The Deal With Byrd and O'Neill

Chapter 9

Cody

"Did I do the right thing with Mason?" I asked Britt, nervously playing with the handle of my bag.

Britt gave my back a pat, and gently took my bag from me, throwing it in the back of the van. "Think about it tomorrow, after the meet," she said gently, but a firm kind of gentle.  

"Yes, you're right of course."

I watched her, Benjamin and Dylan also throw their bags in. We'd decided to travel together along with the coach. Luckily, the regionals weren't held too far away. Only an hour drive. My parents would be there too, though, I'm glad they weren't in the van with me. They got twice as nervous as I did, and I don't think I would've liked to listen to my dad babbling or my mom fussing. Besides, coach Carta already had enough nerves for all of us. Although he would never admit it, the vein on his forehead told the story for him.

I wish Mason was here. He was always good company before a race. He made me laugh and relax with his quick remarks and dimpled smile. He was calm and lighthearted, except for when he was cheering me on from the stands when I won. I always listened for his whistling, which I'd recognize out of millions.

I guess I'd have to do without Mace today. Which was my fault. I didn't ask him to come, and I didn't give him a chance to agree on coming by keeping my phone shut off. Still, I'd half expected him to turn up at the pool anyway. He'd been at every major competition I'd ever swam...I'd be weird not to have him there. 

Coach Carta clapped his hands. "Alright everyone ready to go? Get in the van."

"Ooh, did you put candy for us in there?" Benjamin asked, hopping in first. 

I laughed, about to climb in after him when I heard tires screeching. An extremely old looking, about to fall apart, car came racing onto the parking lot, stopping right next to our van. There was literally smoke coming out of it.

"What the-?" Benjamin asked, poking his head out of the van to get a closer look. He narrowed his eyes. "Aren't those people Mason's friends and brother?"

The doors of the old car opened. Noel, Zoey and Yue stepped out, and they looked really, really mad. Especially Zoey resembled a battering ram, about to bash someone.

"Whoa whoa whoa!"

Coach Carta immediately sprung into action when the three came barging at us, standing in between us and the angry battering rams. "You're going to calm down and leave. Whatever issues you have with my kids, it's going to wait until after the meet."