I nod and sit on the edge of the little bank of seats.It still hurts to watch the others swim.I would love to regain the weightlessness I feel in the water.But for the first time in weeks, I can think about it without raging.I wait for the end of the session, explain my plans for the special edition of the school newspaper, and arrange to interview Ana, Josephine, and Marc in the next few days.Then I make my way back outside.
It’s almost dark now, and the rugby team have finished their training too.It’s only the athletics squad still doing tempo runs.Henry gives me a wave, so I walk over to him and we watch Emma, Grace, and two other girls get into position on the starting blocks.The whistle goes and they sprint away.Emma and Grace immediately take the lead and race it out, head-to-head.Henry and Gideon are staring at them, at least as fascinated as me.
Grace crosses the line a split second ahead of Emma, and I join in with Henry and Gideon as they clap and whoop.Emma looks over and laughs breathlessly as she slows to a jog.Grace has already stopped and jammed her arms against her knees.Then she straightens.Emma comes over and raises her hand to high five, but Grace doesn’t respond.My blood runs cold as she staggers back a step and Emma grabs for her.Grace’s legs look like matchsticks that buckle beneath her as she collapses to the ground.For a moment, I’m frozen.Then I start to run.So do Henry and Gideon, who reach her and Emma ahead of me.
Every stride jars directly up into my shoulder, but I try to ignore the pain.Ms.Ventura, the athletics coach, is with Grace now too, and Mr.Cormack is jogging over from some distance away.
The first thing I hear when I finally reach them is Gideon’s voice: “No, you can bloody well sit down here for a bit.”
His face is as white as Grace’s, and although he sounds astonishingly calm, I see the panic in his eyes.
“I just felt sick,” Grace gasps.“God, stop making such a fuss...”She’s clearly hating the attention, and I can feel the relief as she starts to complain.
Emma looks startled.Henry pulls her away slightly and gently strokes her shoulders as I approach.
“All the same, I would prefer it if you let Nurse Petra check you over, Grace,” Ms.Ventura says.
“There’s really no need.I just didn’t drink enough,” Grace assures her.It’s plausible, but I can hear the suppressed tremor in her voice.
It reminds me of Colin, and at the thought, I reach into my trouser pocket.“Here.”I hold the bag of tablet out to Grace.
Her eyes dart to the packet, but she doesn’t budge, so Gideon reaches for it.
“No, I—”
He cuts her off: “Yes.Grace, I mean it, this is important.”
Grace looks at Gideon, a warning glittering in her eyes.“I’m OK now.”She shakes off his hand and gets to her knees.“Come on, guys, chill out.”
Gideon opens his mouth, but Ms.Ventura gets in first.“Grace, I want you to go to the sick bay.”
She sighs.“Fine.”
“Olive will go with you, won’t you?”Ms.Ventura glances at me.
I nod.
“You don’t have to,” Grace whispers as we cross the pitch to pick up her stuff from the stand.
I stop.“Yes, I do, Grace.What just happened isn’t funny.”
She turns away and lapses into a stubborn silence.
“Have you eaten anything at all today?”I ask.
Grace groans.“Why does that matter to you?”
“Because itdoesmatter.”
“It’s nobody’s business but mine.”
“Grace,” I say.“Stop it.Seriously.I can see what you’re doing, and it scares the shit out of me because you’re just fading away.”
Now she looks me full in the face for the first time.“Olive, I’ve got it under control,” she says, emphasizing every word.“Stop turning this into such a big deal.”
Talk to Ms.Vail.Get some help.That’s what I want to say to her, but I have to admit it would be kind of absurd for me of all people to give her that piece of advice.
So I don’t say anything as Gideon comes over to us.He ran on ahead of the others and now hands Grace her tracksuit jacket.Their eyes battle it out in silence, then she puts it on.Gideon has slung his sports bag over his shoulder, and as Grace reaches for hers, he moves it away.
