f o r t y n i n e


MY FLIP FLOPS smacked against the ground of the locker rooms, but I couldn't hear it over the adrenaline pumping through my veins and the loud music reverberating into my ears. 


"Don't stop me now." I sing out loud in the middle of the empty room, "Cause I'm having good time! Having a good time!" 


I jump up onto the bench and like the fucking idiot I am, I start pretending that it's a surfboard. 


Today was the last swim meet the Caldwell Flounders will compete in. Our name completely sucks shit but that doesn't stop us from completely annihilating every team in the state. Some idiot decided it'd be a good idea to pit us against the private school from Manhattan so now I was hear, dancing around the girl's locker room after everyone had headed to the pool. 


It was my pre-match warm up that I do every time. Call me superstitious but I swear it works and therefore if I don't do it, I'll probably break some part of my body if not all of it. I mean, it's not like that outcome is outside the realm of possibility. I'm clumsy as fuck. 


Pushing off the bench, I land flatly on my feet and begin to spin while jamming out to my music and singing at the top of my lungs. 


My eyes graze the casual statue of Chase Everett standing at the end of the row of lockers, a nonchalant smirk across his face and his head cocked to the side as he silently watches me. 


I stop spinning and start smiling—a natural reaction to whenever I see Chase. I pull my headphones from my ears and wrap them around my phone. 


"Has anyone told you how great you look in that swimsuit?" He questions as he drops his folded arms and walks towards me. 


"I look like a fucking cucumber." I reply, gesturing down towards the dark green swimsuit currently suffocating my body and the green cap in my hand. Chase chuckles as he reaches me and wraps his arms around my body. I cock a cheeky eyebrow at him, "Do you have a thing for cucumbers, Everett?" 


"I have a thing for you, Jones." Chase smirks before he swoops down and captures my lips in his. I melt in to him instantly and wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him closer to me. I have to rise on my toes slightly, due to being bare footed and Chase effortlessly holds my weight against him. 


I feel one of his hands drop from the middle of my back and slip further down. 


I start laughing against his lips and pull back, "Hands above the equator, Everett." 


"Whoops. Your swimsuit is just so slippery." Chase chuckles as I lean forward and press my lips against his once more. He breaks it only a few seconds later but just to mutter out, "And so damn sexy." 


I arch my back further into him and hold onto his sharp jawline as we continue to make out in the empty locker rooms. 


Suddenly, the sound of the door crashing open echoes before the voice of one of my teammates, "Hayden! Your race is next and the coach wants to see you." 


Instantly, my lips are off Chase's and I place my hand over his mouth. 


"Yeah, I'll be out soon!" I reply back before I wait for the sound of the door closing. When it does, I pull my hand from Chase's mouth and step back. "Did you just come in here to send my anxiety through the roof?" 


"I came to give you some good luck." Chase smirks and steps closer to me. He grabs my hips and swoops down, his lips trail along my jaw and my eyes flicker up at the roof. He mumbles in a very sexy and husky voice, "Is it working?" 


"Hell yes...." I mumble as I allow him to wreak pleasurable havoc of my body. Then I snap out of it, "Wait—shit—no. Everett get out." 


"You're no fun, Jones." Chase smirks and he stands back. I fold my arms as I try to look intimidating which I doubt was not working in the slightest. He then catches me off guard as he kisses me once more hastily, "I love you." 


I don't think I'll ever get use to hearing him say that. 


I laugh as Chase makes a hast getaway out of the locker room, "I love you too you dork!"


♤♤♤♤


The school pool was packed with the many students of Caldwell Academy as well as the travelling team of Vanderbilt Prepatory from Manhattan.  People were sitting up on the bleachers while those swimming crowded the area around the pool and the massive space was filled with their voices and splashing water. 


I had finished my second heat of the day; 400 Butterfly. I had just managed to grab first place but only by two seconds yet it's still a win. I was walking around the pool, trying to find a space on the bleachers to watch the Sophomore heat when I saw a familiar red head and curly black hair emerge from the crowd and with them a sparkly, bedazzled banner. Of course. 


"Ah! Congrats Hayden!" Vera chairs and she wraps her arms around me, the material of the long waterproof parka I wore between races crinkling as she hugs me. 


"You were going so fast and so was the other girl and oh my god—I was so nervous!" Penn giggles as I move to hug her, "We're so proud of you!" 


"Did you hear us cheering for you?" Vera questions as I shake my head, "Well, we were and I'm pretty sure we were the loudest because people kept staring at us. But they were just fucking jealous because they didn't have super cool friends like us." 


"I am so lucky, aren't I?" I question as Vera and Penn flip their hair over their shoulders with confidence. I can't help but laugh at the pair. 


"Noah also has a sign because he thought he could make a better one than us." Penn explains before pointing over my shoulder and up into the stands. I turn around and instantly spot Noah sitting up in the corner waving his long arm at us. He then stands and holds up an even more bedazzled sign if possible. I crack up laughing at the words 'Go Hayden! Eat Pasta. Swim Fasta.' I loved it. 


I then glance at Levi who was sitting next to him to see his eyes trained on something below the stands. I follow his gaze to see a petite girl with curly blonde hair and glasses perched on her nose trying to find a seat. 


"Hey, who's that?" I question, directing my voice to my two best friends while keeping my eyes locked on the seemingly shy girl. She was so careful with her movements and her eyes were quite bashful behind her large, vintage glasses. They suited her gorgeous face perfectly. "The one with the hair like a lion." 


Vera speaks first, "No clue but I love her boots. So cowboy-chic." 


"Oh, that's Emmaline." Penn states as both Vera and I glance at her waiting for her to explain, "Her father is the new AP Chem teacher? She's been here for about a week?"


Penn questions as she waits for us to respond with recognition. And when we don't, she sighs in frustration. 


"Oh my god. She's in our art class Hayden and she literally moved in two doors down from you, V." 


Three months ago, the first room for Arlington opened up and like Headmaster Sully promised, I was the first one notified. But I turned it down, as well as the five other offers following. I could've but I didn't and I doubt I could ever be more happier about my decision. 


"You know the only other room in Arlington I care about is yours, darling." Vera smiles as Penn rolls her eyes at Vera's sweetness. 


"She's deaf though. Has been since she was born." Penn continues to explain as I instantly frown in sadness, "But two days ago I was in the library with Levi and he borrowed an ASL book." 


"No way." I gasp as a smile starts to grow on my face. 


"Oh, be still my heart!" Vera places a hand on her chest as we both pout at each other with Penn nodding in understanding of our reaction. 


"But don't tell him I told you. I don't want him feeling embarrassed because he blushed when I commented on it. I didn't even know Levi could physically do that." Penn giggles as we join her and I glance over my shoulder to see that Emmaline had since found her seat and was happily eating a bag of potato chips in her lap. Levi and Noah were talking to each other but Levi would often glance down at the subject of our conversation. 


Suddenly, a guy and a girl walk past in pastel blue track suits. Vanderbilt Prep was sponsored by Adidas, hence all their fancy gear while I was standing here in a pair of black Nike slides that were a size too big and weren't even mine; I had stolen them from someone in Elwood hall because they were really fucking comfy. 


"I can't believe they thought this would be a good idea." The tall guy says, he was blonde and gangly but towered over the three of us. 


"I know." The shorter girls snorts with mousy brown hair pulled back in a tight pony tail. It was dry, meaning she hadn't been in the pool yet. "I'm honestly afraid to beat them because one of these freaks will probably turn around and kill me."


The girl's eyes locked with mine as they stroll by and she winks with an arrogant smirk. Vera's narrowed glare also follows them, causing her to turn around once they had passed us. 


"Excuse me. It looks like I have to go make a scene." Vera announces confidently, her high-heeled ankle boot already taking a step before Penn reaches out and grabs onto Vera's shoulder, spinning her back around. 


"There's no point. They're obviously just trying to start a fight because they're lives are so insignificant." Penn explains as Vera fixes her dusty pink faux fur coat that looked so much more warmer than this parka with faded letters reading CALDWELL on the back. 


"She's right, V. And this is coming from the girl who two seconds ago would've been right behind you." I nod as I fold my arms across my chest, watching the petite brunette walk around the pool with her equally obnoxious partner beside her. The sound of splashing water and cheering continues to act as the soundtrack to our conversation. 


Suddenly that background noise is bombarded with the voice of my coach who comes to a stand next to me, "Hayden, your medley's coming up. You should be warming up." 


"Aye, aye captain." I salute to him before he rolls his eyes and storms off with his trusty clipboard in hand. He loves me. 


"We'll be cheering for you up in the stands!" Penn grins as she waves the long paper banner. She then wraps her arms around me in a departing hug. Vera also joins and places a kiss to my temple, probably getting most of my forrest green swimming cap than actual swim. 


"You better kick their asses before I do it, sweetie." Vera mutters into my ear as both Penn and I laugh. We step back and I nod. 


"Trust me. I will." I assure as I pull my goggles down from my head and snap them over my eyes as I give the two girls a large grin. They giggle at me before returning to Noah and Levi up in the stands. 


And now, my own rendition of mentally screaming inside. It's a bop. 



wow did hayden actually just resist a fight? aww, she must be changing. 


i wonder how long that will last....hmmmm. 


i should update either tomorrow or the next day so stay tuned!

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