Mindy glanced cautiously over at her cousin for the second time that morning. Kiley had been meticulously unpacking for over an hour now. She bent over and pulled a shirt from her suitcase, shook it, refolded it, and placed it in one of the drawers Mindy had cleared for her. Rinse, and repeat.

"Will you be okay while I'm at school?" Mindy queried. She was dressed, hair perfect and backpack packed for the last day of Junior year. Still, she couldn't seem to leave yet. She was too worried about Kiley, who had just arrived the night before, and would be spending the summer. The girl seemed shaken, and could barely seem to manage eye contact with Mindy and her parents.

They'd never been close, as cousins. Kiley had moved to Michigan when they were seven, and they hadn't seen one another since. Even if they had lived nearby, Mindy doubted they would have hung out much. Mindy's strengths were mental – she was cunning, witty, and excelled at school. Kiley was more of an athlete, and had been on one track team or another for most of her life. She was pretty smart, but preferred more abstract classes like English and Art, while Mindy liked the hard facts of science and math.

"I'll be fine." Kiley answered quietly, looking up from a blue t-shirt. Her dark hair tumbled in messy curls around her shoulders, partially shielding her face from Mindy's gaze. "It's just a few hours. Besides, I might stop over and take a look at the track."

Mindy nodded slowly. "Okay. You think you'll do a lot of running this summer? I mean, it might be nice to take a few months off, enjoy California while you're here."

Kiley sighed. Mindy was nice, but she was getting sick of all this effort to make her more 'comfortable'. She was still shaken from everything that had happened in the last week, and the thought of something as familiar as a track was more appealing than Mindy could ever know. "I can't take breaks. I'd like to get a track scholarship, and that will only happen if I'm primed and ready for next season. It sucks enough that I won't be able to practice with my friends." Not that she had many friends left, after the past six months. But Mindy didn't need to know that.

"Alright." Mindy sighed. Kiley was impossible – she'd forgotten how stubborn she was. "Well, I've got to drive over to school. Do you want to come with, so you can check things out?"

Kiley took a last glance at the clothes in the suitcase and spread on the futon that was now her bed. Packing could wait until later, and it might be nice to go for a run. "Sure." She answered, offering a small smile. "Just let me get something decent on."

Drake closed his eyes and moaned in agony. "Why are we bringing Mindy to Lou Fitzbaum's party?"

Josh sighed. They'd been over this three times already. "Because. You want me there to see your band play, and I want to celebrate the end of Junior year with Mindy. So, Mindy comes to Lou Fitzbaum's party."

Drake banged his head against Josh's locker. "But Mindy doesn't even like parties. Is she going to call the cops if there's a keg, or something?"

"No." Josh looked around the hall. It was almost time for homeroom to begin, and he still hadn't seen Mindy. Normally, she met him at the front door, but today he'd made it all the way to his locker without seeing her. Could she be late?

Drake looked at his brother. "Are you going to call the cops if there's a keg? I mean, I know you're my brother, but this is my first party gig, and there are going to be some college kids there, and I will kill you if you mess this up for me."

Josh looked back at Drake, who was now standing upright, and looking quite concerned. "No, Drake. No one is going to call the cops. Will you just relax? You've played bigger gigs than this."

"Maybe," Drake answered, "But this time, there will be college girls there. Tons and tons of trashed, trashy college girls just dying to show me their skills."

Before he could elaborate, Mindy popped up beside Josh's elbow, giving him a fright. After a short surprised yelp he pecked her on the cheek, then looked at her, puzzled.

"Why are you so late? You've never gotten here after me."

Mindy's eyes widened in disbelief. "My cousin got in last night – did you forget? I know I told you she'd be spending the summer with us."

Josh's eyes widened. "Oh! Oh, God, I'm sorry. You mean the one whose – " Mindy slapped a hand over his mouth.

"Josh!" She cried in horror, looking around at the busy hall. "Kiley's situation is really personal, and private. Plus, she's coming to the party with me tonight. I don't think she'd appreciate half the school knowing her situation."

Drake threw his hands to the heavens in dismay. "Freakin' awesome. My first real college party, and Crenshaw and Cousin will be there."

Mindy took a few steps toward him, pointing a perfectly manicured, sharp-ended finger in his face. "You would do well to stay away from her, Drake. The last thing she needs is a guy like you in her life."

Drake laughed, pushing the pointy finger aside. "Please. If she's anything like you, I'll be running in the other direction."

Josh started to say something, anything to keep the peace, but before the words could form in his mouth the bell rang, and the two split off angrily. He sighed, gathered his books, and headed to homeroom.

Kiley regarded the turquoise water with a mild curiosity. Her school back in St. Joseph was small – they didn't have their own swimming pool. Hell, they barely had a decent track. She'd already done a few laps around the school's track, and was thinking a quick swim would be a lovely idea about now. She'd thought running would clear the thoughts from her head, but it didn't work. She could put a million miles behind her and be no further from her problems – how could her mother not see that?

Because she's not worried about me. She answered herself. All this distance, the therapy – it was all for show. Anything to keep Brenda Crenshaw from looking bad to her friends and colleagues. St. Joe was small, and people were already talking. By the time school started next year, the whole town would know about the miserable year, and all the horrors it had contained for Kiley.

She wanted it to go away. She stared at the water, and dreamt of the days when she was little. She and Mindy would go to the local pool, and pretend they were mermaids. Deep underwater, they spoke a language only they could understand. They sang with the dolphins, the whales, and left the issues of houses and homelives on some distant shore. She missed the whooshing of the water in her ears, the belief that there was really somewhere she could go to get away from her troubles, instead of carrying them inside of her.

Without thought, she stripped off her shoes, her socks, her shorts and T-shirt. She gulped in one last breath, and plunged in.

She'd only done three laps in the water when she heard the double doors open, and a gaggle of loud teenagers pulsed in. Poking her head up from beneath the crystal waves, she saw the school's fifth period gym class meandering in. Her cheeks blushed scarlet as she hoisted herself out of the water, grabbed her things and scurried into the locker room. She didn't look behind her to see the girls who gawked, or the boys who stared mistily after the perfect figure, soaking wet and scantily clad.