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but I can’t. His showing up now is just going to make everything worse.
    “New girl,” Becca says, jutting her chin at me, “transfers here just when Teen Para transfers to a new school?
    Take one guess what I think she is.” Alex laughs, his boisterous voice pushing hers back.
    “Come on, Becca, you say that about all the new transfers.
    Besides, what Para would want to come here?”
    “That’s what I said!” I say with relief.
    Becca whirls on me. “You—you Para-trash! That’s just what you’d say.”
    Shit. I shouldn’t have said anything. I take a step back.
    “Becca—I know you’ve got more reason than the rest of us to be sensitive about Paras,” Alex says, shaking his head. “But making trouble for Caitlyn because you’re jealous just isn’t cool.”
    Becca bites her lip, her cheeks flushing. She stalks away, her posse following her.
    The crowd thins out as people rush to class.
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    Cheryl Rainfield
    “I hope she didn’t make you feel unwelcome,” Alex says, his protectiveness pouring over me. “I, for one, am glad you’re here.”
    I feel a rush of giddy happiness and slam it back down.
    “No, I’m good,” I say. “Thanks.”
    “Where’s your next class? I’ll walk you.” He takes my crumpled schedule out of my hands and flattens it out on his thigh. “Social studies with Ms. Edwards? You’re lucky—
    she’s one of the nice teachers.”
    We walk together—down the hall, up a flight of stairs, down another hall to the left. I am ultra-aware of Alex the whole time—his laughter, his sweet scent, and his desire to defend me. I hold my books tighter and keep myself from reaching out to touch him the way I want to.
    I can feel his desire for me mixing with my own.
    I stop. Am I really attracted to him—or am I just picking up on and feeding off of his attraction for me? Thinking about it makes my head ache.
    “We’re going to be late,” Alex says, nudging me. I take the last few steps to the classroom and create distance between us. The mind-voices of everyone around us start to seep back in and the pain in my head grows sharper.
    “See you after school? At the pool?” Alex says.
    The pool will give me a break from all these voices, from people’s desires and emotions and thoughts. It’ll make the pain melt away.
    And it’ll be so much nicer to swim in a long, clean pool. How can I refuse?
    e
    76
    HUNTED
    As soon as the last bell rings, I rush to the pool, shuck-ing my clothes and shoes, my smooth turquoise suit feeling like a second skin. People’s mind-voices are more muffled, already, the water calling to me. I stand at the edge, looking down at the blue of the water, breathing in the chlorine as deeply as I can. To me, this feels like home.
    Two swimmers are doing laps. The swim team is practicing—again. I turn to go.
    Alex enters, the calm he brings with him like a nap in the sun. “Caitlyn!” Alex calls. “Hold up.” I turn. His suit is so small and tight, I have to force myself to focus on his face. “I didn’t realize you guys would be practicing.”
    “Coach isn’t here yet. We’re just warming up. You want to do a few laps with us?” He speaks coaxingly, like he can tell that I want to bolt. His brown eyes beg me to stay.
    “Wouldn’t your coach mind?”
    “Nah. He’s always late. Besides, I’m the swim cap-tain.”
    Of course you are.
    I dive in. The water envelops me, people’s thoughts releasing their grip. Peace-bliss, that’s all it is, I tell myself.
    Even though there’s a pool in the motel, I didn’t come here just to swim with Alex.
    I slice through the water, fingers tightly together and slightly cupped. Alex dives in after me, the next lane over.
    I see his sleek, muscular body pass me like a seal beneath the water. I swim steadily, the water smooth around me, my breath easy and sure.
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    Cheryl Rainfield
    As I near the edge, he passes me again in a sprint. He’s an incredible swimmer; I can see it in the power and control of