AllFreeNovel
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A throat cleared. “It’s just Rush,” the dark-headed guy told everyone.
“Rush here transferred in from California. Used to swim for Pembrook.”
Someone whistled low.
From the other side of the jokester, a guy with dark hair and blue eyes lifted his chin. “What’s your stroke?”
A cocky glint came into Rush’s eyes. “All of them.”
“Bullshit,” someone a few rows back called.
I winced, ducking my head when Coach performed yet another tribute on the whistle.
Dear God, is he always like this?
“Watch your mouth!”
Rush grinned, arrogance rolling off him as he spread his arms. “I’m a wildcard ‘cause I don’t have just one value, one stroke… one talent. I’m unpredictable in and out of the pool, and I can swim any stroke that’s needed and do it better than anyone else.”
“Good thing oxygen is just optional for us,” the joker drawled. “‘Cause you just sucked it all out of this room.”
Beside him, his friend stifled a laugh.
Rush took a step forward, lifting his chin. “What’s your stroke?” He challenged.
Everyone went quiet almost as if the new guy had just stepped in some no-no zone and challenged the wrong guy.
“Ryan Walsh,” the blue-eyed swimmer replied.
“Best freestyle swimmer Elite has.” His friend backed him up. “I’m Jamie Owens. Butterfly.”
“Best freestyle?” Rush mused. “We’ll see about that.”
Squeeeaaal.
This time, I stuck a finger into the ear closest to Coach. At this rate, I’d be deaf by the end of the day.Dear God.
“Clearly, the all your brains are waterlogged, and we need a refresher course on Elite rules for the new semester,” Coach announced. “Swimming might be an individual sport, but we are a team! You guys want to shoot for best swim time? Fine. Do the work. But the only one you are competing with here is yourself! I’m not having my swimmers bitter and butt hurt.” He pinned Ryan with a look. “There will be no repeat of what happened with Hughes, Walsh.”
“Maybe you should tell him that,” Ryan said, voice calm and low. “Because I didn’t start anything last semester. I just finished it.”
Rush laughed under his breath. Coach spun his hard stare on him. “We both know you can’t afford any more trouble, Rush. I’m your last shot, and don’t forget it.”
Rush went stony silent, crossing his arms over his toned chest while planting his stance a bit wider. “Sure, Coach.”
Coach made a sound like he was choking and turned his attention to me. “Lars, introduce yourself.”
I nodded once and took a step forward. “Lars Eriksson,” I said, noticing right away when the guy with curly hair sat up a little straighter and stared. “I swim backstroke and just transferred here from Sweden.”
“Sweden?” Jamie echoed, turning to look at the guy staring at me. “That’s where Win was, right?”
Just hearing his name out loud made a rush of air leave me. It had felt like forever since I’d heard that name out loud. Sometimes when I was in bed at night, I’d wonder if it was all a dream.
But it wasn’t. He wasn’t.
And as the curly-haired swimmer nodded, I knew the rush of warm familiarity I got the second I looked at him was because this was Wes. This was Win’s brother.
“You know my brother Win Sinclair?” Wes asked.
