Coming Up for Air by Nicole B. Tyndall

Author:Nicole B. Tyndall [Tyndall, Nicole B.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2020-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

“Yes! Go Braden!” I’m on my feet the second he dives off the starting block. It takes only moments before he glides ahead of the other swimmers, and he doesn’t come up for air until almost halfway across the pool. “Yes!” I shout again as he finally breaks the surface.

Greg is yelling to be heard over the cheering crowd. “So they really just go back and forth? I thought they might step it up after their little break. I mean, at least the divers looked cool.”

This is my friends’ first meet, and Greg said this same thing at the start of each race. I thought he got it out of his system during the first half, but apparently not. My guess is that he didn’t love his girlfriend’s wide eyes when she first saw the team in their uniforms.

Becca interjects, “Well, I think it looks impressive as hell. I don’t even like to get my hair wet.”

“Thanks, Bec.” I redirect my attention to Greg, a little annoyed he needs to object quite so often. “And yes, for the millionth time, they swim back and forth. I’d like to see you try it. Especially fly—it’s by far the hardest.”

“This is fly?” Ty asks.

I elaborate without moving my eyes from the swimmers. “Yes, this is the butterfly. The race he won earlier was freestyle. Which is easier, but Braden’s times are superfast. And not every swimmer has two strokes.”

Ty teases, “Oh, so you’re hip to the lingo now?”

“When your boyfriend holds the school record for the hardest stroke, you remember what it’s called,” I retort.

“I’m real tempted to make a joke about all of Braden’s stroking,” Greg says.

Ty chokes on his laughter, and I shoot Greg a sharp look.

Greg puts his hands up. “I won’t.” Then he starts to ramble, “But you can’t just keep repeating the words hard and stroke and expect nobody to pick up on it.” Becca puts a hand on his arm. He takes the hint and stops talking.

Becca wisely changes the subject. “Ty, I’m still thinking about that third equation on the math section. Do you remember what your answer was? Because I think I marked A, but now I’m doubting myself.”

We took the ACT last week, and Becca has been reliving it ever since. Unsurprisingly, we’re all starting to lose our patience.

Ty sighs. “Becca, my answer is the same as the last ten times you asked me: I don’t remember. There were a lot of questions.”

“Okay, I know. But the average U of M student got a thirty-one on their ACT, and I swear to god if that one equation stops me, I’m going to lose my mind.”

“Are you sure you haven’t already started?” Ty asks innocently.

Greg tries not to laugh, but then turns to soothe her. “Becca, I’m sure you got it right. You’re the smartest person I know.”

She ignores him and talks to Ty. “Okay, I’m doing that thing that I do, I know, but I can’t help it, okay? And I

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