The Easy Part of Impossible - Sarah Tomp Page 0,39
slower, but her body remembered the motions.
As she climbed the ladder to the three-meter board, Sean came out with the team’s tripod and video camera.
“Good idea!” she said. “We need to make sure we get Maggie’s money dive taped.”
“Only if I make it.”
“The video is running. I’ll be in the office.” Sean waved and disappeared around the center building.
A few dives later, she said, “It’s time, Maximum Mags.”
“Soon.”
“You’ve already prepped it. You’re going over, which means you’ll make it.”
“I know, I know. But I did a really sweet one yesterday. I don’t want to mess up that feeling.” Maggie set herself on the end of the board. Dried herself with the shammy. Stretched. Reached. Turned. All the little quirks that were absolutely her. They all had their own superstitious rituals. “Ugh. Here I go.”
As Maggie rounded her second flip, Ria could hear Benny in her head. Hollow. Hold. Don’t get loose. When she entered the water, only slightly bent, Ria cheered.
Maggie surfaced, grinning. Then immediately started the self-coaching comments. “I didn’t keep my head up long enough. As soon as I lifted, I started the tuck.”
“That was damn awesome!”
“I don’t know.”
Ria eyed her. She couldn’t convince Maggie of something she didn’t believe. She needed to get her praise from someone who didn’t care about her feelings. Someone brutally honest. In other words, Benny.
“I’ll be back in a minute. Keep going.” Maggie pulled herself out of the water and headed toward the locker room.
Ria didn’t need persuading. She went through her list, checking to see if she still had her dives. Repeated the ones that felt off.
She wasn’t sure how long she’d been diving when she stopped to take a break. The cool air on her wet skin made her shiver, in a good way. She lay on her back, let herself bobble and float. Most of her body hid beneath the surface of the water, but bits of her—her face, breasts, tops of her thighs took turns peeking out of the wet. She stared up at the sky, let herself feel empty and still.
“You’re holding back.”
She flipped upright and met Benny’s stare. He stood at the edge of the pool, looking down. The way they’d talked a million times before.
Now it felt like she’d forgotten how to tread water. The clenching—in her jaw, her gut, deep within the very core of her—made her feel heavy and slow, in danger of sinking. She wanted to hear what he had to say while simultaneously wanting to run away.
“You’re not supposed to be here,” Ria said. “The pool is closed.”
It was a stupid thing to say. He had his own key. How many times had he brought the team here without the pool being technically open? She’d never complained when he had them sneak in, not even the nights of diving in the dark with the lights off. Right now, it was obvious. He was here to see her. Maggie and Sean were conveniently not on the deck. She’d been set up.
For an instant, she blamed Maggie. Then Sean. But seeing Benny’s smirk, she knew it had been all his idea. He always got what he wanted. This place that had seemed so inviting when she arrived now looked dingy, cold, and gray. Chlorine burned in the back of her throat.
“You still have the grace you always had. But you’re too slow in the flip. If you aren’t going to do the work, you gotta use the board.”
“I know,” she said around gritted teeth.
“The NDT is waiting to hear from you.”
She scrambled out of the pool, onto the firm cement. Then instantly wished she was back in the water. Back where she wouldn’t feel his automatic evaluation. He always watched, judged, measured. Found the nicks and wobbles. The soft and wavering spots. She hugged her own shoulders, trying to fold her body into itself.
“What did your parents say?” He wore his winning face, cocky and bold.
“I’m not ready.”
“You’ve had your break. Enough screwing around. It’s time to get back to work.” His expression shifted, turned to steel.
She blinked hard. Concentrated on standing in one place, centering her weight, every inch of her pressed down and still. No sudden movements, not in front of Benny.
“You’re running out of time. The longer you wait, the more they’ll doubt you have what it takes. Everyone knows you freaked out. They’re worried about your head space.”
She tasted blood, realized she’d bit the inside of her lip. “I can’t. . . .”