Chapter Seventeen
November, fourteen years ago
Jackie
Jackie pulled up the zipper of her sweatshirt, shifting in the uncomfortable plastic chair.
The temperature in the swimming center was normally all right, but she’d been feeling a bit shivery.
Hopefully, she wasn’t coming down with a cold.
Not that there was ever a good time to be sick, but she was racing on Saturday in a small rodeo.
She sniffed, the stench of chloride tickling her nose, and flicked a page in the thick chemistry textbook open in her lap. “I hate chemistry.”
Lyla sighed by her side. “That makes two of us.”
“I can’t believe final exams are next month.”
“At least we get a week off for Thanksgiving.”
Jackie groaned. “So we can study some more. Ugh.”
“Speak for yourself. I’m not planning to open my notes at all when I’m home. My plan’s to re-watch Gilmore Girls and drink as many pumpkin spice lattes as I can.”
“I guess we should enjoy the holidays while we can. Once we’re in med school, it’ll be insane,” Jackie mused.
“Imagine if we get into the same med school. That’d be so fun.” Lyla shuffled on her chair and gestured to herself. “Lyla Sokolnik, OB-GYN.” She flicked one of her hands in the air. “Jacqueline van Moetlier, pediatric surgeon.” Her other hand moved up too. “The dream team.”
Laughter stormed Jackie’s throat. “You deliver the babies, and I fix them later if they need surgery?”
“Sure. Unless I can convince you to choose neonatology, that’d be even cooler.”
A high-pitched whistle tore through the air filled with the noise of rippling water.
Jackie looked up, her eyes finding Mitch right away in the third lane.
He’d kicked off the wall, sliding through the water.
He had a competition this weekend, and it seemed like they both had been crazy busy lately, between classes, studying and their respective training schedules.
Wednesday evenings had fast become their “thing”; she’d come to watch his swimming practice in the late afternoon while studying, and they’d meet up after.
Her earlier concerns about coming across as a bit too eager or obsessed if she came to watch his practice had disappeared faster than they’d materialized.
Her skin also didn’t prickle every time she saw the pool now. Maybe she could really conquer her fear of open water. Some day.
“Thanks for coming with me. It can get a bit lonely when I’m here on my own,” Jackie said.
Lyla shrugged, scribbling something in her notebook. “It’s all right. Things we do for friends and all that.” A smirk curved her lips. “How are things with Aquaman going anyway?”
Jackie snorted a laugh. Lyla loved comic books and the moment she’d met Mitch, she attached the nickname to him without further explanation. “I told you not to call him that.”
Lyla tutted. “He said he doesn’t mind.”
“He was trying to be nice because you’re my friend.”
Lyla closed the notebook and set it aside on an empty chair next to her. She put her elbows on her knees, leaning forward. “Do you know that guy’s name?”
Jackie squinted in the direction Lyla was indicating.
It was hard to tell the swimmers apart when they were in the pool, or maybe it was something only she struggled with.
The guys were all broad-shouldered and muscular.
With their hair hidden underneath trademark Texas Longhorns’ swim caps and eyes shielded by black goggles, they all looked the same to her.
Except Mitch. She could always find him.
“I’m not sure which one you mean,” she replied.
“The tall one with a fully shaved head.” Lyla took her lower lip between her teeth. “I’ve seen him around and think I might like an introduction.”
“What about—”
“We broke up,” Lyla said in a clipped voice. “She drunkenly sent me a text meant for her side piece.”
Jackie winced. “I’m sorry, Lyla.”
Lyla waved her sympathy away. “It’s fine. We’d been growing apart since graduation. Who was I kidding, thinking we could do long distance between Austin and Boston? It was never going to last.”
“Still. It sucks,” Jackie tried again. “Though I’m not sure if I could do long distance myself.”
“Yeah, it’s not great. Wouldn’t recommend.” Lyla turned, a slow smirk reappearing on her lips. “You and Mitch are the couple everyone’s talking about, though.”
Jackie bristled. “People talk about us?”
“Didn’t you know? Matthias from calculus is even hedging bets on how long you’re going to last.”
Her stomach plummeted. “Matthias is a dick.”
It had been about three months since they got together. She knew it wasn’t that long, but everything between them felt so right. Well, almost everything.
“Face it, Jacks. You’re the golden couple,” Lyla stated.
“I’ve always hated that term.”
Lyla elbowed her side, a twinkle in her eye. “So, how are things? If you entertain me, I might even stop calling him Aquaman.”
Another whistle signaled the next round of whatever the heck they were doing down there in the pool.
Jackie chewed on her bottom lip, considering the offer. She kind of wanted to speak with someone about it, see if she was maybe exaggerating or missing something. Lyla was still a relatively new friend, but they’d grown closer than Jackie had ever been before with another girl her age.
She glanced at her wristwatch. There was only about ten minutes left of practice. Enough time for a brief lowdown. “He’s great. We’re great. Only …” She paused, the words not rolling off the tongue.
Lyla leaned in. “Only what?”
Jackie drew in a sharp inhale, the words tumbling out of her on one exhale: “We haven’t had sex yet.”
Lyla’s head jutted back. “You haven’t? But I’ve been staying in the library longer on purpose to give you privacy. You’re telling me my valiant efforts have been wasted?”
Heat travelled in a slow wave across her cheeks. Her fingers twitched, finding the sweatshirt’s zipper and pulling it halfway down her chest. “We’ve … made out a lot. That’s always been great. But we haven’t gone beyond second base.”
“Is there something physically wrong with him?”
“What? No!” Jackie exclaimed. “At least, I don’t think so.”
“Maybe he’s a virgin,” Lyla supplied with a shrug. “You told me he hasn’t had a girlfriend before, right? It’s not really that uncommon.”
Jackie swallowed. Could that be it? Now that Lyla mentioned it, it made sense. Maybe. “But why wouldn’t he tell me?”
“Oh, come on, Jacks. He’s probably embarrassed.”
“Why? There’s nothing wrong with it. We’re only eighteen. I bet more people in our year are virgins than not.”
Lyla pursed her lips smugly. “Not me.”
“Not me either, but still. We’re probably in the minority.”
“It’s not like people go around advertising stuff like that. If I were you, I’d have an honest chat with Mitch. Provided you want to sleep with him, because if you don’t—”
“Of course I do,” Jackie interrupted. “I … We …” Her cheeks heated, again.
Lyla glanced at her and drew back. “Oh, my fucking god. You’re in love with him.”
Jackie scoffed. “No, I’m not. It’s way too early for that.”
Lyla rolled a strand of her platinum blonde hair over her index finger, tilting her head, delight spreading over her features. “You liar! You so are.”
Jackie’s cheeks burned now. She cleared her throat, the confession slipping off her tongue. “I might be.”
Lyla squealed, throwing her arms around Jackie. “Aww that’s so cute! I better be the maid of honor.”
“Haha. Very funny. No one’s getting married, get over yourself, Lyla.”
“No one’s getting married yet,” Lyla corrected her. “We have college, then med school, but mark my words, once we’re residents—”
Jackie elbowed her side. “You’re a menace.”
Laughter and chatter erupted, bouncing off the tiled walls as the swim team got out of the water.
Jackie closed her textbook, slipped it inside her backpack and pushed her palms flat over her knees.
Mitch tore the goggles and swim cap off his head, droplets of water dripping off his damp blond hair that was looking much darker than when dried. He shook his head and looked up, his gaze shooting straight to the stands and focusing on her.
Water trickled down from his chiseled chest and arms, but she watched his Adam’s apple bob up and down. He ran his hand through his hair, shaking the water off some more.
Jackie smiled, raised her hand and waved to him.
He smiled back, soundlessly mouthing, “I’ll see you outside?”
She nodded, her heart prancing happily inside her chest.
A chuckle coated Lyla’s deep sigh. “Girl, you’re in so deep.”
Jackie turned and mockingly narrowed her eyes at her friend. “Shut up. Or don’t you want an introduction to that guy?”
“Fine. Let’s go.” Lyla let Jackie take her hand and pull her up, guiding her all the way back to the lobby.
They didn’t have to wait long for Mitch.
“Well, hello, Aquaman.” Lyla put her hand on her hip, as he approached them, bag slung over his shoulder. “Good training. Caltech team should shudder with fear ahead of Saturday.”
Jackie sighed. “I told you not to call him that.”
Mitch’s brow shot up, an amused smirk curling his lips. He came to Jackie’s side and put his arm around her waist, kissing her temple. “I don’t mind. As long as it is only you, Ly.”
Lyla stuck her tongue out. “See, Jacks? Your beau doesn’t mind.”
Jackie pushed her hand into Mitch’s sweatshirt pocket, resting her head against his chest. “I regret the day we started hanging out together and you became friendly.”
“I wouldn’t say we’re friendly, we sort of …” Lyla eyed Mitch.
“Tolerate each other,” Mitch offered.
Lyla clapped her hands. “Exactly! That’s it.” She took a step toward them, lowering her voice. “Speaking of, can you introduce me to your teammate? The clean-shaved, tall guy with the hoop earring?”
“You mean Nick?” Mitch asked.
“Yeah, he’s hot and I’m newly single, so …”
Jackie chuckled. She drew away from Mitch, reaching for his hand. Warmth shot through her spine as their fingers linked. “Please, introduce them or else she’ll become unbearable.”
Lyla scoffed. “Oh, please. Plenty of fish in the sea. And when you swim in both seas … well, let’s just say the pool’s even bigger.”