A/N: Sorry, this chapter is kind of short, but the next one will be great, I promise:)
********************************************
Today is the last day of summer. Most kids are probably celebrating their final hours of freedom by hanging out downtown or reading their favorite book. I, however, am crammed inside the tiny poolroom with the rest of my team. Cassi and Elliot stand before our tiny congregation, going over this year's plans, including our swim schedule and our swim buddies. The latter is a gift exchange that we do every year during swim season. You pick someone's name and get them cheap little presents that they neither need nor want. But, you have to do it anyway.
"So don't forget, first swim meet is not this weekend but the next!" Cassi's voice sounds like nails on a chalkboard, and the echoing room doesn't help. It's like I'm hearing eight Cassis at the same time.
"Everyone, come pick a name," says Elliot, shaking a sandwich bag toward us. Pieces of folded paper were shoved inside, nearly overflowing the small bag.
I remained on the bleachers, watching as everyone hounded over Elliot, as though picking first will get them a better swim buddy. Sarah and Keely charge forward, gently pushing their way through the mob. Though I don't know why, I can't help but notice as Sarah playfully runs her hand along Elliot's shoulder.
I haven't told anyone about our kiss, not even Cassi. For the most part, I remain silent because I know the kiss meant nothing, especially not to Elliot. He was just bored and I happened to be right there at his disposal. It's not like I played hard-to-get or anything, I just let him kiss me. I realize that's a horrible way to lose your first kiss, but at the moment I couldn't help myself.
The crowd finally disperses and heads toward the starting blocks, everyone already whispering their selecting buddy. Elliot smirks at me before walking my direction. I try to keep my face from blushing, but I don't think it's working. I probably look like an idiot.
"Too much effort to walk across the room?" teases Elliot. His smile grows larger, causing his dimples to deepen.
"Why walk when you don't have to?" I say, feeling my lips twitch.
"Fair enough," says Elliot, dipping the bag toward me. There are only three pieces of paper left: one for me, one for Elliot, and one for Cassi. I glance toward her, but she's turned in the opposite direction, gesturing to Jenna from across the pool.
I heave a sigh of relief before stretching my hand into the bag. I glare at the name for a moment, begging for it to change.
"Any chance I can redraw?" I ask, sticking my bottom lip out?
"Why? Who'd you get?" asks Elliot.
"If I told you, I'd have to kill you," I say with a groan. I really, really don't want to be 'swim buddies' with this person, but I can't tell Elliot that.
"Sorry, no name, no redraw," says Elliot with a cheeky grin.
"Oh, come on," I say, leaning forward and batting my eyelashes. "Pretty please?"
"Sorry beautiful, no can do." Elliot taps my nose and walks away, as though he didn't just cause my heart to explode in my chest. He seriously needs to stop complimenting me before I have a heart attack and die.
I know he's just being a stupid player. I've never been called beautiful in my life, except maybe by my mom when I was little. That doesn't really count though. All I know is that someone like him would never think someone like me is beautiful. It just doesn't work like that. He's just trying to play with my emotions by giving me fake compliments...Unfortunately, it's totally working. I'm still staring at him when Coach screams at me to 'get moving and get swimming'.
"I saw you talking to Elliot again today," says Cassi.
I almost have to choke back a laugh. Lately, Cassi hasn't been very subtle when it comes to her jealously. And though it's almost impossible to admit it, she kind of has a right to be. Not because Elliot is flirting with me or anything, but he doesn't pay her much attention at all. They still hang out in the same group, but all of her desperately obvious attempts to flirt with him always go unreciprocated. Not that I've been watching them or anything. All I know is that he talks to me more than her, and that's enough to piss Cassi off.
After a moment, I say, "He was just having me draw a swim buddy."
"Who did you get, by the way?" she asks.
"Alex," I try my best not to sound disgusted. I really wanted to avoid him as much as possible. Apparently that's not going to happen.
"I swear; that's fate." Cassi claps her hands together, and then adds, "I got my ex-boyfriend."
I'm not sure which one she's referring to, so I don't say anything. I really hope Cassi is done with this conversation, but she starts up again after a few moments.
"Are you sure you were just drawing a swim buddy? You seemed kind of flirty to me." This time, Cassi's using her I'm-just-a-curious-big-sister-who-is-eager-to-hear-about-my-sister's-love-life-voice. Yeah, I'm not falling for that.
"Cassi, I don't even know how to flirt." That's not a lie, so I don't have to feel guilty about it.
Cassi makes an unconvinced sound in her throat, but drops the subject nonetheless. She leans forward, squinting her eyes as they travel over the computer screen. The school schedules were posted two weeks ago, but we're just now looking at ours. We aren't exactly too eager to be going back to school, especially not me. It isn't that I despise learning or anything; I just hate all the people there. And despite my hopes of changing, I know this year will be as sucky as every year before it.
"Here they are!" shouts Cassi, nearly blowing out my eardrum. She clicks a few buttons until the printer fires up and starts printing our schedules.
"We have math together," I say. Cassi hates when we have classes together for two reasons. According to her, it makes her look stupid to have her younger sister in the same class.
"That's awkward." Cassi purses her lips together. She breathes a sigh of relief when she realizes we don't have science together like last year.
"Only one class, that's not too bad."
I hop from the computer desk and head into the living room to text Keely and Sarah. They've been begging me to send my schedule so we can compare classes.
"Yes!" Cassi's voice echoes from the computer room, just before she bounds into the living room with a triumphant smile. "Look at this!"
Before I know what's happening, Cassi chucks her phone at me. It smacks against my shoulder before bouncing to the ground. I ignore Cassi's annoyed glare as I read over the text. My heart sinks a little when I see it's from Elliot.
"What am I looking at?" I ask, though I already know. He sent her his schedule. I guess they talk more than I thought. If they text each other, I'm guessing they're a whole lot closer than he and I are. My eyes slide sideways at Cassi, wondering whether they've kissed. No. Cassi would've told me the second it happened.
"It's his schedule!" shrieks Cassi with a wide grin. "We have English and art together!"
"Wow, that's great." I say with a smile. It's a genuine smile too, though not for the reason Cassi suspects. Elliot and I have the same science class. I want to tell Cassi this, but I bite my tongue.
"I know. I tell you, it's fate!" Cassi skips out of the room, probably to go pick out her first day of school outfit.
I stare after her, silently fuming. I seriously need to give up my Elliot obsession, but it's impossible when he's just so...Elliot.
Suddenly, my phone pings. I look down, expecting to see a text from Sarah or Keely, but instead an unfamiliar number flashes across the screen. I tap on the unopened message and let out a slight squeal, though I know it's pathetically girlish to do so.
'Hey Finn! It's Elliot Parker from swim I got your number from Alex Just wondering what your schedule is'
I stare at the message for much longer than necessary, trying to decode all the possible meanings within his words. I realize a few things. One, Alex somehow has my number, even though I never gave it to him. Two, Elliot went out of his way to get my number. And three, Elliot wants to know what I have for a schedule. That must be good, right? I decide it has to be.
I text back: 'Hi Elliot:) Here's my schedule...what's yours?'
I quickly type out my schedule before sending the message. It takes less than a minute for him to reply, which I also take as a good sign.
'We have science and lunch together! We'll have to go out sometime:)'
He wants to go out with me to lunch sometime. It takes a moment for this to sink in, and then I giggle like a love-struck girl. I know I'm being stupid and reading into this too much, but I don't really care. All I know is that Elliot Parker wants to go out to lunch with me.