THE TALES OF Chase's little early morning streak spread like wild fire through the school. There was no surprise really and it made me laugh everytime I heard girls giggling about it in the bathrooms.
I could feel the vibrations of my phone in my jacket pocket as I pushed through a crowd of students on my way to the Gymnasium. I reach inside the pocket and retrieve the device. I smile when I read the name of the caller, my heart instantly warming.
"Hey, mom." I greet into the phone.
"Oh my, darling. I haven't heard your voice in eons, how are you?" She exclaims, her voice light and happy as always. I hadn't spoken to her since the first day I arrived here. My mom and I are extremely close, and not speaking to her for over a week felt really weird.
"I'm great, but the more important question is how are you feeling?" I question into the phone, side stepping a few people through the crowded halls. It was always the most imporatnt question when ever she called.
"I'm good, Hay. I'm really good." She answers and she genuinely sounded happy. I smile into the phone. "Oh! I almost forgot to tell you. I sent a package to you not long ago with a few more necessities like underwear, socks and a few books I thought you'd enjoy reading. I also added a few of those polaroid pictures you used to take so you can put them up on your wall like those girls do from pintwitter or whatever it's called."
I laugh as I adjust the strap of my bag on my shoulder, "Thanks Mom."
I feel the weight of an arm around my shoulder and glance up, slightly startled, at Noah who was grinning down at me.
"Who's that?" He questions queitly, his eyes glancing at the phone pressed to my ear.
"My mom." I tell him, moving the phone away from my mouth slightly.
"Oh." Noah nods before, "Hi Hayden's mom!"
"Sorry, that was just Noah." I apologise to my mother's ears through the phone, knowing they had just been bombarbed with Noah's loud voice.
"He sounds lovely." Mom replies while giggling slightly, "Well, I'll let you go. I'll call you later."
"Okay." I breathe heavily, "I love you, Mom."
"Love you too, my sweet darling." She replies before I hang up, sliding my phone into the pocket of my denim jacket and glance to my other side to see Levi walking beside me. He gives me a small smile, almost nonexistent but I'm still counting it.
"You missed something extraordinary just before, Hay." Noah starts as Levi rolls his eyes and groans, "Levi actually apologised to a girl who he ran into by mistake."
"Wow, great job Levi!" I congratulate him as we high-five like total dorks. But Levi apoligising was worth celebrating, weirdly enough.
"Well, he kinda screamed it and scared the girl shitless but still." Noah shrugs with a proud little grin as Levi glances down at his black doc martins. Levi was the only one of the trio to have the best fashion sense which Noah strongly disagrees with.
I nudge his arm with my elbow, "It's still progress."
"Hey, where are you going Hayden?" Levi questions, startling both Noah and myself. We slowly glance at each other before our gazes rotate back to Levi who was looking at us like we had just arrived from another planet.
"Did Levi just take interest in your plans?" Noah splutters, placing a hand on my arm as if to brace himself for something.
I nod slowly, "I believe so."
"I think I'm going to cry." Noah sniffles, wiping an imaginary tear from his blue eyes.
"Ha ha, you guys are so funny." Levi sarcastically laughs as he flips both middle fingers at us.
I chuckle cheekily and gesture to the duffle bag hanging from my shoulder, "I'm going to swim a few laps during lunch with some of the girls from the swimteam."
Levi and Noah walk with me to the Gymansium and we stop just outside in the small courtyard. I say goodbye to them and promise to meet up with Noah after school at the library so we could study before turning and walking through the doors. As I near the pool, I see a group of girls waiting outside the glass doors.
I frown in confusion as I near them, "What's going on?"
They all turn around, distress and annoyance on their face. The group splits and I notice one of the security guards who regularly warden the pool, Trevor, standing in front of the door with his arms folded over his chest.
"Trevor won't let us in." Maddy complains with a heavy sigh as she gestures to the guard.
"I'm sorry ladies, but I can't let you in. The chlorine levels are just too high." He explains as I try to glance over her shoulder to see a a machiene currently draining the large lap pool.
I press further, "What do you mean the chlorine levels are too high?"
"Someone called in complaining about it. The water has been tested and deemed too high, unfortunately." Trevor explains with a small shrug as a strew of dissapointed sighs ripples through the small group of females.
"How long will it take?" I question, eager to get in and start swimming.
He shrugs once more, "I don't know. Maybe a couple days."
Cue the heavy sighs again.
We all turn around and Maddy walks by my side. She was a sophmore and is incredibly at Butterfly stroke. She locks her arm with mine and the other girls follow behind as we make our way down the hall towards the exit.
"I don't understand." She mumbles as I glance at her, "We had training this morning and the pool was fine."
"Someone must've added chlorine to the pool." Another girl perks up as everyone hums in agreement.
Sasha shakes her head, "Why the fuck would someone do that?"
It was as if a light bulb went off in my head and I lifted my chin.
"I know damn well who." I answer as I fasten my pace in search of the culprit.
I find him fairly easy, lying on the grass bank surrounding the large lake. Levi and Noah sat with him as well as two other senior girls from my year. I march up the bank, the swim girls following behind me quickly.
I kick his foot to get his attention and he lifts the dark sunglasses covering his eyes, "Was it you?"
"Was what me?" Chase questions as he props himself up on my elbow.
"Did you add chlorine to the pool?" I question, folding my arms. Chase gazes up at me with that damn blank expression and mysterious hazel eyes. He then shrugs, places the sunglasses back on his eyes and lies back. I huff and kick his foot once more, "Answer my question, Everett."
"What's the problem, Jones? There's a lake." He mumbles without even looking at me and I glance at my shoulder at the dark blue body of water behind me. I turn back to him, dropping my arms to my side and smirk down at him.
"You're right." I retort before turning around and pushing through the small group of girls. I jog slightly down the grass bank and across the pebbled path circling the lake.
A small wooden jetty protruded out over the water and I march over it, the wooden plans creaking under my weight. By the time I got to the edge, a small group of students had accumulated around the shore of the lake.
I drop my bag to the surface of the jetty, a dull thud echoing as I continue to kick off my converse and socks. I pull my jacket, dropping it to the ground before unbuttoning my blouse and pulling it from my body. Cheers begin to echo as the group of students quickly increase in numbers. I unbutton my skirt and let it fall to my feet as I step out.
My underwear, which was dark purple, looked like a bikini anyway so I wasn't that phased by it. The small group had now increased as students continued to race down to the edge of the lake.
I give one last glance over my shoulder at Chase who was now standing with Noah and Levi.
Then, I leap forward and dive head first into the blissfully cold water. It was freezing but it also felt damn good. The coldness hits my chest heavily as all oxygen escapes my body.
When I break the surface and let out an exasperated breath, a loud roar of cheering and screeching reverberates from the bank before students begin breaking from the crowd and running into the water.
Soon, half of the school was playing in the shallows of the lake, splashing the water front and dunking each other under. Teachers were shouting at the students to get out but no one was listening. I laugh, treading water as I watch the madness unfold before me.
Well damn, I wasn't expecting this.
When it starts to get a little too cold for my liking, I swim back to the jetty and hoist myself up. I stuff my uniform and shoes into my bag and pull my backpack and duffel bag onto my shoulder.
I hold my jacket in my hand as I return to Chase and Levi, Noah of course was having the time of his life while playing in the lake with everyone else. It didn't bother me that I was in my underwear in front of Chase, we've already been through that situation when he barged into the room while I was changing.
I got such a fright I threw my phone at his head. He needed to go the nurse afterwards.
"You should really take a dip, Everett. It's quite refreshing." I smirk as I walk past him, my shoulder colliding with his as I push past and hearing the sounds of gleeful students and annoyed teachers.