Moment of Truth (Love, Life, and the List #3)(3)

Sarah’s street was lined with cars when we pulled up after the meet. “I thought you meant this was a party for just the swim team,” I said, peeling the ice packs off my shoulders, the numbness not completely hiding the ache.

“That’s what I thought she meant. I guess a few more people showed up.”

I dumped the ice into the gutter and left the empty bags on the passenger-side floor. I didn’t go to a lot . . . okay, any . . . real parties. I hadn’t even changed. I was still in my suit and sweats. Amelia looked adorable next to me, makeup and all. I self-consciously tugged at my still-damp hair and tried to smooth it into place.

We walked through Sarah’s house and into the backyard, where the majority of people were. Sarah lived in a neighborhood built around a man-made lake. In the middle of that lake, a large island, complete with lamps and picnic tables, had drawn everyone’s attention. Or at least that’s what several people were pointing at—the island. They chanted something I couldn’t quite make out. Someone’s name. I scanned the island but didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.

“What’s going on?” I asked as we came to a girl at the back of the crowd.

She gave me a double take, surprised to see me here or surprised my hair was wet; it could’ve been either. “They’re trying to make him swim out there,” she answered.

“Why?” This wasn’t a swimming kind of lake. It was full of fish and who knew what the neighborhood kids threw in. It wasn’t very deep: a lake people used paddleboats on and took engagement pictures in front of. It wasn’t practical. It was for looks. Plus, that island was at least six pool lengths away.

“They dared him.”

“Who?”

“I’m not sure. I just got here.”

“What does he win if he does it?”

Amelia elbowed me. “Don’t even think about it.”

“I’m already in my swim stuff.”

“Hadley wants to do it!” the girl we’d been talking to screamed.

I rolled my eyes. I hadn’t said anything of the sort. But soon the whole party was chanting my name and my heart started beating to the rhythm.

“You haven’t even heard what the prize is,” Amelia reminded me. She must’ve seen how my eyes lit up at the possibility of a challenge. And it would be a challenge. My shoulders were already shot.

I pushed through the people until I came to the front of the group. Jackson Holt was toeing the water with his bare foot. “You want to race me, Moore?”

I groaned and almost walked away. Jackson was one of my least favorite people ever. He was so . . . middle school. Once, in the cafeteria, he pretended to be hurt just so Mindy Halpburn, who happened to be walking by, would stop and help him. When she realized it was a joke, she slapped him and the whole room laughed. And this wasn’t even the most childish thing he’d ever done. Yet everyone seemed to love him, in the way they loved puppy videos or chocolate—they couldn’t get enough.

Those thoughts kept me from fleeing. Maybe it was time to humble Jackson a bit. Make him realize he didn’t always have to be the center of attention, loved by all. He wasn’t an athlete. I could win a swimming race against him easy, sore shoulders or not.

“Are you sure you’re okay being beaten by a girl?” I said softly.

He stripped off his shirt, his toned chest making me think twice about his athletic abilities, and jumped in, jeans and all. When he surfaced, a playful gleam shone in his eyes. The gleam that shone there most of the time. “The water’s great.”

I stepped out of my shoes, then eyed the island. Did I really need to do this? My skin buzzed to life, telling me I did, in fact, need to do this. I pulled off my sweats and waded into the water beside Jackson. Unlike the school pool, which was heated, the chill of the lake immediately sucked the air from my lungs. The water smelled like mud, fish, and mildew. I almost got back out.

“Can’t pass up a competition, can you?”

Someone standing above us called, “On your mark, get set, go.”

I took off, not knowing if Jackson followed. Not really caring. My shoulders ached a bit, but I didn’t press them and the more I swam the more they loosened up. It was weird swimming in silence. I was used to having my music on for everything but races. It gave me a rhythm to swim to and kept my head clear of unwanted memories.

About halfway through the swim, I felt a movement by my foot and then suddenly it was yanked backward. I went under for a second and came up coughing. Jackson treaded water next to me. It was nearly black in the middle of the lake, but I could see his teeth glowing with a smile. He smiled way too much.

“I thought you were going to try, Moore. Make this hard on me.”

“What?”

“I thought you were on the swim team.”

I coughed again and wondered what the best way to dunk him would be.

“Lighten up. I was kidding. I could barely keep up with you. Couldn’t you give me a tiny break?”

It was only then I noticed him panting for breath. “Oh.”

“And I’m tired. I thought I was going to drown out here in the middle of nowhere and you’d be all the way to the island, leaving me with no help.”

His smile made it hard to tell if he was still kidding or not.

“That was the last chance I had to make a grab at your foot before you were gone.” He looked down at the water, his head bobbing with his movements.