I back my truck out of the driveway just as Shermer’s dad’s Volvo slowly pulls in, his eyes straining to see who I am. I leave the window down, nodding and waving as I pull away. It’s either that, or pretend I don’t see him.
I make the choice that an innocent man would make. Because that’s what I am, after all.
Totally, one hundred percent innocent.
11
Addie
The first meet against Saint Mary’s takes a turn I don’t expect.
While we are prepping in the Saint Mary’s locker room, Ridley makes an announcement.
“If I’m not going to swim the 100 freestyle, then I’m not going to swim,” I hear Ridley say.
I’m shocked.
“What are you going to do?” I ask her as I rinse off the razor I’m using to shave my legs.
“What do you think I’m going to do?”
I stutter as I start shaving my arms. “You’re…you’re going to scratch? Hornets do not scratch, Ridley.”
She steps toward me in the shower and snaps the strap of my competition swimsuit. “Your lady boner has blinded you to what is really going on here,” she hisses.
I step backwards as if she slapped me. “What did you say?”
She chuckles. “It’s so obvious. Oh, poor, sweet, innocent Adelaide. Top of the class. Every teacher’s pet. Honey, please. It is all over your earnest, pouty-lipped face. Besides, I saw you leaving with him in his truck the other day.”
I glance at Hunter, who’s cutting her eyes at me.
I push past the fairly accurate accusation. “All right, fine, why don’t you tell me why you’re scratching?”
“Because I don’t like Coach Ford. He pisses me off.”
“I think he knows what he’s doing. Nobody won us more state titles—”
“Almost five years ago. Things have changed since then. Competition is tougher. We need to play to our strengths, not try to make new inroads. I’m scratching to prove a point.”
I back off and turn away.
I look at Hunter. She shrugs. “You too?”
“Nah, my mom would murder me,” she says.
The decision by some of the girls to scratch does not go well for anyone. We lose to Saint Mary’s, but based on the heats we did win, we could have easily won the meet if nobody had scratched.
The bus ride back to school is deathly quiet, and so is Coach Ford. It feels as though we are all waiting for him to let us have it, but he doesn’t make a sound. When we arrive back in the lot at Greenbridge, Coach exits the bus, gets into his truck, and drives away.
Hadley breaks the silence first as she stands up to grab her gear. “Well, I didn’t expect that reaction,” she says.
Hunter and I exchange looks because we know what’s really up. This gives me hope that she’s still talking to me.
“Just you wait until tomorrow,” I breathe as I watch Ridley exit the bus.
12
Addie