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It's not even like Allison is trying to show off today, but as it happens her breaststroke is looking quite exceptional, if Laura's whistles are any indication. And okay, maybe she's finished her laps in record time, but that has absolutely nothing to do with her trying to impress Toby. Like, at all. Whatsoever.
Coach Drachmann blows her whistle, awarding the team with a good-natured smile and a "hit the showers, ladies!"
Allison plunges underwater, propelling herself forward and successfully reaching the end of the pool where Toby and Laura wait.
She emerges gasping, inwardly hoping to find Toby's eyes on her. She's greeted with a disappointing sight: Toby staring down at a large pile of notes strewn before him.
She drags herself over the lip of the pool, springing to her feet and wringing her hair out.
Laura gives her one final whistle. "You killed it out there, Allison!"
"Thanks," she says, smiling.
Laura jostles Toby with her elbow.
He looks up, as if just now realizing he's at a swim meet. "Oh, right. Yeah, you were great, Allison," he says, eyes lingering on her bare legs a second too long before jerking guiltily back down to his notes.
"Thanks," she says quietly. "I'll be right back. I'm gonna go shower and change..."
"I think some of us here would prefer your current attire." Laura's smirk only intensifies when Toby's eyes flit back to Allison's legs then away again. "But you go do that."
"I will," Allison says lamely.
(She doesn't.)
Because before she can strip out of her suit and crank on the (disgustingly frigid) shower water, she receives an unexpected text message from a certain redhead.
11.02, Lydia Huntington: Reed.
11.02, Allison Reed: Yeah?
11.04, Lydia Huntington: I need you.
11.04, Lydia Huntington: Emergency.
11.04, Lydia Huntington: Come quick.
11.05, Allison Reed: Im on my way
11.06, Lydia Huntington: I'm*
11.06, Allison Reed: Jesus fucking Christ Lydia
11.09, Lydia Huntington: You found the time to capitalize the Lord's name, but couldn't properly punctuate 'I'm.'
Allison doesn't have time to answer Lydia, much less change out of her suit, so she shoves her toes into some rubber flip flops and squelches her way out of the change rooms, where Laura and Toby are packing up and seem to be bickering over which city the producers of Avenue Q chose to play in as opposed to touring the country.
"Las Vegas," Allison says without sparing the duo a glance on her way to the exit.
"What –" Laura calls after her, but Allison cuts her off.
"Don't ask."
"Where are you going?" Toby calls after her, and it's totally Allison's imagination making his voice sound disappointed.
YOU ARE READING
Torch Song
Teen Fiction"A torch song is a sentimental love song, usually one lamenting unrequited love. Typically (but not always) sung by women." Everyone is in love with Allison Reed.
