“Figure anything out yet?” Tonia asks as we climb the steps to the ten meter.
It had been almost a week since the party and it was still a complete blur: I have no clue who I had spent that night with.
“I wasn’t with Alicia or Hannah, and obviously I wasn’t with Jack” I let out a deep sigh.
The more people I ruled out, the more afraid I got of finding out the truth. I was slowly running out of people that I knew.
“Are you sure you can’t tell me anything?” I ask hoping she suddenly gained more knowledge of that night.
“There’s nothing else I can tell you that you don’t already know. Sorry” she shrugs her shoulders.
“Hey chatty Cathys let’s get a move on it. Less talking more diving!” Andy yells up to us. He was in one of his moods today.
“Sorry Andy” the two of us yell down to him in unison. We both turn and look at each other giving the same ‘whoops!’ face.
“Don’t just say it, prove it to me.”
We both nod our heads once, not daring to say a word as we await our dive assignments. “I want an inward piked three and a half somersault from the both of you”
“Three…Two…One…” Tonia looks at me and gives a swift nod of her head, her blonde ponytail following the same flicking motion. “Go!”
And with that we jump from the platform’s edge and gracefully flip through the air holding our positions tightly. The pool’s water comes into view and I pull myself from the pike hitting the water with straight legs letting the rip tide pull me through.
As I surface from the water a feeling of relief washes over me seeing not only Andy’s smiling face, but everyone else’s awestruck ones. Everyone is continually looking back and forth between Tonia and me their jaws slacked open.
“I didn’t mean a synchronized dive, but-“Andy begins but is cut off by Chris who comes bolting over from the trampoline.
“That was insane! Since when are you guys doing synchro?” He asks, a look of shock still remaining on his face.
“Never” I begin to respond when Andy cuts me off and changes my answer.
“Since now” He says, his smile beaming proudly. “Ladies and gentlemen the new synchronized diving team of Miss. Couch and Miss. Mears.”
“Seriously!” Tonia and I squeal in unison instantly grabbing each other into a hug as we climb out of the pool.
It had always been a dream of mine to compete synchro with Tonia: I looked up to her so much. Up until now it had never happened because I never did synchro since everyone always concerned with me focusing on my individual events, and Tonia and Sarah have been partners for as long as I could remember.
“Yes and we need to get to work now. Olympic trails are a short while away and I really believe you two could do it. Both of your dives and your synchronization were directly on point, I’ve never seen anything like it before.” Andy says that smile still resting on his face; his mood was now clearly changed.
With that the two of us ran straight up the stairs excitedly awaiting our next dive assignments.
*
“Laci-Rae you’re going to have to let me go” Jack says only making me tighten my grip on him as we stand in the pool’s parking lot.
“Never.” I pout my lips at him. “Why do you have to go back to Leeds already” I whine. I absolutely hate when anyone leaves, especially now with Jack: I had grown so used to him being around all the time.
“Why do you care, I thought I was an ‘absolute knob’” he teases having to remind me of my drunken words.
“Can we never discuss that night.” I loosen my grip and shove him away from me.
“Hey, hey, hey, I’m kidding” He pulls me back into him. His arms wrap around my back, holding me so tight that he was basically crushing me; I didn’t even care if I couldn’t breathe, these were my last few moments with him for a while. “I know you didn’t mean it” he rests his chin on top of my head.
“Please stay longer” I beg slash mumble into his chest.
“You know I can’t, my mum and dad miss me I’ve already extended this trip longer than they expected.”
“I know, I know” I regretfully admit. “But still…” I trail off.
“Hey! Don’t be that way Laci-Rae. We will be together again before you know it, like Andy said earlier in training Olympic trials are right around the corner” He leans down and kisses me on the forehead.
“You’re right, you’re always right” I let out a slight sigh as a small smile breaks across my previously upset face. “Bye Jack” I squeeze him tightly one last time. He squeezes me tighter lifting me off the ground.
“See you late, Laci-Rae” he says as he puts me back onto the ground.
And with that Jack climbs into his car and drives away leaving me with the two goons who have been waiting in my car a few spots away.
Walking back to the car so many questions flood my mind. How was I going to function without Jack being around? Who am I supposed to hang out with now that Chris and Tonia were finally together and Jack just left me? But more importantly, why could I still not figure out what happened the night of the party?
