Chapter Two
Making Good Impressions
Meckenzie was lying on her bed reading an old, dusty book she had cleaned up. She set it aside when Annalise came in the door.
"Okay, Meck, what happened at Nicky's?"
"Well, Reid and I were dancing and this guy named Aaron showed up and started making trouble with Reid, then he grabbed me. It was Reid that was using. He didn't know I saw. Aaron wouldn't let go of me, so I kneed him in the groin."
"That must have hurt like no other."
"Yeah, I gave him a good one, too. He left me with bruises." Meckenzie showed Annalise the dark purple marks that surround both her wrists.
"Ooo, that looks bad."
"Yeah, Reid was gunna kill him and use in public on top of that. That was the only think I could think of to keep him from doing it."
"I think you and Reid are sweet on each other," Annalise said as she plopped down on her sister's bed.
"Yeah, so? What about you and Tyler, huh?"
"We're going into town for a movie Friday night!" The girls giggled for a few minutes before Annalise straightened up. "What were you reading?" Meckenzie's eyes flashed to black and the book that she was reading threw itself onto the middle of the bed and fell open. Her eyes returned to their startling green color. Annalise giggled at her sister. "The Lines of Ipswich. And when was that book written?"
"1894," Meckenzie told her with a grin.
"I don't even know why you're reading it again. You know everything in that book already."
"I know, I'm not really sure why I'm reading it. Something just tells me I should."
"Oh well. What happened with you and Reid after you guys left?"
"Annalise, you are nosy as hell! But if you must know we came back here and he showed me around." Meckenzie said with the smile of a thirteen year-old girl at the mall.
"Around where? And don't lie to me because you know we can both 'see'," she said looking at her sister with a raised eyebrow.
"Around the woods. We walked and talked."
"And…?"
"And what?" Meckenzie asked her prying sister with a shy smile.
"He kissed you. I felt it, then I had to see what else was going on."
"Oh! You're so perverted! I can't believe you did that!"
"Yeah, well, you'll get over it. I'm going to bed. Good-night."
Not wanting to get out of bed again Meckenzie used her power and snapped the door lock shut.
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The next morning when they got up, the sisters got dressed and started off towards their first classes. Annalise went one way and Meckenzie went another. It wasn't long before Mackenzie felt a hand on her shoulder. Semi-terrified to find out, she spun around to see who it was.
"Jesus, Reid! You scared the shit out of me," she sighed.
"Sorry, didn't mean to. Where are you headed?"
"American History, you?"
"Same here, I'll walk with you."
"Sure, thanks."
"Why are you so jumpy?"
"I know practically no one here, so I wasn't sure who would be coming up behind me."
"What? So I'm practically no one now?" he said with a stern face.
"That's not what I meant. I mean you…you're…" Meckenzie stammered over thoughts running in and out of her mind.
"I'm just joking with yea, babe." Reid said with a sheepish smile.
"Jerk," Meckenzie mumbled, Reid chuckled at her.
"Come on, it's this way." Reid pulled her into the classroom and she sat down next to him. There were still a few minutes until class started.
"So what are you doing after classes?" Meckenzie asked him.
"Actually, I have swim practice. Why? You wanna watch?" Reid asked with a cheesy grin.
"Actually, I was going to ask if you'd show me to the pool. Annalise and I swim, too. I'm not much to brag…but we took our team to state championship three years in a row."
"Well, well, you looking at getting back in the pool?"
"Yeah. So what if I am?"
"Well, I think it's great. It'd be fun to have you around the water."
"Cool. So any of the other guys swim?"
"Yeah, we all do. We do a lot of the same things."
"Sarah said you guys have been friends since childhood. She said your families have been close for years."
"Our families were actually some of the ones who founded the town of Ipswich."
"Interesting,. I didn't realize that."
"Not very many people in this area realize how old our families really are." By this time the rest of the class had filed in and found seats. Class was beginning.
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"Locker rooms are that way and Coach Hamm's office is right around the corner. And this is the pool." Reid pushed open the heavy door and Meckenzie followed him in.
"Holy shit, and I thought our pool was huge! This place is almost twice the size of ours' back home." Meckenzie was amazed and Reid chuckled at her.
"Garwin, when are you going to suit up?" asked a voice from the other side of the pool.
"Coach, got someone here you gotta meet," Reid called back to him, pushing Meckenzie in front of him. Coach Hamm circled the pool and stood in front of them.
"Meckenzie Danforth. I wondered when you would be in to see me," Coach Hamm said shaking her hand.
"You were?" she asked wearily, glancing at Reid. He just shrugged his shoulders at her.
"Yeah, Provost Higgins said you were a swimmer. Our old school sent some newspaper clippings with your file. Your sister was in my office earlier today. You're both welcome here anytime you want."
"Thank you. All I have is my old team suit. I don't think y'all go for red."
"There are some suits in the towel room, I order a couple extra every year, jus tin case. Garwin here can show you the way. He needs to be heading there himself."
"Sure thing, Coach."
Reid and Meckenzie headed back into the hall and straight to a closet like room with two each industrial sized washers and dryers, shelves of towels, and a stack of bathing suits still in wrappers. The door clicked shut behind them.
Reid stretched to reached for a suit and towels off of the top shelf. Meckenzie took in the sight in front of her, following the lines of his body with her eyes. She closed her eyes quickly before she reached out and touched him. She slowly opened her eyes again, trying to keep herself calm, and there he was. Staring her in the face, those beautiful blue eyes staring into hers.
Before she knew what she was doing, Meckenzie leaned forward and brushed her lips against his. There was an electric shock between them that she had never felt before and was pretty sure Reid hadn't either. She felt her eyes explode to black and clenched them shut, to attempt to maintain control.
"Wow," was all Meckenzie could manage.
"You like that? Well, lemme show you this." Reid held her close and kissed her again. This time it wasn't just a soft brushing, but something meant to make a point. Something that Meckenzie didn't want to let go of.
"Hey, hey, Reid! What's going on?" Pogue was standing in the now open doorway. Neither Meckenzie nor Reid noticed the door open. Meckenzie rested against his chest and Reid held onto her.
"Just getting' a towel, man. Don't let me interrupt anything. Two seconds and I'm outta the way," Pogue said with a laugh.
"Shut up, Pogue. We're just getting' a couple towels and a suit for her. Meckenzie's joining the team." Reid held onto her a little tighter.
"Yeah, that's what I heard. Coach started on about it as soon as we all walked into the pool. Apparently, Miss Thing here is something of a swimmer."
"Helped take home first place at championship swim meets three years in a row." Meckenzie gave Pogue a sheepish grin.
"Come on. It's time to start practice," Reid said while starting towards the door.
About 10 minutes later Meckenzie walked out of the girls' locker room in her suit and wrapped in a towel.
"Girls' freestyle up first." Coach Hamm called from the side of the pool. "Simpson, Bell, Johnson, Danforth! Line it up!"
Meckenzie and three other girls stepped up onto the platforms. Two whistles signaled them to set, Meckenzie waiting for the one to set her excitement free. She looked over at the coach, whistle at the ready. And there it was. Meckenzie launched herself off the platform and into the water. She could hear nothing but the water moving past her and her subconscious cues to breathe. Up one-way, back, up again. Meckenzie hit the edge of the pool on the last lap almost a full body length ahead of everyone else. Meckenzie felt two hands grab her wrists and Reid lifted her out of the pool in one pull. Coach Hamm looked back and forth between his stopwatch and the girl.
"Well, Miss Danforth. If I'm not mistaken that's a new school record." Hooping and hollering erupted and Meckenzie felt multiple hands pat her on the back. "Shower up, Danforth. That's enough out of you for one day. Girls' freestyle is dismissed."
Meckenzie was waiting for Reid when he came out of the locker room.
"I have to get together with Annalise, but I'll see you later, okay?" Meckenzie asked him.
"Yeah, sure. Here, lemme give you my cell number so you can call me whenever you want." Reid pulled his phone out of his pocket and Meckenzie grabbed her's out of the side of her bag. She flipped it open, snapped a quick picture of Reid with it, pushed a few buttons, and swapped phones with him. Meckenzie saved her number into Reid's phone and handed it back to him, and slipped her phone back in her bag.
"I'll see you later, Reid." Meckenzie held onto Reid's hand and gave him a soft kiss. Then, she turned to leave. He grabbed a hold of her, whipped her around, and pressed her tight against him. He landed a sensational kiss on her soft lips and let her go.
"I'll see yea later, Meckenzie." She turned and walked away trying to keep herself from stumbling, leaving Reid grinning and watching her leave.