LUCAS
We’re taking Claire to our secret spot. It’s this lake on the outskirts of town, it’s a bit of a drive but so worth it. We found it during our first year after we got lost coming home from an away game. We spent the entire night swimming under the stars, and I have to say, it’s probably one of my favourite memories since coming to Livler.
I was the one who suggested bringing her here, I promised her we’d make peace and I meant it. She’s part of our group now, so she might as well be in on this little secret of ours. Don’t get me wrong, she still pisses me off, but I think that’s mostly because I can’t crack her. She dishes out the same shit I give her, and she can hold her own when she wants to, I like that about her.
“You guys know we’re driving out of town right?” Claire says from the back seat.
“Yeah, we know pretty girl,” I say. Looking through the rearview mirror, I see her roll her eyes.
Always the sass with this one.
Claire rolls down her window and I turn up the music, her and Blair sing along to the lyrics while I check to make sure the others are still following behind me. Out the corner of my eye, I see her lean out her window. My heart drops into my stomach, panic rushing through me while I wonder what the fuck she’s doing.
She waves to the boys behind us, laughing while the wind blows through her hair. She looks genuinely happy right now, happier than I’ve ever seen her.
There’s this thing she does where she seems happy on the outside but her smile never reaches her eyes, I can tell she’s putting on a front for everyone around her… and I kind of hate it.
Why is she trying so hard to hide her pain?
I park the car and watch as the others pull in next to me, we get out and everyone smiles instantly while Claire’s smile fades away. She looks confused, but before she has the chance to say anything to us, August picks her up and starts walking over to the water.
“What the fuck are you doing?” She screeches.
“Just let it happen,” August yells back. He throws her into the lake and a moment later she’s splashing into the water. Claire comes up with the biggest scowl on her face, worse than when she looks at me, eyeing August while the rest of us double over with laughter. We all look to one another, then sprint towards the lake, splashing water as we run.
She laughs and starts swimming towards August. He realizes she’s out for blood and goes as fast as he can in the opposite direction.
“You better get your ass back here August Write!” she screams. She pushes him under the water when she finally catches up, laughing while he swats her hands away and throws her a couple feet away from him.
I’m out of breath from laughing so hard, and I’m ninety percent sure that I’ve swallowed enough water to fill a pool… but I wouldn’t do anything differently.
“No one is getting into my car while they’re wet!” I yell.
“Stop being such a grump about everything!” Claire yells back, “just admit you’re having fun!” The smile on her face is clear as day, she’s trying to stir the pot.
And because I can’t let anything slide, I decide to be snarky, “your clothes are dripping… maybe we should just leave you here to dry off.”
There’s this defiant look on her face before she tilts her head and walks back onto shore. She doesn’t break eye contact with me, she doesn’t fucking blink while shetakes off her clothes. A lump lodges in my throat and I swear I stop breathing for a second.
Miller instantly clamps a hand over his eyes, Blair’s eyes grow wide, August stifles a laugh, and Davis whistles at her while she strikes a pose.
This is not how I saw this day going.
* * *
Sweat drips down my back while I stare up at the clock, five minutes left and down by one. The entire game has been touch and go, and if it weren’t for them pulling that nasty move in the second, we’d be tied right now.
Claire’s been trying to help when she can, but she can only help so much. Coach has been losing his shit, screaming at us like a bunch of children making stupid mistakes… which we kind of have been.
He finally gets fed up and calls a time-out, “I don’t know what the hell is happening out there, but I know you can play better than this” he says as we all circle the bench.
“But coach, we’re working our asses off out there” Davis says.
“I don’t give a fuck about how hard you think you’re working, I need you to work harder.”
I look over his shoulder as he starts laying out a plan of action, Claire is biting on her lip with her eyebrows pulled together. She’s so deep in thought that even the coach's yelling and hand gestures aren’t breaking her out of it, “what ya thinking about over there pretty girl?” I ask.
She snaps out of whatever daze she’s in, coming back to reality as everyone turns their focus onto her, “oh nothing… It’s just-”
