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Dedication: FlameANDrain14 for the amazing cover! Thank you!

Recap:

"You know, I could have said, sorry to see you sucked out there, non-transfer, but I chose to be polite." I snapped, not being able to walk out and not stand up for myself. "Just because I transferred here, doesn't make me a lesser person than you. Clearly, I'm nicer and a better swimmer. You really should just keep your ugly words to yourself, considering you don't have much else going for you."

Her mouth fell open as she stared at me. Giving her a big, enthusiastic smile back, I turned and strode out of the locker, feeling very accomplished with myself.

I came and I conquered.

And I'm here to stay.

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A satisfied smirk spreads across my face at seeing Grace Connaway written in neat, cursive writing.

I made it. I claimed my spot on the team.

My eyes travel down further to see who filled the sub position. Zach Bentley. I cock my head to the side. When we were in line to thank the judging panel after the swim tryouts, I heard the principal address the arrogant boy who first spoke to me, by the name Zach.

A little grin made its way onto my face as mentally cheered that the bleached ponytail girl didn't make it. She is a total cow.

"You haven't said anything for about a minute," Harvey stated, glancing down at his watch. "You sure you're feeling okay?"

I turn and beam at him. "I made it."

"I know. You knew you would."

"I'm on the Elite team." I breathe.

"Yes Grace, I think we've established that."

A squeal leaves my lips and I jump onto him. He staggers back, letting out an oomph sound. He chuckles in my ear as I grip him tightly.

"And that's the reaction I was waiting for," he laughs, hugging me back.

I step back, unable to wipe the smile from my face. "This is awesome."

"Totally," he said with fake enthusiasm. I roll my eyes. "You should call your mum."

My face fell instantly before I could control it. "She's probably busy."

"I'm sure she would appreciate the call," he assures me with a soft smile.

With a reluctant nod, I turn from him and withdrew my phone. I dial my mother's number and press the phone to my ear, although there were strict 'no mobile phones during school hours' signs plastered on every wall of the school.

Just as I was about to hang up, she answers. 

"What?" she snapped, sounding irritated. "What's wrong? Are you hurt? Why are you ringing me when I'm at work?"

"Er-" I stammer, sounding like an idiot. I clear my throat and straighten my spine as I feel the hairs bristle on my arms. "I made the team."

"What?" she asks distractedly.

It was obvious she had her phone pressed between her shoulder and her ear while she was occupied doing something else. She did this at home, too, when she was actually there.

"The swim tryouts were yesterday," I explain, my voice lacking the strength it had a few moments ago. "I made it."

"Oh, that's great," she said, her voice sounding slightly static. "No! Don't touch him, that's my patient." she barks out, her tone striking an authoritative tone. "Look, Grace, I have to go. That's great news, I knew you could do it. No! He's being prepped for surgery, don't touch him! Okay honey, bye!"

I blink a few times as my arm falls limply to my side. At least she said that she loved me. That was something I hadn't heard for a while.

"So?" Harvey nudged, materialising by my side. "How'd it go?"

"Great," I mutter, shoving my phone back in my pocket, the previous excitement from making the team dying pretty quickly. "Let's get to History before we're late."

He asks no further questions as he falls in step with me.

"You made the team," he reminds me as I had been silent ever since. My silence worried Harvey, considering I apparently 'don't ever shut up'. "That's amazing. I'm taking you out to celebrate, considering you bailed last night."

"I didn't bail," I say with an eye roll. "I was exhausted."

"Whatever, bailer," he mocks.

"Says you, I have to drag you out of your house because of your strict parents," I say with quotation marks.

"You can't use quotation marks in this situation," he points out. "It's suggesting I'm lying and it's true - you've met my mother. You know what she's like. It's twenty questions about anything I do!"

"Don't remind me," I say darkly, having a flashback to the horrible dinner I endured with his parents.

I stride into class and the first person I was see is Hayden, leaning back in his chair, doing something on his phone. Mia meets my eyes, as she sat next to Mike, a murderous look on her face.

I guess I'm not the only one who saw the tryout poster results.

Giving her a sweet smile in return to her scowl, I perch myself next to Harvey.

"They hate you," he murmurs.

"Yep."

"They're out to get you."

"Yep," I reply.

"You don't care?" he questions.

"Not one, little bit," I say confidently, casting a look toward Mia, who is still glowering at me, whispering something to Mike, not-so-subtly. "I'm not going anywhere."

***

"Now who is the one that's early?" I ask as I glance down at my watch.

Harvey said he would pick me up at 5:30. It was 5:15.

"I'm always early. It's an attractive trait," he winks.

"Who says?"

"Everyone."

"To you personally?" I tease.

"Shut up."

I laugh as I do the buckle of my sandal up.

"You'll need to bring socks," he announces as I grab my bag.

"Socks? Why?"

"Just bring some, okay?"

"Fine, Mr Mysterious," I mutter, jogging upstairs to grab a pair of socks.

After squishing them into the bag, resulting in my bag barely closing, I skip down the stairs and abruptly stop, half-running into Harvey in the process.

"Smooth," he comments, shaking his head at me.

"Like you can talk," I retort.

He let out a sigh. "Ready?"

"Yes sir."

After letting him through the door first, I lock it behind him.

As we drove to the Chinese restaurant, silence never lapsed between us. That's what I love about Harvey, he and I could have endless conversations about anything. There are never any awkward pauses or moments.

"Let's get take away and go sit near the beach," I suggest, pushing on the door, even though it said pull.

"Wow, you're off to a good start tonight," he laughs, reaching around me and pulling the door easily.

The girl at the counter turns quickly, but it is obvious she is laughing at me. I make a face at her as she turned, causing Harvey to crack up.

After ordering, we made our way down to the beach, the warm, delicious takeaway food heating up my lap.

"Here, hold this," he says to me, tossing me his keys.

He moves to the back of his car and pops the boot, withdrawing a picnic blanket.

"Aw," I coo. "Are we cute, or what?"

A blush warms his cheeks as he slams the boot shut, the sound echoing in the car park. We walked a short trek down a sandy, partly rocky track, until we reached a grassy glade. It wasn't very big, but there was easily enough space for the two of us to sprawl out comfortably.

After throwing Harvey's keys back to him, I shrug on my jacket, as he settles the picnic rug neatly over the grass. I collapse heavily with a huff.

As Harvey began loading up our plates, I take a moment to look out at the water. The sun is sinking into the horizon, leaving beautiful splashes of vibrant pink and orange behind it. It is truly breathtaking.

After taking a few snaps, I throw my phone down and dig into my Chinese. The air started to cool, making me thankful I grabbed my jacket.

"Thanks for this," I say to Harvey as we both had actually managed to shut up for five seconds and appreciate the view. "This is really sweet."

"I-It's what friends do," he splutters. "It's not a date."

"Harvey," I roll my eyes. "Shut up and take the compliment without making it weird."

"Sorry."

"And stop apologising for being weird."

"Sorry."

"My God," I mutter, shaking my head. "You're hopeless."

"Sor-" The word died from his lips after I flash him a warning look.

We both stared at each other before we burst out laughing.

I had hardly finished my last mouthful before Harvey began packing up.

"What's the rush?" I ask, my voice slightly whiny. "I want to look at the pretty sky."

"We have more plans," he urges, tugging at the rug as if that would make me get off it.

"I like looking at the sky."

"Great, you can do that whenever you want. Except now."

"Fine," I mutter, getting to my feet. "Grumpy bum."

"They shut at eight," he said.

"Who does?"

He didn't answer me as we began driving. I had grown significantly more comfortable being in the car with Harvey. He was a cautious driver and it eased my nerves considerably. I still felt slightly nauseous and gripped the door, but I wasn't experiencing overwhelming waves of anxiety as much. I hadn't felt this comfortable in a car for a long time.

He pulled into a car park and I peer out the window.

"Oh!" I exclaim, pressing my face to the glass as I used to when I was a child. "We're going tenpin bowling?"

"Yep!"

"I haven't done that for years!"

"Well, don't be too disheartened," he says as we pile out of the car. He tenses his biceps before patting them lovingly. "I come here quite regularly."

"Are you saying you're going to beat me?" I raise an eyebrow, accepting the challenge immediately.

He emphasises his strokes on his bicep. "Let my muscles do the talking."

"What muscles?" I joke. "I have bigger muscles than you."

"That's probably true," he admits, a hint of sadness in his voice.

After paying and getting our shoes, we stroll unhurriedly towards lane 4. I smirk. This was my swimming lane. I feel that was a stroke of luck.

We choose our bowling balls, mine being a dark, electric blue, while Harvey chose a fluoro orange ball that looked like one an eight-year-old would use.

As he was setting up our names, I picked up his ball. It was considerably lighter than mine and I let out an unladylike snort.

"Wow, way to show your masculinity," I banter.

"Don't judge yet!" he exclaims. "You haven't seen what I can do."

I sit on the tattered, plastic, green chair and wait for Harvey to go. He walks purposefully to the line, before doing a pathetic looking throw, almost tripping himself over in the process. He knocks down two pins.

"And you say you come here often?" I ask lightly, leaning back on my arm.

"Shut up," his cheeks flaring crimson. "I-I'm just warming up."

His next throw, his ball moved into the gutter.

"Alright," I say, getting to my feet. I grab my ball, a smirk on my face. "Watch and learn."

Striding towards the line, with as much confidence as I can muster, I roll it aggressively down the lane. It hit right in the center, knocking every pin down. I let out a cheer and perform a small dance, as the word strike lit up the screen.

"What!" he exclaims, his mouth hanging open. "How are you good at everything?"

"Naturally talented, what can I say?"

"This is so unfair," he huffs, grabbing his kid-like ball.

I let out a loud laugh.

By the end of the game, I hit the 100s, where Harvey managed to scrape into the 60s. I should have gone easy, to not bruise his ego, but my competitive nature came out as per usual.

"Well, that's the last time I'm taking you bowling," he complains.

"I'm sorry," I say with no hint of sympathy in my voice.

"You are not."

"You're right," I confess with a laugh. "I destroyed you."

"I destroyed you," he mimicks in a high-pitch, nasally voice.

"That sounds nothing like me."

"Sure it doesn't."

"I didn't peg you as a sore loser, Harv." 

"Oh please, like you can talk, Miss I-Wanted-To-Steal-Mia's-Timesheets."

If only he knew, I actually did get them. I just technically didn't steal them.

"That's different."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night."

I climb into his car and was satisfied with the somewhat calm feeling I had. This was great - being able to hop in a car and not risk having a panic attack.

His car pulled to a smooth stop at the front of my house.

"Thanks for the celebration evening," I say, clutching my bag. "Want to come in for a bit?"

"Nah," he replied. "Have to get home, it's almost 8:30."

"Oh, past your bedtime?"

"Strict parents!" he justified.

"Right, right, whatever," I laugh, sliding out of the car. "Thanks again. See you tomorrow!"

"See ya," he calls as I slam the door shut.

I freeze when I get to the porch. A bouquet of charming pink and white lilies is parked at my front door. When I pick them up, their soft scent wafting towards my nose. Attached to it is a small, pink card.

I pull it from the butterfly stick it was pinned to and open it.

Congratulations on making the team. I had no doubt that you would. I look forward to working with you more closely.

Sincerely,

AB.

AB...

Ashton Brennon. The Coach.

A small smile curved my lips as I press the card to my chest.

I have a feeling, I could be the Coach's number one.

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What did you think of Harvey and Grace spending time together? Do you think there's a chance romance could start, or do you think she's too preoccupied with the Coach?

And what do you think of Ashton sending her flowers?

Loved to know what you think! Please comment as much as you can and vote if you liked it!