“No. I haven’t asked anyone yet. But don’t tell Lauren that. Pretend like you know.” He released her hand and gave her the shove symbol, and Brynna rolled her eyes, jogging to catch up to Darcy and Lauren just before they slid into Mr. Fallbrook’s class. He was lecturing about the book they were reading—Lord of the Flies, one of Brynna’s favorites—but with each tick of the clock, her heartbeat was growing more and more erratic. P.E. was her next class, and it was the first day of the swimming unit.
It should have been easier for Brynna, now that she knew Erica was dead, but everything inside her still seized up when she thought about stepping back into that water. It wouldn’t be dark this time, and she wouldn’t be alone—and Erica really was gone. She knew all of these things intellectually, but that didn’t stop her heart from slamming against her rib cage every time the clock ticked past another minute. It didn’t stop the clamminess on her hands or prickling sense of something not right that walked down her spine.
Lauren slapped her book shut when the bell rang, leaning into Brynna and rolling her eyes. “Is it me or was that, like, absolute torture?”
Brynna started then quickly gathered her composure. “I read Lord of the Flies at my old school. I actually kind of liked it.”
“The book is whatever. I’m talking about Mr. Fallbrook. Weird-o.” She drew out the O in her high-pitched, singsongy voice. “I mean, who steps up to take the place of a teacher who was murdered?”
“I thought it was the Spanish teacher who was killed.”
“It was, but the only other person who spoke Spanish was—is—Se?ora Hill, who used to teach this class. So she moved, and Norman Bates over there”—she jutted her chin in Mr. Fallbrook’s direction—“stepped up to cover for Se?or Muerto.”
“I don’t care. I’d let him stab me any day.”
Brynna looked up to see Darcy strolling through the doorway before she nudged up against Lauren’s desk.
“You’re so morbidly horny,” Lauren said, stacking her books on her binder.
“I can’t help it.” Darcy’s eyes cut to Mr. Fallbrook as he looked down, talking to a student. “He’s so hot. Those eyes! They’re, like, wicked blue. Like they can see right through you.” She shimmied, a perfectly pressed pout on her lips, one eyebrow cocked so she looked seductive.
Lauren glared at Darcy. “Stop that. You’re going to freak out the new girl.” She petted Brynna, and Brynna shrank back.
“It’s been over two months. When do I stop being the new girl?”
Lauren grinned. “When there’s a newer girl.”
The trio walked down the hall, Lauren and Darcy nattering on about homecoming and strapless bras while Brynna’s mind ticked on about the P.E. class they were on their way to.
The day before, the class had been subjected to a mind-numbing game of dodgeball that devolved into fifteen girls half-heartedly bouncing giant red balls in the general direction of the other fifteen girls who pretended to dodge out of the way but in super-slow motion.
Brynna preferred that.
She even made an actual attempt at aiming the ball once or twice, but the second Mrs. Markie began announcing that they would start practicing for the end-of-the-year swim test, Brynna’s hands went clammy, and the red bouncy ball flopped to the floor and dribbled away from her.
This morning, she had dutifully packed a bathing suit that her mother had bought for her and resolved to at least attempt to enter the pool. If the swim test was the only way to get out of Hawthorne High, Brynna was going to do it.
“This is my chance to be normal,” she muttered to herself.
“Did you say something, Bryn?” Darcy turned to look at her, her crystal eyes wide, and Brynna shifted her weight. Darcy had never been anything but nice to her, but there was something there, something Brynna couldn’t put her finger on, that bothered her about the girl.
“No, just that I’m not totally looking forward to getting into the pool.”
“Ugh, ditto that,” the other girl said, yanking open the locker room door.
“Don’t worry,” Lauren joined. “The first day is the intro to water class. ‘This is a pool. This is water. Water is wet.’ Pretty basic stuff. I doubt we’ll even get a toe wet.”
A cool wash of relief poured over Brynna. Intro to water, she mused. I can do that. I can save normal for another day…
Brynna slid into her swimsuit, immediately pulling her oversized towel over her shoulders and holding it tight to her chest. Lauren looked at her and chuckled. “What’s your problem, Chase? Afraid we’re going to catch a glimpse of your hot bod and fall in love?”