Powering Through: A Sequel to Learning To Swim For Real

Chapter 25: Crappy New Year, Everyone

Jack somehow made it through Christmas, though what he really wanted to do was just sleep and swim. He and Jake drove Marian to the Stockton Amtrak station on Christmas Eve, with plans in place for Jack and Marian to see each other back in LA.

Christmas passed quietly enough, and Jack was glad to be with his family, who were kind and tactful. The presents that he knew had been bought by them for Kelsey disappeared from under the tree, and no one mentioned her name to him. Even his brothers, who loved to tease him about everything under the sun, knew to leave him alone. With this breakup, he had joined their ranks, he was one of them. And no one talked to him about it, though they all let him know they were available if he wanted to.

Two days after Christmas, he and Jake drove back to LA in Jack's car. Perversely, the weather had cleared, and the sky was a deep, crisp blue, the edges of the coast range and the snowcapped Sierras looking sharp and close enough to touch.

"Bro," Jake began, putting a comforting hand on Jack's knee. They were just south of Fresno, and Jake was driving the Prius, while Jack slouched against the door.

Jack looked over at his brother. "Yo," he responded.

"You can't let it keep getting you down, man," Jake finally said, squeezing his little brother's knee. "You still have half a year of school, championships, then finals--you have a lot coming up, you can't fall apart now."

"That's rich, coming from the guy who didn't get out of bed for a solid week when Kayla Mitchell broke up with him," Jack retorted, whacking Jake good-humoredly on the chest.

"Dude, that was different," Jake said with a laugh. "I was in high school, I was a kid." He looked at Jack with concern. "This is serious, I'm serious, Jack. You need to have your head in the game for the next six months. I'm so sorry about what happened, I really am. You were so happy, I could tell, we all could. I still can't believe it happened, to be honest. But you need to put it out of your mind." Jake took a deep breath.

"Was she your first, baby bro?"

Jack nodded.

Jake nodded back. "Yeah, we figured. Look, there's a lot to be said for having a grieving period and all that, but sometimes it helps to just get back up on that horse, you know?"

"Hold on, hold on," Jack interrupted, sitting up. "Is Kelsey supposed to be the horse in this scenario?"

"I'm just saying that you don't know because you don't have a lot of experience, but sometimes having a lot of good, anonymous sex is a good way to get over someone, that's all," Jake insisted.

This sounded counterintuitive to Jack, but he nodded his head, thinking about his brother's words.

He dropped Jake off at a friend's, where he was going to stay until New Year's, and drove to Zach's.

"Choir Boy Jack, hey," Zach said, pulling him into a bear hug. "How you holding up, man?"

Jack shrugged. "I've been better, man," he replied with a wry grin.

"Yeah, I hear ya," Zach answered, ruffling Jack's head in sympathy. "So, what's the plan? Do we need to get you moved out of the place or what?"

Jack shook his head. "No. I mean, yeah, we do, but there's no rush. Kelsey's going to be in Iowa until January fifth, so we can go after New Year's. That gives me time to find another place, too, you know?" Jack sighed, something he'd been doing a lot of lately.

"Man, this just blows," he admitted to his friend. "I never knew I could feel so bad."

"I know," Zach commiserated. "I would say let's get drunk, but you don't do that, so I guess it's video games and pizza, what do you say?"