~2~ Come Away to the Water

(Joey’s POV)

“Last stop, Rhode Island,” my girlfriend, Meghan squealed before wrapping her arms around my neck and kissing me hard once before continuing with hugging me. We were already starting our pre-meets for swimming which was like a scrimmage you could say. I wondered why it was so early in the year—considering it’s summer. But maybe it was just for us veterans and varsity kids because the rookies were busy having a nice summer, just two weeks in.

“I could’ve been attending a school in Rhode Island,” Meghan said, sitting across my lap. As people made stupid comments toward us as they started to leave our practice pool, I was just as lovey-dovey as she was.

“I know, I know. But if you weren’t there, we wouldn’t have met,” I said, having heard it before when we had went last year. Two years ago when we had drove up there for the actual meet, we connected somehow. Unlike the other rookies, I was varsity and a starter, so it wasn’t my fault for not associating with her before then. But after I finally noticed her, it took me a grand total of two months before I even asked her out.

And now we’re together and she loves me…and I love her.

***

The week went by fast. We had already done what we needed for the practice meet.

“Good run,” I congratulated one guy that I raced. But of course I won. Because I manipulated the water that way.

“Thanks,” he said. The varsity 100 meter freestyle was now taking place on their last lap. RIU was eight meters completely in front of our girl, who I could identify as Meghan. She came in second and it was plain on her face that she was disappointed. Normally, with this, I’d speed up the water around her during practice to make her feel and seem faster. I also did this for some meets. I was trying to stop doing that, but apparently a loss to her was still depressing. She stormed off once she got out of the water and I got up to follow her.

“Baby,” I whispered as I grabbed her waist and pressed her against the lockers. She wasn’t crying. She was just…mad at herself. I kissed her lightly. “It’s just a scrimmage.”

“You don’t understand,” she spat. “I can’t lose. What if I lose when my mom or dad is watching? Huh? What then? I can’t lose!”

“It’s a scrimmage!” I said hysterically. I kissed her head. “You have nothing to feel disappointed about.”

…except the fact that you’re just an average swimmer without my help…

“I guess you’re right,” she pouted. I cupped her chin and tilted her head up.

“Of course I am,” I smiled. I let her waist go and she grabbed my hand to play with my fingers.

“Will you help me with my times?” she asked.

“Don’t I usually?” I humored back. She playfully rolled her eyes and I bent down to kiss her as we walked, but then she ran into someone.

“I’m so sorry,” Meghan laughed. She girl shrugged it off and walked around us, pulling off the swimming cap and letting her long dark hair drop down to the center of her back as she disappeared behind another row of lockers.

“Mate, that was your fastest time—” a blonde girl started to say with a heavy Australian accent as she entered the locker room that I technically wasn’t supposed to be in. “Eh, I’m pretty sure you’re not supposed to be in here.”

“You’re pretty much right,” I smirked. Her brilliant blue eyes that even matched the intensity of mine glanced from Meghan and back to me.

“Then get out,” she retorted. I squeezed Meghan’s hand, flashed a cocky smile, and then exited.

“Can you believe this guy?” I could hear the Australian girl ask her teammate in the locker room. “He’s such a jerk.”

Like I hadn’t heard that one before…

(Angel’s POV)

“Pick up, pick up, pick up,” I pleaded with my phone pressed to my warm ear, sandwiched between that and my wet hair. I had stayed in the empty aquatorium at RIU after a meet.

“Hello?” Yes. Brian answered.

“Brian. I know this is last minute but—”

“I’m already on my way,” he interrupted.

“I really need you to come—say what? You’re…how?” I asked, confused.

“My tour of the beautiful Amazon is over and I have a feeling that I’m needed back home

,” he expressed.

“Well it’s not home, exactly…” I said.

“In Massachusetts, you mean,” he answered.

“You’re either really good at guessing or…”

“Rivers told me,” he gloated.

“Of course,” I said. “So then you’ll come?”

“I already told you I was on my way,” he laughed.

“Brian! You are a life saver,” I smiled. When I thought of the true meaning of that statement, my smile dropped.

“Thanks I guess—”

“Anyone here?” someone asked. I looked up to see a girl walking in across the aquatorium.

“Who’s that?” Brian asked.

“Some Florida girl? I don’t know. Call me when you land,” I said before hanging up. I put my phone in my bag and started walking towards the confused looking girl. She was the same girl I ran into in the locker room and the same girl I beat in our race. “Looking for something?”

“Uh, my boyfriend left his watch here. He thinks it may have fell out of his bag,” she said, already walking around me to look in the bleachers that their Floridian team was sitting on.

“Megs, I found it on the bus—” I knew that voice.

I spun on my heels and looked to see a familiar boy approaching from the entrance. I held my breath even. He walked intently and productively towards the girl, but once he saw me, he did a double-take and stopped dead in his tracks.

“Babe,” the girl called, but I didn’t care. Our eyes were connected. His blue oceanic eyes were staring into my deep chocolate brown ones.

“Angel,” Joey said before striding over and taking me in a hug. Somehow, I actually hugged back. He pulled away and I studied his face in which I hadn’t seen in a year. It was exactly as handsome as before, but the Florida sun must have lightened the top of his hair into a golden blonde. “I didn’t know you were on the swim team.”

“Well…you know how much I used to always swim. I might as well done something with it,” I shrugged with a humble smile.

“Way to go. Making NCAA College swim team in your freshman year,” he smiled and high-fived me. His smile was different. It wasn’t as radiant. It was as if…

“You know her?” the girl beside him asked with her nose slightly turned up.

“Angel, this is Meghan. Meghan this is Angel,” Joey introduced late.

“His girlfriend,” she assured as if I’d get jealous. I nodded. She was easy to get jealous, huh?

“That’s cool,” I trailed. “So how long are all of you in town?”

“A week,” Meghan answered.

“It’s actually our last stop so we can stay as long as we want to kick off our summer,” Joey added. Yes.

“That’s good,” I blurted. “I need to talk to you.”

“My number’s the same,” he informed, giving me a look I couldn’t even identify.

“Oh, alright,” I said as if I still had it. I’m sure Devin did. I grabbed a piece of paper from my bag and scribbled my number on it. “How about you can call me while you’re here and then come over to my place so we can talk.”

“I don’t know. We were planning on shopping and spending time with our friends—”

“Sure thing,” Joey said, opposing his…girlfriend?

“Thanks,” I said nervously.

Brian was on his way and Joey had fell into my own town as if planned out. Maybe this favor for Devin wasn’t so hard, I started to think. But then came the real challenge…finding Zac; the only thing worse than that would be handling all the boys together.

(Joey’s POV)

As our bus drove us back to the hotel, I started to think about the recent unplanned reunion.

I had forgotten that Angel was now in college with Rhode Island University. Or even that she’d think about swimming.

Along with seeing her again, I had forgotten about Meghan being so desperately by my side, the watch that I had found, or even the reason why I came back in there.

The only thing I hadn’t forgotten was a bond. A blissful bond that I’d always have to her. I hadn’t forgotten my feelings for Angel. I had only forgotten the thought that of not fighting to be with her.