Saint (Angelview Academy #1) - E.M. Snow Page 0,78
was looking forward to seeing you swim. Don’t worry, though, your friend Saint sent me the video of your personal practice, and I’m more than satisfied with the performance I saw in it. There’s a spot for you on my team, if you still want it.
Coach Friedricks
I have to reread the email at least three more times before it sinks in that I’m on the team. What’s even more surprising? Saint’s the one who got me my spot!
When had he filmed me swimming?
I don’t bother to think about why he did it. I’ve got a pretty good idea, and it’s gross.
Just as I’m finishing my fourth read through of the email, there’s a knock on my door. I frown, because there’s only one person I think it could be, and I told him not to bother visiting tonight. Moving across the room, I open my door, and sure enough, Saint is standing on the other side.
“Hey,” I murmur, gazing up at him and feeling overwhelmed with emotions I can’t really explain.
“Hey,” he replies with a tilt of his chin. “Wanted to stop by and check on you. Make sure Laurel hadn’t killed you with those eye drops.”
Eye drops.
Well that explained the diarrhea.
“How’d you get it out of her she used eye drops on me?”
“Laurel’s not great at keeping things from me,” he explains. He seems … off tonight. He’s not trying to come in, and he’s got his hands tucked into his jeans’ pockets in a way that makes him seem nervous.
“Are you okay?” I ask, turning my attention back up to his stormy eyes.
He shakes his head but won’t meet my gaze for a moment. “Yeah, I’m fine. You seem good too, so I’ll just go—”
“Wait!” I reach out and grab his arm to hold him still. He stares down at my hand, then up into my face. “I-I wanted to thank you for what you did. Emailing the swim coach that video and all. She … she said I’m on the team.”
“Good to hear,” he replies, his voice gruff. “Congrats.”
I lick my lips, baffled by his behavior. “Why’d you do it?”
He knew how much I wanted to make the team. Is it possible he sent the video because he knew how crushed I’d be?
He stares down at me for several moments, then dips his head to press a kiss to my forehead.
“Get some rest, little masochist,” he says, offering no answer to my question. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Before I can string together two words to ask him to stay, he’s turned and walking down the hallway, leaving me feeling breathless and more confused than ever.
24
“I’m serious, Mallory. You need to report that shit.”
I shake my head at Loni and sigh. “I’d rather just forget about the whole thing. I still made the team, so it’s not that big of a deal anyway.”
She stares at me with wide eyes. “Not that big of a deal? She poisoned you! You know eye drops can kill you, right?”
I do know, but I also know there’s little point in reporting Laurel to the administration for what she did. They’d probably just give her a pat on the wrist and send her on her way.
“Look, it all worked out, so I don’t want to stretch this whole ordeal out any longer than necessary, okay?” I make my eyes big and stare at her with a puppy dog face.
She arches a brow. “You know that doesn’t work on me, right? I’m a cat person, remember?”
“Well I do now,” I grumble.
She chuckles and I grin as we walk in the campus’ large mailroom. We always check our mail together after lunch, and every once in a while, I’ll get a little something from Carley that makes the little ritual extra special. Loni and I split up long enough to go to our respective mailboxes, and I dial in my combination and open it to find an orange slip of paper. That means I have a package waiting for me in the back.
What did Carley send me this time?
I hurry to the little window and counter where I present my paper to the student worker. They take it and disappear for a moment, only to return with a big, fancy black box with a silver bow wrapped around it.
“Ooh, what’s that?” Loni asks, startling me. She’s snuck up beside me without me realizing it and is bending her head so close to the box, her curls sweep over it.