Chapter Thirteen:: Let's find meaning in these melodies.
…
Caitlin and I sat down in the last row of the small metal stands surrounding the pool. The smell of chlorine was strong but not too overwhelming. We'd changed into shorts, it was insanely warm in the room, and Spence tee's to show our team spirit. We'd taken the time the night before to get creative with a couple basic white tees. The front of the shirts were plain with Spencer Swim Team on the left breast. The backs had a photo and caption. My photo was of Reid from his last meet, exiting the pool, the caption read "Getting wet since 1947." 1947 being the date the school was opened. Caitlin's shirt was identical but we'd put Tyler's photo on hers. So far we'd been lucky and had the shirts had escaped our professors notice. This was probably due to the fact that we'd covered up the shirts with plain Spence sweatshirts prior to sitting down.
We chatted idly while the boys did a few practice laps.
"What's with the gossip ghouls staring at you?"
I glanced over in to our left where Mandy and Eileen were sitting….and staring.
"They cornered me in the library the other day asking me questions about Reid and me."
She glared at them, "You have celeb status now, you should know better than to go gallivanting around without a guard."
I laughed, "You're losing it."
"Am I? Or are you underestimating the pull these guys have over the town?"
"You are."
She shrugged, "Maybe I am. But those two will probably be back for more."
"Yeah, they're insanely creepy. Especially Eileen."
Caitlin nodded enthusiastically, "That's what I thought! I've been saying that for years."
We cut off the conversation as the swim meet officially began. Tyler ended up third in his swim, Caleb was first, Pogue was first, and Reid came in a very close second in his. I could tell by his face that he was less than pleased. Reid did a second swim in which he came in first. For some reason I couldn't fathom Caleb and Pogue looked pissed off. They should be happy for their friend, right? They seemed to be having some kind of argument in the corner of the room when the meet finally ended.
Caitlin and I walked over with towards them and they stopped talking as we approached.
"Hey," I said timidly, eyeing the now pissed Reid with curiosity, "Congratulations guys."
Caleb gave me a quick smile, "Thank you Aubrey."
Pogue also smiled, "I'm going to go say hi to Kate and Sarah. Coming?"
The boys said a quick goodbye and left the four of us.
"What's with the animosity," Caitlin asked. I smiled at her as she repeated the question I had posed on the way over.
Tyler gave an odd laugh, "Nothing."
As Reid said, "Caleb's just pissed that he's not the only one who ranked first."
I held up my hands in surrender, "Easy killer."
He seemed to have calmed down some then and we took that moment to show them our new tees.
They let out a bark of laughter so loud that it drew the attention of several teachers. Caitlin and I quickly moved our backs to the wall.
Reid glanced at the shirts again, "Nice photos. How do they measure up to the real thing?" A cocky smile spread over his face and Tyler shook his head, "Getting wet," he laughed to himself again.
I studied him for a moment. "They don't do you justice." It was true. My eyes were scouring Reid's perfectly toned body against my will.
"Undress me in private Redden," impossibly Reid's grin grew wider.
I felt the heat rising to my cheeks and looked up at his face.
Tyler laughed, "Okay you two, simmer down. Did you guys want to go to Nicky's tonight?"
I shrugged and Caitlin gave an enthusiastic yes. We shrugged our coats on and prepared to say goodbye to the boys. Reid advanced towards me with a mischievous gleam in his eyes.
"What are you doing?"
He spread his arms out as if to embrace me and I watched the water drip off him.
"Hell. No."
"Oh yes."
I began to back up until I felt the wall behind me. I went to run to the left but Caitlin stood in my way. To my right was Tyler. Reid grabbed me in a bear hug and lifted me up off the floor. I glared at him.
"I hate you."
He laughed.
"Garwin stop horsing around and hit the showers," his coach yelled across the pool.
"See ya later Grams," he said with a wink before sauntering over to the showers.
"Aw look, he got you wet," Caitlin said grinning. I turned towards her with a murderous look in my eyes.
…
A few hours later we were both showered and warm. I was free of the chlorine bath Reid had given me and Caitlin was no longer shivering from the snow I'd shoved down her clothes in revenge. Caitlin had dressed for Nicky's and was eying my gray sweatpants and tight, white, baby doll tee.
"Will you be getting ready anytime soon?"
"I don't know if I feel up to Nicky's tonight. I'm in a lay in bed and zone out to music mood."
Caitlin nodded, "Well in that case," she whipped out a lighter and lit some of the candles around the room. Our contraband. The school didn't allow candles or matches in the dorms but that had never stopped us yet. She flicked off the light on her way out of the room, "I'll tell everyone you said hey."
The door closed behind her and I was left alone, covered in the flickering light from the flames. I ran my brush through my hair one more time. It flowed over my shoulder in a dark, shining, curtain. Caitlin wasn't kidding, that new conditioner worked wonders. I placed the brush on my dresser and stuck my ear buds in, turning the volume all the way up. I started sketching a figure in my notebook. My feet rested at the head of the bed and I was propped up on my left elbow where my feet should have been. After a while I began to recognize the eyes staring back at me, framed with side bangs, a beanie covering most of the hair. Upon seeing the beanie I bolted up and went to my dresser, extricating a similar beanie from the top drawer. I smiled to myself, I'd completely forgotten about Reid giving it to me. I put it on and looked at my reflection and laughed. It looked ridiculous on me. But it was warm and the room was a little chilly so I left it on. I laid back in the bed and rested my head on my left arm facing the wall. I was dozing slightly, music still pouring into my ears when someone grabbed my shoulders.
I screamed and grabbed the pen that was on top of my notebook. In a split second I had whipped around and made a motion to stab at whoever had grabbed me. My ear buds fell out as the attacker grabbed my wrist.
"Holy shit Aubrey." Reid looked panicked.
I dropped the pen and placed a hand over my fast beating heart.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" I smacked Reid in the shoulder as I plopped back down onto the bed. "And how did you get in here anyway?"
He sat to my right, eying me warily for more signs of attack, "I was coming to see if you were okay, you didn't answer and your door was open so I came in."
Was the door open? I could have sworn it was closed. I bit my lip, "Did the Gorgon see you?"
He smiled at my pet name for Ms. Goren, the supervisor of this floor, "Nope. I'm too slick for her. Nice hat." He snatched the beanie from my head at this last remark and held it up to evaluate it.
I smoothed my hair back down, "Yeah I guess you can have that back now."
He tossed it onto my desk, "I never did get my reward for that bet."
"It was a sucky bet."
"True but I do want something."
"And what would that be?"
He laid down on the bed, where I had been earlier. He put one of the ear buds in his ear, chose a song, and held the other out for me. I laid down beside him and popped the ear bud in. Draw Your Swords by Angus and Julia Stone began.
"See her come down, through the clouds So come on Love, draw your swords Cause you are, the only one I see them snakes come through the ground So come on Love, draw your swords Cause you are, the only one The only Cause you are, the only one The only one So come on Love, draw your swords The only"
I feel like a fool
I aint got nothing left to give
Nothing to lose
Shoot me to the ground
You are mine, I am yours
Lets not fuck around
Cause you are, the only one
They choke me to the bone
They tie me to their wooden chair
Here are all my songs
Shoot me to the ground
You are mine, I am yours
Lets not fuck around
Cause you are, the only one
Cause you are, the only one
The only one
The only one
The only one
Shoot me to the ground
You are mine, I am yours
Lets not fuck around
He was quiet until the song ended and then he turned down the sound of the next song so that it was purely background music, the words barely discernable.
"What I want is for you to tell me about yourself. Anything. Any small detail."
I took a few minutes to think about it before telling him about my home. "Well I live in a small town about two hours and twenty minutes from here. I live with my Dad and our two dogs. I can't even begin to describe how much I miss them. My parents got divorced when I was in middle school and my mom lives in the same town with her fiancé. My sister just graduated from college with a degree in Electronic Media & Film. She still lives with my dad though because she cant find a job. She's really unmotivated. Always waiting until it's too late to do things. Now she's thinking of going back to school, community college, because she doesn't know what she wants to do anymore."
At this Reid smiled, "So the opposite of you?"
"I guess."
"Tell me more. Did you leave any friends behind when you transferred in?"
I hesitated, "Not really. I wasn't too close with anyone from my middle school and then I got a scholarship to a private school about an hour from home so I had to start all over anyway. Then at the end of the year I requested to transfer here."
"Why?"
I bit my lip.
"You don't have to tell me if it's too personal."
"Well I got myself into some trouble. Nothing that would show up on my records but something that made it impossible for me to stay there anymore. When my parents got divorced I went a little crazy. I felt completely abandoned and alone. Most everyone from the high school knew I was a scholarship kid and that I didn't know anyone. I was amazed when a junior there took interest in me. I was an idiot," I smiled slightly at this and Reid frowned, "Let's just say he used my weaknesses and insecurities to wrap me around his finger. I was sure I was in love and that he cared about me but he didn't. He used me for his own entertainment. He loved watching me trip over myself to impress him, dress in ridiculous clothes and go to parties that I had no business being at. At one of them he got me drunk and convinced me to have sex with him. I didn't know at the time that his friends were videotaping it from inside the closet. I was mortified. They threatened to show everyone if I didn't do what they asked. So for a while I went along with it. I was their foot dog. I did their homework, took their open insults, and I hated myself. But then they spread it around anyway. The office heard about the tape but they could never find it. I think the boys burned it when they realized I'd gone to the guidance counselor. I didn't want to press charges, I just wanted to get out of there. So I transferred here."
It felt weird telling Reid about it. The only other person here who knew was Caitlin. I faced the wall, away from him, and felt his face press into my hair as he absorbed.
"Don't tell anyone please. I came here to start over."
He sat up suddenly and pulled the ear bud out of my ear. He placed the iPod on my desk and slipped his shoes on. He grabbed a sweatshirt off my desk and threw it into my lap. I looked at him curiously as I put it on and threw on the sneakers he'd put in front of me.
He held out his hand, "I want to show you something."
In a symbol of trust, as old as time, I put my hand in his.
….
I know I've put up a lot of chapters this week but I've had time off for Thanksgiving and felt motivated. Hopefully everyone likes it so far. I'm thinking of doing the next chapter in Reid's POV. R&R (: