Page 59 of Triton

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Erik

Today the candidateshad a timed one-mile bay swim without a wetsuit. The water was around fifty degrees. It would be a brutalone.

The candidates paired up with their swim buddies, and we tossed them off the boat into thebay.

I grabbed my megaphone. “Remember, it’s mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it won’t matter.”

Twenty minutes into the swim, I noticed that Aria’s swim buddy was struggling. Usually, around this time in training, many SEAL candidates would still preserve themselves, not willing to risk failing their evolution to help their partner.

But Aria remained by his side, urging him along. Another pair quit and came crying to the side of the boat like babies. Meanwhile, Aria and her partner arrived at the boat first out of all pairs, completing their swim in less than thirty minutes.

She was shivering when I pulled her into the boat. I sat her on the deck and handed her a towel. “Hey, you did a good job out there. I liked the way you took care of your swim buddy.”

Her face brightened, but she didn’t respond. Her teeth were chattering, and her skin had a bluish tint. I checked her temperature, made sure she was fine, and then focused on the pairs in the water.

And for the first time since she’d been in BUD/S, my heart softened toward her. Had I forgiven her? Could I possibly see things from her point of view? Because as hard as it was to admit, deep down I knew she had been right. If she had told me she had wanted to be a SEAL, I would’ve shut herdown.

There was no way I would’ve accepted it unless I had been forcedto.

Later that night, I relaxed in my office at BUD/S. I was on night duty, and most of my fellow Instructors had gone home. The quietness of the base was a welcome change of pace from the cacophony of training.

I took a moment to examine the facts.

She was top of her class. She had sailed through surf warfare.

What if she actually passed?

My phone rang. It was my sister.

“Hey. What’s up, sis?”

“Oh my god, Erik. Guess what? I just got in early action to Stanford! I’m going to be able to compete on the synchro squad.”

“Congrats, Holly. I’m so proud of you. Dad would betoo.”

“Thanks. I can’t believe it. I never thought I’d get it. But Aria called her coach—”

Wait, what? “You still talk toher?”

“No. I didn’t want to be disloyal to you. But the Stanford coach called me today and said that Aria had recommended me. I can’t believe she did that for me, well because, well youknow.”

Yeah, I knew all too well. I didn’t have to tell my family that Aria was back in town. Thanks to the media, everyone in the fucking world knew about my lovelife.

I said goodbye to Holly, grabbed a flask from my desk, and took a swig. Then I heard my door creakopen.

Aria stood in front of me. Her hair was wild, and she had bruises all over herbody.

“Aria—”

She placed her finger over her lips, and quietly shut thedoor.

“You can’t behere.”

She didn’t respond, and before I could say another word, she ran behind me and crouched under mydesk.

“Please. Will you just listen tome?”