The Replay (Boys of Richland #3)

23. Cecilia

cecilia

. . .

Chlorine clings to the humid air as I step up to the edge of the pool. The familiar sound of splashing and laughter echoes off the walls—my team getting ready for practice. I pull my swim cap down over my hair, adjusting it as I glance around the room.

Willow flashes me a wave from across the pool. I wave back, smiling despite the brief flash of nerves. After that date with her brother Wyatt, I’d been half-expecting things to be awkward between us. I mean, it was fine, but no sparks. And then things got weird when Gabriel found out about it and they had their whole guy confrontation thing that she had a front row seat to. But, so far, she hasn’t brought it up, and neither have I.

One less thing for me to worry about at least.

“Hey,” Adriana’s voice snaps me out of my thoughts, and I turn to see her beside me, a smirk tugging at her lips. “You ready to get your ass kicked today?”

I laugh, tugging my goggles over my eyes. “It won’t be that bad.”

“Freestyle drills. All. Day,” she groans dramatically, shaking her head like it’s the worst thing in the world, but there’s a glimmer of excitement in her dark eyes. Adriana thrives on the challenge.

I groan, but it’s more out of habit than anything. The drills? I can handle them. Hell, I need them today. With everything going on—school, Gabriel, and my crazy schedule—swimming is the only place where I can shut my brain off and just be.

I was nervous about coming back here at first. I worried the pool would haunt me. That being here would bring all of the awful memories rushing back. But Austin Holt has taken enough from me. I refuse to let him steal this, too. Therapy helped with that, as much as I hate admitting it.

My therapist says trauma doesn’t own spaces—we do. She’s taught me how to take it back. To reclaim my peace. Maybe that’s why I don’t freak out anymore when unfamiliar men approach me. I don’t like it, don’t get me wrong. My heart still races. I still get that uncomfortable itch beneath my skin. But there’s no longer this debilitating panic. No suffocating weight.

Coach Cho’s sharp voice cuts through the noise, calling us to attention. “Alright, ladies! Show me clean strokes and focus on your form. No lazy arms today!”

Adriana rolls her eyes as we slip into the water, the cool rush instantly settling something inside of me. The world muffles as I submerge myself, leaving behind all the chaos of these past weeks.

The pool is one of the few places where everything else melts away—the noise, the stress, all the swirling thoughts about Austin’s sentencing. I just got word it’s been scheduled for first thing Monday morning. One week away.

But right now, all I need to think about is me, the water, and the rhythm of my body cutting through it.

I push off the wall and focus on my breathing—two strokes, breathe, two strokes, breathe.

As we reach the wall, Adriana and I pop up at the same time, both panting slightly. “So,” she says, already adjusting her cap for the next lap, “how’s Gabriel?”

I smile, pushing my goggles up to my forehead. “Slammed with practice and training and everything,” I sigh. “So busy, like me.”

“That’s what happens when you date a soccer player.” She sticks her tongue out playfully, adjusting her goggles. “So unreliable.”

I shoot her a pointed look, smirking. “Right. Because hockey players are so different?”

She grins. “Hockey players do appear to be the superior athletes.”

“Oh really?” I say, “Do elaborate.”

“What can I say,” she tells me. “They answer when you call. They respond to your texts. They go out of their way to spend time with you. A girl like me could get used to it.”

A laugh slips out of me. “Please tell me that is not where the bar’s been set?”

“Definitely not. But you know what they say. Strong communication is the cornerstone for any good relationship.”

I chuckle, shaking my head. “So it’s turning into a relationship, hmm? Sounds like Kenji might be a keeper.”

She shrugs, trying to play it cool. “We’ll see.” But the soft curve of her lips gives her away.

“I’m happy for you,” I tell her. “You deserve someone good in your life. And since I’m your best friend and therefore need to get to know any guy who might have an actual chance of sticking around, you should bring him with you when you come over for the barbeque at Gabriel’s on Friday.”

“Ladies! Get moving.” Coach Cho’s voice slices through our conversation.

“Shit.” We adjust our goggles and dive back in. But when we pop back up at the other end, our conversation continues despite the fact that we’re both breathless.

“Barbeque?” Adriana asks, “Those are usually family affairs. You know, just the guys.” I don’t miss the longing in her voice as she says it, and I remind myself she used to be a part of their friend group back in high school.

“They’re doing a team thing,” I tell her. “So there will be a lot of people there. I already cleared it with Gabriel the other day. He said you could come.”

Her eyebrows shoot up, excitement flashing in her eyes before she frowns. “Really? He didn’t seem put out by it?”

“Nope. He said I could invite whoever I want, so … will you come? I don’t know if any of the other players are bringing girlfriends, and I don’t want to be the only girl there. Please.”

She fidgets with her swim cap, chewing on the inside of her cheek—typical Adriana. Always in her head, overthinking everything. “Okay, okay. I’ll come. But if it’s lame, I’m blaming you.”

I splash her. “Fair enough.”

“What would you do without me?” she jests.

“Probably drown and wallow in boredom,” I confess.

“Mmm. So true,” she says with a grin, finally letting go of her worry. She splashes me back before pushing off the wall again for another lap, and I race to catch up with her.

The water rushes past, muffling everything but the sound of my breath and the occasional splash of Adriana’s strokes beside me.

As we finish our set, she treads water beside me and we wait for the rest of our team to wrap up their drills. “You seem excited about this BBQ,” she notes, as we hoist ourselves onto the pool’s ledge.

I shrug, trying to play it cool. “It’s just … I feel like I barely see him.” I trail off, biting the inside of my cheek.

“Because of his practices?”

“Yeah, and swim, and coursework, and Austin crap,” I say, my tone sharpening at the end. “It’s like we’re both just ... busy. And I don’t know. I miss him, I guess.”

“That’s disgustingly adorable,” she says, her gaze drifting to the pool deck for a moment. “You two don’t get a lot of quality time, huh?”

“Not lately,” I admit. “I can’t wait for the semester to end, honestly. Online classes while living at home is driving me insane. I miss being on campus. I miss having an excuse to see him every day.” God, I sound so needy.

Adriana stands up, her wet feet slapping against the pool deck as we retrieve our towels. “Ugh, I can’t even imagine. I mean, I love my parents but living with them again,” she shivers. “No thanks.”

“Exactly.” I grab my towel and wipe the water from my face. “I shouldn’t have switched to online. And … I think it’s time I consider moving out, again.”

“Really?”

I nod. “I need my own space. And my own routine, and … normalcy. Maybe when all the Austin stuff is finally over,” I sigh. I’m just so ready to have control over my own life again.

We walk toward the locker room, our teammates already heading in that direction, their laughter and chatter filling the space. Adriana slings her towel over her shoulder, eyeing me curiously.

“You thinking about the dorms again? Or are you looking off campus?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t really given it a lot of thought but—” I shrug. “I think it’s time to.”

Adriana’s expression softens, and for a second, she looks like she’s about to say something, but instead, she just pats my arm. “You still have time to figure it out.

“Yeah,” I agree softly. “I guess I do.”

“And hey, if you need to talk about any of the Austin stuff, you know I’m here, right?”

I nod, grateful for her offer even if I don’t feel like diving into that mess right now. “Thanks. I appreciate it.”

She smiles, nudging me with her shoulder as we push through the locker room doors. The scent of chlorine is even stronger in here, mixing with the smell of damp towels and soap.

“So,” Adriana says as we step inside the locker room, her voice light again, “what are you going to wear to this BBQ? Please tell me you’re going to rock something that’ll make Gabriel lose his mind.”

I laugh, shaking my head. “I’m thinking casual. It’s not like I’m trying to seduce him in front of his teammates.”

She rolls her eyes. “Please, if you showed up in sweats that boy would still be drooling all over you.”

I snort, throwing my towel over the bench as I peel off my swimsuit. “Maybe. But I’ll save the ‘mind-blowing outfit’ for after the BBQ.”

She winks. “That’s the spirit.”