Teagan
Ugh, too soon. Her dad was still out there somewhere, wasn’t he?
“Hey. What’s up?”
“I need a favor.”
Madison held up her hands. “Our parents might be bedfellows, but I don’t think we’re there just yet.”
Like she’d thought. Too soon. But not for this. “It’s for Cam. You can’t ask why—just know that I wouldn’t be asking if it wasn’t important. You saw what happened with him…?”
Madison cricked her neck, concerned. “What can I do?”
“I need you to put me on the same erg Cam raced on.”
It wasn’t the best plan in the world. But kind of like Cam, it was the only one she had.
After Madison fulfilled her part of it, Teagan headed to erg 10, adjusted her blister tape, pulled up one foot for a quad stretch.
Did the other side. Dropped into a lunge beside the erg and slipped the strip of blister tape she’d just pulled off into the flywheel.
The round disc that fed the steel chain attached to the rowing handle.
She strapped herself on to the erg, pushed out a couple gentle pulls, felt the tape connect as she’d hoped.
It was probably the stupidest thing she’d ever done.
And that was saying something considering she was surrounded by top rowers from Gravenhurst. A team she would’ve been part of if Cam hadn’t opened her eyes to what it really meant to be part of one.
He’d called it months ago when Quaid landed everyone in detention.
Sometimes you did things you wouldn’t normally do, to prove to your team you were one of them, that you had their back no matter what.
At least this wouldn’t be landing everyone in detention.
Aura points!
“All rowers—” came the announcement. “Pick up the handle.”
She’d worried she’d feel sick right now. Maybe actually be sick. But every part of her was playing along. Shoulders at the ready. Back straight. Arms and legs itching to feel the burn of exertion.
“Sit ready…” the race official called. “Attention… GO!”
Her strokes were strong, recovery beats a touch longer. She’d caught a glimpse of Coach before the race but hadn’t risked an actual look. Or at Madison, who had somehow convinced Cam to come and watch.
They were allies now.
She glanced at the leaderboard. Like Coach Hayden had said, she was riding the tails of the top two Gravenhurst rowers and the rower from Claremont. Her competitive streak kicked in, made her push harder, but she could feel more resistance in the cable with every pull.
Her heart was feeling it, the rest of her, too.
Lungs, legs, and arms burning. She dug deep, then dug in.
Had to push on even though she was beginning to hear the whine of ever-increasing tension coming from the flywheel as the tape dug in, gumming up what should be a smooth, steady cadence.
She didn’t bother looking at the leaderboard when the first Gravenhurst rower punched the air. Or the second.
Catch.
Drive.
Finish.
Recover.
Catch.
Drive.
Finish.
Recover.
And then it was over. She’d placed twelfth. She gave herself a minute to get her breath back, then put Phase Two of the plan into action.
Coach Hayden and a few of the racing officials were standing in a circle around the erg she’d ridden.
“What happened?” Cam asked.
She shook her head. “Something was wrong with the erg.” She didn’t chance a look at him. “It probably affected your race as well.”
Cam figured it out. “Teagan… what did you do?”
Note to self: Never play poker with Cam.
“Nothing.”
Coach jogged over. “Teagan, you were right. The judges determined there was an obstruction on the drive train. They’re taking the erg out of the rest of the heats.”
She ignored Cam’s look. And Madison’s. Kept her eyes on Coach’s face. Where they belonged.
“What about our scores?” Cam asked.
Coach Hayden shook his head. “You can’t race again today. You wouldn’t have the energy. But they’re going to strike the scores you had from the record.”
Cam’s reaction wasn’t exactly jubilant. But she could tell he wasn’t mad either. Madison shot her a grin from behind her dad. She was clearly a very wise girl. Hopefully they would be friends one day.
“I’m sorry, guys,” Coach Hayden said. “I know you wanted to impress the scout. But it is what it is. You’ll have a chance to re-row at a time set by the President of the Jury.”
“Okay.” It was more than she’d expected. A clean slate and a do-over. “Thanks, Coach.”
When Cam yanked her into a room, walls covered in Boy Scouts posters, he hadn’t done it to show his gratitude.
“What the hell, Teagan? You shouldn’t have done that.”
What? Saved his bacon? “You were about to throw away everything you worked for!”
“That was my choice! You shouldn’t have done this. Thrown away your chance to impress the scout.”
“That was my choice to make.”
He charged the wall and punched it, furious. “I told you to stay out of this.”
She was as pissed as he was now. She marched over and met him eye to eye. “You said there are more important things than rowing. You were right. You’re more important.”
The air felt charged. Popping with heat and tension. It was hard to tell if it was fueled by love or rage. Probably both. He moved in closer, like he was going to snarl something right up in her face… or kiss her?
She dipped her eyes, then lifted them to his again, hoping it would be a kiss.
“You need to stay out of my mess,” he snarled, then left the room, taking the oxygen in it with him.
He’d walked out on her twice now. Why couldn’t he see that all she’d been trying to do was show him that she cared?
Juliet was wrong.
Boys weren’t unnecessary.
They should be outlawed.