Chapter 25

“No!”

I swim furiously. The salt water stings my eyes, but I keep them wide open, looking for Calvin.

The water swirls so fast around me that I can’t see much of anything. Finally I get a glimpse of an arm, thrashing around in the water.

I swim toward it as another wave comes crashing down. Even under the surface I feel it push me down. Still, I keep swimming. I grab Calvin’s arm and pull hard as I kick in the direction of the shore. My mouth burns with the taste of the water.

Soon we reach shallow enough water that we can stand. Calvin and I stumble out of the water, salt water still stinging at our eyes.

Calvin leans on me, coughing and choking on the water that he swallowed. Between gasps of air he looks over at me. His eyes are wide with shock and fear.

We both lie down on the sand. “Are you okay?” I ask him between coughs.

“I was all turned around. I couldn’t figure out where the surface was.” Calvin’s breath has calmed, but his eyes are still wide. “I just kept getting pummeled.”

I nod and lie there next to my best friend.

After a long pause Calvin props himself up on his elbows and says quietly, “What about UCC? We were a package deal. What if you tell them no, and then they decide not to take me.”

“That’s not going to happen. They want you,” I say, sitting up. “You’ve completely won them over.”

Calvin looks away and nods. I think he forgives me for the choice I’ve made—and for not being fully honest with him—but that doesn’t mean he feels any better. I know I don’t feel any better.

The sounds of the waves crashing onto the beach echo all around us.

“I don’t know what I’ll do at UCC without you,” Calvin says.

I don’t know what I’ll do next year without Calvin either.