“Yep. Still the cutest nerd I know.”

“Do you think he’d date a high school student?” Amelia often set her boy-sights high, determined to land guys that were mostly unavailable to her. I liked her confidence, even though her plans almost never worked.

I always supported her unrealistic hopes because I knew that she knew they were just that. “He only graduated last year, right?” I wasn’t exactly sure because he’d gone to a high school across town.

“Yes, but I feel like college years are like dog years compared to high school years.”

I opened my locker and pulled out my towel and bag. “Dog years?”

“Yes, for every year you’re in college, you’re like seven years older than a high school student.”

“You’re weird.”

“And proud of it.”

I opened my bag and stared inside blankly. “Were you out there for my last race or were you already in here?” Amelia swam the race right before mine so she was often changing when I was up.

She scrunched her nose, looking guilty. “I’m sorry, did you want me to watch? Are your parents not here tonight?”

“No, it’s not that. Heath Hall was here. He jumped into the pool.”

“What? And I missed it?”

“He completely distracted me . . . and probably all the swimmers.”

“That sucks. So . . . did you get a good look? Who is he?”

“What?”

“That’s the online debate. He’s obviously someone from around here because most of his public appearances—”

“Public disturbances,” I interrupted.

“Have happened within, like, a hundred-mile radius.”

“How do you know this?”

She turned one way and then the other as she looked at herself in the long mirror on the inside door of her locker. “Someone did a map of them.”

“People have too much time on their hands.”

She shut her locker and leaned her back against it. “By the way, did I ever tell you that my brother met the real Heath Hall last year? I mean the guy who plays him—Grant James.”

I rolled my eyes. “Yes, only a million times.”

“That’s because it’s cool! And Grant James is hot.”

I shoved my towel into my bag and zipped it up. “Is that what Cooper said?”

“Yes, actually, he did. Was this guy hot?”

“What? No, I mean, I don’t know, he was wearing a mask.”

Her eyes went wide. “Just a mask?”

“Yes, just a mask.” I shoved her shoulder. “No! He had on a Speedo and a rash guard too.”

“So . . . did he have a nice body?”

“I don’t know. I wasn’t paying attention. He jumped into my pool!”

Amelia raised her eyebrows. “Your pool?”

“Well, my lane, whatever. He spread his bad mojo all over it.”

She laughed and slung her backpack over one shoulder. “You and your rituals.”

“I don’t have rituals, I have routines.” Routines that made me win races and today that routine was wrecked by a wannabe Heath Hall. If I ever found out who he was, I’d have some words for him.

Two

Sarah’s street was lined with cars when we pulled up after the meet. “I thought you meant this was a party for just the swim team,” I said, peeling the ice packs off my shoulders, the numbness not completely hiding the ache.

“That’s what I thought she meant. I guess a few more people showed up.”

I dumped the ice into the gutter and left the empty bags on the passenger-side floor. I didn’t go to a lot . . . okay, any . . . real parties. I hadn’t even changed. I was still in my suit and sweats. Amelia looked adorable next to me, makeup and all. I self-consciously tugged at my still-damp hair and tried to smooth it into place.

We walked through Sarah’s house and into the backyard, where the majority of people were. Sarah lived in a neighborhood built around a man-made lake. In the middle of that lake, a large island, complete with lamps and picnic tables, had drawn everyone’s attention. Or at least that’s what several people were pointing at—the island. They chanted something I couldn’t quite make out. Someone’s name. I scanned the island but didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.

“What’s going on?” I asked as we came to a girl at the back of the crowd.

She gave me a double take, surprised to see me here or surprised my hair was wet; it could’ve been either. “They’re trying to make him swim out there,” she answered.

“Why?” This wasn’t a swimming kind of lake. It was full of fish and who knew what the neighborhood kids threw in. It wasn’t very deep: a lake people used paddleboats on and took engagement pictures in front of. It wasn’t practical. It was for looks. Plus, that island was at least six pool lengths away.

“They dared him.”

“Who?”

“I’m not sure. I just got here.”

“What does he win if he does it?”

Amelia elbowed me. “Don’t even think about it.”

“I’m already in my swim stuff.”

“Hadley wants to do it!” the girl we’d been talking to screamed.

I rolled my eyes. I hadn’t said anything of the sort. But soon the whole party was chanting my name and my heart started beating to the rhythm.

“You haven’t even heard what the prize is,” Amelia reminded me. She must’ve seen how my eyes lit up at the possibility of a challenge. And it would be a challenge. My shoulders were already shot.

I pushed through the people until I came to the front of the group. Jackson Holt was toeing the water with his bare foot. “You want to race me, Moore?”

I groaned and almost walked away. Jackson was one of my least favorite people ever. He was so . . . middle school. Once, in the cafeteria, he pretended to be hurt just so Mindy Halpburn, who happened to be walking by, would stop and help him. When she realized it was a joke, she slapped him and the whole room laughed. And this wasn’t even the most childish thing he’d ever done. Yet everyone seemed to love him, in the way they loved puppy videos or chocolate—they couldn’t get enough.

Those thoughts kept me from fleeing. Maybe it was time to humble Jackson a bit. Make him realize he didn’t always have to be the center of attention, loved by all. He wasn’t an athlete. I could win a swimming race against him easy, sore shoulders or not.

“Are you sure you’re okay being beaten by a girl?” I said softly.

He stripped off his shirt, his toned chest making me think twice about his athletic abilities, and jumped in, jeans and all. When he surfaced, a playful gleam shone in his eyes. The gleam that shone there most of the time. “The water’s great.”

I stepped out of my shoes, then eyed the island. Did I really need to do this? My skin buzzed to life, telling me I did, in fact, need to do this. I pulled off my sweats and waded into the water beside Jackson. Unlike the school pool, which was heated, the chill of the lake immediately sucked the air from my lungs. The water smelled like mud, fish, and mildew. I almost got back out.

“Can’t pass up a competition, can you?”