Mer Tales 01 - Everblue

through my earbuds, I waited for the race and played solitaire.
    Georgia knew not to bother me and an hour later, she lightly knocked on my hooded head. “Time to go.”
    I nodded, grabbed my necessary stuff, and headed toward the blocks. I’d already decided to keep my eyes low and avoid contact with anyone, especially my rival, Meredith.
    I chanted my zone pep talk as I sat in the seats behind lane four. But from the corner of my eye, I saw Meredith next to me and heard her teammates wish her luck. Just her very presence bombarded my confidence.
    “ You okay, honey?”
    I looked up to see Mom, relief flooding me. “I’m nervous.”
    “ Would you like to pray real quick?”
    I nodded.
    She bent down and whispered in my ear. “Dear Lord, calm Ashlyn’s nerves and help her swim her very best. Amen.”
    Peace filled my spirit. “Thanks, Mom.”
    She smiled as I stood and patted me on my butt, like she’d done before every race since I started swimming at age six. “Go get ‘em, Lanski.”
    “ . . . in lane three, Hamusek. In lane four, Lanski. In lane . . .”
    The announcer’s voice sent my heart hammering. I slipped on my goggles and stepped up onto the block. The timer stood next to me, stop clock in hand.
    I glanced over at the stands to find my family. Gran waved and nudged Lucy, who conveniently yawned. To my complete surprise, someone with a familiar blue baseball cap and STHS jersey sat next to Dad—Callahan! They both grinned and nodded at me. Dad gave the big thumbs-up. My mouth fell open, my nerves on overload.
    “ Swimmers, take your mark.”
    I snapped my head around toward the starter and leaned over. The gun popped. I was airborne. The second I hit the water, a million things flashed through my mind: Senior Ball, Fin, the make-up incident, the last time I saw Tatchi, the weirdo at her house, Meredith’s face when she’d hit the wall before me last time. I couldn’t stop the barrage which gave Meredith time to get a half a body-length ahead.
    I panicked and took an extra breath.
    Dear Lord, help me .
    Something settled within and I found my rhythm in the current. Up and over my hips followed my butterfly stroke, the crowd’s roar filling my ears at each breath. Coach’s voice rang out clear over everyone else.
    “ Go, Lanski, go!”
    Courage surged through my veins as I finished another lap. I’d caught up and we were neck and neck, flying through the water like dolphins.
    I need this. I want this.
    One more lap to go. I raced with all my heart, kicking with burning legs and aching lungs. I refused to lose time by taking unnecessary breaths, gaining a tiny lead.
    This is it.
    Both of us slammed into the wall. I popped my head out of the water to scan the board. The quiet hush covered the stadium like a blanket of fog.
    “ And first place goes to . . . my, this is unusual.”
    With heavy breaths, I felt my pulse continue to hammer on. Who won already? They never took this long to call a race.
    “ Ladies and gentlemen,” the announcer said, sounding baffled, “this is a first . . .”
    Two matching times popped up on the board next to our names.
    “ . . . a new record and a tie!”
    My eyes bugged out of their sockets, imagining my name on the record board in the gym hallway. Meredith turned and moved toward the lane rope, holding out her hand.
    “ Good race, Ashlyn.”
    I shook it. “Yeah. Good race.”
    “ Lanski!” Coach called out with a huge grin. “Great race! I knew you had it in you!”
    She put her hand down and pulled me out of the water. Her rapid-fire pats on my back sent splatters of water all over her clothing.
    “ You did awesome!” Georgia handed me my swim jacket before accosting me with a hug. “And broke a record!”
    I stood there, shaking from the evaporated adrenaline in my body and took a deep breath. “I guess this is better than second, right?”
    “ Heck yeah!” Georgia said, jumping up and down. “You broke a record!”
    I looked around, still in shock, when the stroke-and-turn judge asked me to move aside. The next race was starting.
    Then I saw him. Callahan walked toward me, escorted by my whole family. Our eyes met and he smiled, weakening my knees. He looked amazingly sexy and oh so kissable in his baseball hat.
    One big event down. One more to go.
    I held my breath, ready for the onslaught, wondering what kind of impression my family left on him and why he didn’t call the night before. I’d soon find out.

20
FIN

    “ Before you