Hey, Caden, sorry about not going with you in Self-defense. That Dyl guy can be pretty persistent, huh? He’s asked me to go with him, like, every class.”
“He sure can.”
Trevor steps toward me. “Have you got your trunks, Caden?”
My face falls. “Wait, that’s today?”
His eyes go wide. “You can’t be serious, man! I’ve told you, like, every single day for the past two weeks!”
I laugh, and turn around and show him my backpack. “I’m messing with you, Trev. Of course I do.”
He lets out a sigh. “Good. Can we head to the pool now? I want to get there early to be as prepared as possible.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
We set off down the quiet street. The school is on the very edge of town, at the top of a hill, which means we have to walk downhill to reach the Mapleton Aquatic Center. It’s a Wednesday afternoon, so the town is pretty quiet. Most of the parking spaces are empty, and the shops are occupied only by lonely shop assistants. Trevor and Natalie walk in front of us, his arm around her shoulder. She’s holding a black gym bag.
I turn to Juliet. “So did Dyl teach you anything? He was kind of right, it would be good for me to learn how to defend myself.”
“Yeah, he did. He told me to aim for the eyes or the throat. He said punches are mainly for show, and that a quick jab to someone’s eye can end a fight in a second. He’s really smart.”
“Can you two be quiet?” asks Natalie. She’s rubbing Trevor’s forearm. “Trevor needs total silence in order to get into the right headspace.”
Huh?Kaylee wrote me an entire conversation to have with Juliet on the way to the pool, and now I have to give up on it? I breathe in.Think about it rationally, Caden. What would a Nice do?The answer comes to me quickly. A Nice would listen to his Chosen’s best friend and keep his mouth shut.
So I shoot her a smile and shut my mouth, and the rest of the walk passes in silence. Eventually, we reach the pool. It’s surrounded by two rows of sun-damaged bleachers, the silver metal dulled by years of neglect. Just past the entrance is a small bathroom. People dressed in school uniforms of differing colors are swarming around the place.
Inside, the air is thick and muggy and reeks of chlorine. Trevor takes in a deep breath that fills his enormous chest, making it look even bigger. His skin is a few shades paler than it normally is.
Natalie rubs his biceps. “You’ll be fine, babe. Remember, this is just a practice run for nationals. That’s the one that matters. Just focus on getting a good time.”
He jumps up and down and shakes his arms. “Yeah, but Dad said that everyone is getting faster, and the cutoff for Olympic trials is going to be at least half a second quicker than last time. If I can’t get low twenty-threes now, when there’s no pressure, then I’m totally boned at nationals.”
“Don’t stress,” says Juliet. “Trev, you’ve got this.” Her eyes land on me. “Good luck to you too, Caden.”
“Right,” says Trevor. “Thanks, guys. Caden, you’re with me.”
