COMMISSION: Mystery at MacMaster ch.1

Author's Note: Hey! This is something a liiiiittle bit different, something with some cheesecake and some girldick but a lot more story driven. This is meant to be the first in an ongoing series so I'm excited to see what you guys think!

[story] [futa] [all characters are 18+]

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‭‭“‬You’re really thinking about trying out‭?”

Kora blinked,‭ ‬looking up from the flier she’d plucked off the school bulletin board.‭ ‬It was tacky but effective,‭ ‬with pink trim in the form of waves,‭ ‬advertising a new position on the MacMaster High swim team.‭ ‬It was something she’d been considering trying out for,‭ ‬but she’d missed her last tryout,‭ ‬and the team had long since filled.‭ ‬This new...‭ ‬development,‭ ‬though,‭ ‬left a significant opening.

Setting the flier down,‭ ‬Kora looked up to the girl who’d spoken‭ ‬--‭ ‬her best friend since the two had been six years old,‭ ‬Piper Wright.‭ ‬Piper was taller and skinnier than Kora,‭ ‬less developed,‭ ‬her long,‭ ‬straight brown hair left loose to spill down her back,‭ ‬pale skin dusted heavily with freckles.‭ ‬Strong cheekbones complemented something of a long face,‭ ‬giving her a pretty,‭ ‬but distinct appearance.‭ “‬I just mean,‭ ‬you missed it last time,‭ ‬isn’t this a good opportunity to give it another shot‭?”

There was a pause,‭ ‬and a sigh,‭ ‬and Kora set the flier down,‭ ‬taking a long swig of the cola she’d bought to supplement the fairly meager lunch she’d gotten.‭ ‬The two friends,‭ ‬as they often did,‭ ‬sat at a table together,‭ ‬away from many of the other MacMaster cliques‭ ‬--‭ ‬not that they didn’t have friends beside each other,‭ ‬but because lunch period,‭ ‬as it had been for the last decade and change,‭ ‬was sacred.‭ ‬Their time.‭ “‬I dunno,‭ ‬man.‭ ‬It feels sorta fucked up,‭ ‬right‭? ‬Like I do‭ ‬want to,‭ ‬but the reasoning for the opening is dark as shit.‭ ‬Plus,‭ ‬like,‭ ‬what if she comes back‭? ‬What happens then‭?”

Piper tilted her head to the side,‭ ‬light blue eyes processing what her friend had said for a long moment,‭ ‬before finding that it did not compute.‭ “‬I feel like I’m missing something.‭”

“Oh,‭ ‬shit,‭ ‬you don’t know‭? ‬Hah,‭ ‬fuck,‭ ‬sorry,‭ ‬um--‭” ‬Kora looked up for a moment,‭ ‬gathering and compiling her thoughts in a few instants before continuing.‭ “‬Okay,‭ ‬so,‭ ‬Millie Nowak.‭ ‬You remember her‭? ‬She had the braids and that godawful green backpack‭?”

“Green Backpack Girl,‭ ‬yes,‭ ‬I recall,‭” ‬Piper nodded.

‭“‬Okay so she’s fuckin‭’ ‬gone.‭ ‬Like giggity-gone,‭” ‬the other girl sighed,‭ ‬her plastic fork plucking idly at a half-eaten heap of rapidly-cooling mac and cheese.‭ “‬It’s been three weeks since anybody’s heard from her,‭ ‬there’s people out lookin‭’ ‬and shit.‭ ‬Cops all over the place.‭ ‬And she was one of the swim team starlets...‭ ‬so with her gone almost a month,‭ ‬they’re doing tryouts again in the hopes of actually getting a full team again.‭”

“Ah.‭ ‬And you find these circumstances unsuitably grim for you to feel genuinely excited‭?”

“You could say that,‭” ‬Kora sighed,‭ ‬taking another bite and leaning backwards,‭ ‬allowing herself a brief stretch that lifted her black-and-white striped half-shirt enough to reveal even more of her toned belly.‭ ‬She’d always been the more physical,‭ ‬the more athletic,‭ ‬of the two friends‭ ‬--‭ ‬by far more willing to go outside and throw a ball around when she wasn’t geeking out over movies or music with Piper.‭ ‬Her jet-black hair didn’t quite reach her shoulders,‭ ‬dyed with a royal blue streak in the front and framed elegantly around her oval face,‭ ‬giving her a darker look in contrast with her more conventionally nerdy friend.‭ “‬I don’t wanna feel like a scavenger,‭ ‬you know‭?”

“Regardless of whether you go,‭ ‬someone will end up taking the position,‭” ‬the other girl mused,‭ “‬it’s not like you preserve Green Backpack Girl’s memory or position by not applying,‭ ‬you only fuck yourself over.‭”

“Eh,‭ ‬point,‭” ‬Kora furrowed her brow.‭ “‬Yeah,‭ ‬maybe you’re right.‭ ‬I really would love to get on the team‭ ‬--‭ ‬how fuckin‭’ ‬cool would that be‭?”

“It’d eat up a bit of your free time,‭” ‬Piper tapped a fingertip to her chin,‭ ‬then shrugged,‭ ‬cramming a few french fries into her mouth.

‭“‬A little.‭ ‬But,‭ ‬hey,‭ ‬what if you signed up too‭? ‬If we get on the team together we’d still be able to spend just as much time together‭!”

The response was a soft chuckle,‭ ‬one that may have been considered derisive were it not for the relationship the two shared.‭ ‬Still,‭ ‬there was an unmistakeable gloominess to it,‭ ‬made clear a moment later.‭ “‬Me,‭ ‬make the swim team‭? ‬Come on,‭ ‬Kor,‭ ‬we both know I’d rather be tied to a chair in the middle of an open field during a thunderstorm,‭ ‬than get into a sports team.‭ ‬Not only do I have no chance of making the cut,‭ ‬even if I‭ ‬did,‭ ‬well....‭” ‬Piper glanced sidelong,‭ ‬guiding Kora’s eyes with her own away from the little table where the two sat together,‭ ‬to another table entirely‭ ‬--‭ ‬the one where the‭ ‘‬sporty‭’ ‬girls ate.

‭“‬Don’t tell me you’re still mad at Vanessa,‭” ‬Kora arched a brow.‭ “‬And we all know there’s nothing you want less than to be stuck in a thunderstorm,‭ ‬you astraphobic goober.‭”

“She’s a fucking bitch.‭”

“You can’t blame her for what happened in‭ ‬9th grade‭ ‬forever,‭ ‬Pipe.‭”

“Incorrect.‭ ‬I am absolutely able to do exactly that.‭ ‬When she puts an iota of effort into showing she isn’t the same fake-eyelashed hag she was back then,‭ ‬perhaps I’ll reassess her.‭ ‬As of now,‭ ‬she has yet to.‭”

Kora bit her lip,‭ ‬glancing back to the sporty table,‭ ‬and the queenpin at its epicenter‭ ‬--‭ ‬Vanessa Vinke,‭ ‬captain of the swim team and one of the most popular girls at MacMaster High.‭ ‬As tall as Piper but far less lanky,‭ ‬her fabulous waves of blonde hair reached just past her shoulders,‭ ‬accented by honey-colored eyes with what were...‭ ‬yeah,‭ ‬definitely fake lashes.‭ ‬Everyone had‭ ‬some kind of history with Vanessa,‭ ‬much of it unpleasant,‭ ‬but few held a grudge as deeply as Piper Wright.

‭“‬Still,‭ ‬if I make the team it means dealing with her,‭” ‬Kora shrugged,‭ “‬so‭ ‬I at least gotta make nice.‭ ‬And...‭” ‬she sighed,‭ ‬looking back down at the flier on the table in front of her.‭ “‬I do wanna try out.‭ ‬It’s after school’s out‭ ‬--‭ ‬you wanna come‭? ‬Watch,‭ ‬at least‭?”

Piper’s mouth twisted into a diagonal line,‭ ‬brows furrowing in a distinct blend of mild disapproval and immediate resignation.‭ “‬Yeah,‭ ‬I’ll be there.‭ ‬To watch.‭ ‬No way I’m trying out.‭”

“Fuck yeah.‭ ‬Think I have a chance at making the team‭?”

“Well,‭” ‬Piper grabbed a quick mouthful of rapidly-cooling‭ (‬and nausea-inducing‭) ‬peas,‭ ‬affording herself a moment to mull the question over.‭ “‬There’s literally one opening,‭ ‬two if you’re remarkably lucky,‭ ‬so the odds of success are statistically pretty unlikely‭; ‬you’d have to be the absolute‭ ‬best of everyone trying out.‭ ‬That said,‭ ‬I’m pretty sure your mom fucked a dolphin,‭ ‬because you’re the best swimmer I’ve ever seen.‭ ‬All in all,‭ ‬were I a betting woman‭ ‬--‭ ‬which I am not‭ ‬--‭ ‬I’d put down a modest sum on you getting a position.‭”

“Sick.‭”

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

A quick shower to rinse herself off,‭ ‬and Kora wriggled her way into her dark magenta one-piece swimsuit,‭ ‬tying her swimming cap under her chin.‭ ‬She was early,‭ ‬having made her way to the pool the instant she was able,‭ ‬and nobody had yet shown up‭ ‬--‭ ‬she wanted time to prepare herself,‭ ‬to think things through.‭ ‬Imagine herself winning,‭ ‬getting onto the team.‭ ‬It wasn’t the most important thing in the world,‭ ‬but...‭ ‬it was important.‭ ‬Missing tryouts last time was a regret that had haunted Kora for the better part of the year.

Bare feet‭ ‬paped quietly across the wet,‭ ‬white tile floor of the dressing room as she made her way to the mirror,‭ ‬looking at herself for a long moment.‭ ‬What Piper had said about her being half-dolphin was in no way without validity‭ ‬--‭ ‬Kora had a distinctly hydrodynamic build,‭ ‬her torso and arms oddly long for the rest of her body.‭ ‬Firm,‭ ‬modest breasts kept her sleek,‭ ‬and lean muscle lurked beneath every subtle curve of her teen body.‭ “‬I got this.‭ ‬I got this.‭” ‬She sighed,‭ ‬then took a deep breath,‭ ‬squeezing her eyes shut for a long moment.‭ ‬Why was she this nervous‭? ‬She’d spent the entire year pretending she didn’t care about not being on the team,‭ ‬but now that she was here,‭ ‬the tension and excitement turned all that posturing into so many sour grapes.‭ ‬She did want this.‭ ‬And she intended to get it.

As other girls started filtering into the locker room,‭ ‬Kora herself moved on and made her way to the pool proper,‭ ‬taking a seat in one of the shitty plastic chairs provided and taking stock of her surroundings‭ ‬--‭ ‬not that she hadn’t been here countless times before.‭ ‬The room was enormous,‭ ‬with a high ceiling and massive pool,‭ ‬the eastern and western walls mostly comprised of opaque glass windows to let in some natural light.‭ ‬The northern wall was taken up mostly by bleachers,‭ ‬into which a crowd was gradually beginning to trickle.‭ ‬It would soon be Kora’s time to shine...‭ ‬hopefully.

Time passed as she tried to relax herself,‭ ‬other contestants filtering through the locker room to take seats of their own,‭ ‬the bleachers filling up,‭ ‬and pre-existing members of the team showing‭ ‬--‭ ‬including Vanessa Vinke herself‭ ‬--‭ ‬showing up to judge.‭ ‬The preliminary pomp was barely more than a blur to Kora as she concentrated on relaxing,‭ ‬imagining samurai of old,‭ ‬trying to enter an almost zen state.‭ ‬Soon the announcements had been made,‭ ‬the crowd riled up,‭ ‬and the time had finally come to do what she did best...‭ ‬well,‭ ‬second-best anyway,‭ ‬just behind quoting‭ ‬Blade Runner.

There were a surprising amount of other girls trying out‭ ‬--‭ ‬Kora counted eight‭ ‬--‭ ‬many of which looked taller,‭ ‬more athletic,‭ ‬more relaxed,‭ ‬more driven.‭ ‬But they didn’t have samurai zen,‭ ‬or‭ ‬Blade Runner quotes.‭ ‬Not like Kora did.

Diving gracefully into the water,‭ ‬she took off like a bullet,‭ ‬cruising through the pool to its other end and back.‭ ‬Lap after lap,‭ ‬her muscles began to burn,‭ ‬but she stayed consistently at the peak‭ ‬--‭ ‬not always first place,‭ ‬but always close.‭ ‬That wasn’t something she could think about,‭ ‬though.‭ ‬She didn’t worry about the other girls,‭ ‬how well or poorly they were doing,‭ ‬didn’t compare herself to them,‭ ‬stress out over them.‭ ‬Her one and only thought was to go as fast as possible,‭ ‬for as long as possible,‭ ‬to push her body to its limits.

After what could have been minutes or hours,‭ ‬Kora’s mind returned to the present.‭ ‬No more rounds,‭ ‬no more laps.‭ ‬It was over.‭ ‬People were talking,‭ ‬some toweling off,‭ ‬but everyone waiting expectantly for something.‭ ‬Kora shook free of her daze of hyper-focus,‭ ‬looking up to the girls at the edge of the pool,‭ ‬fully-clothed‭ ‬--‭ ‬the swim team,‭ ‬the‭ ‬real swim team.

‭“‬I have to say,‭” ‬Vanessa spoke up,‭ ‬taking stock of the contestants as the dried off and lined up,‭ ‬her arms folded below her breasts and one hip popped sideways.‭ “‬I’ve seen a lot of garbage swimmers over my time here,‭ ‬but I never thought I’d see so many in one place.‭ ‬I could beat any of your top times on a carb day with minutes to spare.‭ ‬The one thing more tragic than losing dear...‭ ‬sweet Millie,‭ ‬is that I have to replace her with one of you absolute jerkoffs.‭ ‬Fortunately,‭ ‬the answer’s pretty clear.‭”

Waiting a sufficient length of time for tension to build,‭ ‬Vanessa eyed each of the contestants individually once more,‭ ‬her superior sneer never leaving her glossy pink lips.‭ ‬Finally she inhaled to speak,‭ ‬and Kora felt everyone around her physically tense.

“Claire Miller, is that your name? Listen, Claire, I wish you’d tried out for the swim team earlier,” she said, looking directly at the platinum-haired girl she’d singled out. There was a long pause, and she continued, “because then I’d know how absolutely dogshit you are at swimming. Seriously, sweetie, maybe bring your floaties next time, okay?”

Claire wilted. Vanessa, undeterred, moved on. ‭“‬Luiza Domingo,‭ ‬step forward.‭ ‬You’re on the team.‭”

Kora’s heart dropped into the pit of her stomach as another girl stepped out of the lineup,‭ ‬grinning widely.‭ ‬She was short and petite,‭ ‬a jet-black pixie-cut making her fey build almost too on-the-nose.‭ ‬Dusky tan skin,‭ ‬a heart-shaped face and large,‭ ‬dark eyes left her indisputably beautiful,‭ ‬though she lacked the swimmer’s physique Kora might have expected.‭ “‬Yessssss,‭” ‬the girl hissed with delight,‭ ‬biting her bottom lip as she joined the rest of the team‭ ‬--‭ ‬taking her position on the other side of the line,‭ ‬now facing those she had defeated.‭ ‬Well,‭ ‬fuck...‭ ‬there went that.

‭“‬Unfortunately,‭ ‬Millie’s loss is not the only setback the team has suffered,‭” ‬Vanessa continued,‭ “‬as you may all notice Erica could not come today either,‭ ‬as she’s suffering from a severe shoulder injury that has left her unable to swim,‭ ‬or even practice.‭ ‬So,‭ ‬as much as I’m loath to do so,‭ ‬I need to pick another one of you out of this sorry line-up.‭” ‬She paused,‭ ‬letting out a long,‭ ‬dramatic sigh.‭ “‬Kora Kane,‭ ‬step forward.‭”

From the bottom of her stomach,‭ ‬Kora’s heart leapt into her throat.‭ ‬It almost didn’t register at first,‭ ‬leaving her paralyzed after the dread and disappointment of losing.‭ ‬She stood still and silent for a long moment,‭ ‬prompting the bossy blonde to repeat her prompt.‭ “‬Ahem.‭”

“Right‭! ‬Yes‭!” ‬Kora squawked,‭ ‬stepping forward with a nod and moving next to Luiza,‭ ‬her chest tight with excitement.‭ ‬She made it.‭ ‬She hadn’t been the first pick,‭ ‬but what did that really matter as long as she made the team‭? ‬This was a huge change‭ ‬--‭ ‬MacMaster High barely had any sports,‭ ‬and because of its adjacency to Vanessa Vinke,‭ ‬the swim team was the hub of social relevance,‭ ‬the beating heart from which popularity was born and died.‭ ‬Glowing with pride,‭ ‬Kora looked up into the bleachers,‭ ‬quickly scanning them for signs of Piper.‭ ‬There was a certain worry in her stomach that her friend wouldn’t show up,‭ ‬wouldn’t be here to see this victory,‭ ‬but after a few moments of scanning she found the skinny brunette,‭ ‬looking a little out of her element but nonetheless happy.‭ ‬Sweet.

The remaining pomp and ceremony was fairly brief,‭ ‬with Vanessa in particular seeming eager to get the whole thing over with so she could go do something else,‭ ‬likely a date.‭ ‬Schedules were posted and pointed out,‭ ‬practice times given,‭ ‬demands made,‭ ‬but to Kora it all kind of seemed like a blur.‭ ‬Drowned out in this bright haze of excitement.‭ ‬When everything was finally over with and the dejected losers snubbed with barely more than a word of consolation,‭ ‬it was finally time for everyone to hit the showers once again‭ ‬--‭ ‬though this time,‭ ‬Kora wasn’t early.‭ ‬This shower was going to be far more communal for her personal comfort,not because she had anything in particular to hide,‭ ‬but...‭ ‬raunchy talk at MacMaster was pretty bad even when everyone‭ ‬wasn’t naked.

Kora let out a long,‭ ‬deep sigh as she finally got back to the locker room,‭ ‬doing her best to shed some of the stress of the contest.‭ ‬She was actually quite looking forward to the shower,‭ ‬if not necessarily the banter that would come with it,‭ ‬and began to shyly wiggle her way out of her swimsuit as the other girls began to stream in behind her.

‭“‬I’m so proud of you,‭ ‬Lu‭!” ‬one of the other contestants was saying,‭ ‬congratulating the original winner.‭ “‬I had been kinda hoping for second place or whatever,‭ ‬but after seeing you and that other girl swim,‭ ‬I knew I had no shot.‭”

“Speaking of the other girl...‭” ‬Kora glanced over her shoulder as she switched the shower on,‭ ‬scooting underneath it and hanging her suit up so that some of the pool chemicals could be cleaned from it as well.‭ ‬The girl speaking was none other than Luiza herself,‭ ‬pulling the top of her one-piece down around her waist,‭ ‬revealing cutely small breasts that matched her petite figure,‭ ‬both nipples pierced with simple horizontal bars,‭ ‬a bit daring for high school,‭ ‬though she wore them quite nicely.‭ “‬You did good work out there.‭ ‬Cammy,‭ ‬right‭?”

“Kora,‭” ‬she responded sheepishly,‭ ‬turning her back to the shower head to get her hair wet.‭ ‬The shower system was essentially one large,‭ ‬single room,‭ ‬with a metal pole in the center and shower heads radiating outward,‭ ‬creating an awkward environment where everyone was forced to essentially stand and watch each other wash off.‭ ‬Seemed like Kora was the only one who found it awkward,‭ ‬though,‭ ‬as the rest of the girls quickly stripped off and started rinsing,‭ ‬the echoing tile chamber starting to fog with steam.‭ “‬You were pretty great out there too.‭ ‬I mean,‭ ‬the best,‭ ‬obviously.‭ ‬Since you won,‭ ‬and everything.‭”

“Hah,‭ ‬well,‭ ‬I wouldn’t really call it‭ ‘‬winning,‭’ ‬exactly,‭” ‬Luiza chuckled softly,‭ ‬shimmying the rest of the way out of her swimsuit,‭ ‬revealing that she was clean-shaven all the way down,‭ ‬smooth caramel skin overlooking a cutely small penis,‭ ‬limp between her smooth,‭ ‬slim thighs.‭ “‬We both won the same thing,‭ ‬so it isn’t like there’s a first or second place,‭ ‬yeah‭?”

“From the way Vanessa acts,‭ ‬it felt like anyone who‭ ‬didn’t win was headed to the chopping block,‭” ‬Kora returned the awkward laugh,‭ ‬focusing on Luiza rather than the seven other girls getting naked and wet‭ ‬--‭ ‬the unremarkable size of the other girl’s dick,‭ ‬not to mention the confidence she exposed it with,‭ ‬made Kora significantly more comfortable with the proportions of her own.‭ “‬Honestly,‭ ‬when did she‭ ‬get like that‭? ‬I remember I used to hang out with her...‭ ‬not a lot,‭ ‬I guess,‭ ‬but still,‭ ‬she didn’t seem so...‭ ‬so,‭ ‬uh....‭”

“Alpha bitch‭?” ‬Luiza smirked.

‭“‬I was gonna say sociopathic,‭ ‬but yeah that works.‭”

“Not everyone handles popularity gracefully,‭” ‬the other girl shrugged,‭ ‬standing in the shower and letting it cascade over her,‭ ‬water pouring in little rivulets between her breasts and down her flat stomach.‭ “‬Vanessa got really popular really fast,‭ ‬went to her head.‭ ‬And,‭ ‬last I heard‭ ‬--‭ ‬and you didn’t get this from me‭ ‬--‭ ‬she’s seeing someone on the side.‭”

“Like seeing seeing‭?” ‬Kora arched a brow.‭ “‬I thought she was single.‭”

“I’ve heard a few folks talking about her ditching out on events and obligations she’d normally never miss.‭ ‬Walking funny the next day.‭ ‬I think she not only has a girlfriend,‭ ‬but she ain’t even the one doing the fucking,‭” ‬Luiza giggled evilly,‭ ‬turning around to let the water pulse down her back,‭ ‬glancing over her shoulder at Kora.‭ “‬But,‭ ‬again,‭ ‬you didn’t hear any of that from me.‭”

For Luiza’s small size,‭ ‬it was all Kora could do not to fixate on the girl’s butt,‭ ‬now facing her and...‭ ‬surprisingly pert.‭ ‬Not enormous,‭ ‬but firm and full,‭ ‬especially for how petite she was.‭ ‬Despite its magnetic pull on her gaze,‭ ‬Kora forced herself to quickly pull her eyes away and back to the other girl’s face.‭ ‬What she said was interesting,‭ ‬though,‭ ‬and may explain something of Vanessa’s behavior‭ ‬--‭ ‬being the submissive girl in a relationship,‭ ‬while not necessarily taboo,‭ ‬was considered a sign of social weakness as MacMaster,‭ ‬generally unthinkable for someone as popular as Vanessa.‭ ‬Or,‭ ‬at least,‭ ‬something worth obscuring.‭ “‬No,‭ ‬no,‭ ‬of course not.‭ ‬Consider it washed away in all the other locker room talk.‭ ‬Like tears in rain.‭”

“Come again‭?”

“Nothing,‭” ‬Kora said quickly,‭ ‬switching the shower off and grabbing a towel.‭ “‬Good to meet you,‭ ‬though‭! ‬See you at practice‭?”

“Of course,‭” ‬Luiza smiled,‭ ‬then turned her attention to one of the other girls,‭ ‬beginning to chat once again as Kora dried herself off,‭ ‬going to her locker to grab her clothes.‭ ‬Dressing quickly,‭ ‬she made her way out of the locker room and out to the front of the school,‭ ‬where those who’d come to spectate were still exchanging the final vestiges of last-minute gossip before going home.‭ ‬This was where she expected to find Piper,‭ ‬which,‭ ‬after a moment,‭ ‬she did.

‭“‬Yo‭! ‬Pipe‭!”

“Heyyy,‭” ‬the freckled girl held up one hand,‭ ‬extended fingers divided down the middle in a‭ ‘‬Live Long and Prosper‭’ ‬gesture.‭ “‬That was incredible‭!”

“They had us in the first half,‭ ‬not gonna lie,‭” ‬Kora laughed,‭ “‬fuck,‭ ‬when she announced that other girl I almost laid an egg.‭”

“I was right there with you,‭” ‬Piper nodded,‭ ‬reaching out to lightly take her friend’s hand and starting to walk with her towards her car,‭ ‬a beaten-up purple Toyota even older than Piper herself,‭ ‬loaned to her by her aunt.‭ “‬Had no idea they were gonna pull a switcharoo and pull two new people.‭ ‬Really happy for you,‭ ‬though.‭”

“Thanks‭! ‬Man,‭ ‬now I’m gonna have to start actually practicing and shit if I wanna stand out.‭ ‬That other girl’s seriously good,‭ ‬and I have no idea how I’ll measure up to the rest of the team.‭”

“The little one,‭ ‬you mean‭?”

“Yeah,‭ ‬I doubt she breaks five feet,‭ ‬honestly.‭ ‬But she’s a stupid good swimmer.‭” ‬Kora broke away from her friend when the two finally got to the car,‭ ‬heading over to the passenger side door and waiting patiently for Piper to unlock it.‭ “‬Hey,‭ ‬you wanna head to your place and play Diablo or something‭? ‬I’ll make popcorn.‭”

“Every time you make popcorn my controllers are greasy for the next month,‭ ‬no matter how many times I wipe them down,‭” ‬Piper chuckled,‭ ‬getting it on the driver’s side and reaching over to pop the lock on the other door.‭ “‬Glad to know you you’re still the same Kora you were before you got in that pool,‭ ‬though.‭”

“Hah‭! ‬It’s not like I’m gonna change or anything,‭” ‬Kora chuckled as she got in,‭ ‬reaching down to the floor to throw a couple old soda bottles and empty fast-food bags into the back seat,‭ ‬giving her space to actually put her feet.‭ “‬I’ll go to practice a few times a week,‭ ‬every once in a while I’ll bore you with swim talk or the occasional annoying story about someone you don’t know.‭ ‬It’s not like I’m joining the marines.‭”

“Pun intended or nah‭?”

“Pun‭?”

“The‭ ‬marines‭? ‬You’re a swimmer‭?”

“Oh.‭ ‬Ohhh.‭ ‬No.‭ ‬Fuck,‭ ‬now I wish it was intended.‭”

“I’ll forgive you,‭ ‬just this once,‭” ‬Piper smirked,‭ ‬glancing sidelong as she started driving away from MacMaster High,‭ ‬ostensibly on her way back to her house.‭ “‬Hey,‭ ‬do you wanna grab some tacos before we head back to my place‭? ‬I’ll buy.‭ ‬Since you’re such a big winner,‭ ‬and all.‭”

“Ugh,‭ ‬I would fuck some tacos‭ ‬up right now.‭ ‬Think I burned about every calorie I own in the tryout.‭”

“Alright,‭ ‬let’s do it.‭”

Kora laid her head back,‭ ‬looking sideways out the window for a long moment as the two made their way from the suburbs a little deeper into the city,‭ ‬quietly letting the events of the day play over in her head.‭ ‬She was excited,‭ ‬but nervous too‭ ‬--‭ ‬it was a bit too late to really make a legacy for herself,‭ ‬but maybe if she did really well she might even be able to get a partial scholarship.‭ ‬Piper was the smart one,‭ ‬college wasn’t gonna be an issue for her.‭ ‬For Kora,‭ ‬though,‭ ‬she was gonna have to step up her game if she wanted to get into university...‭ ‬even moreso if she wanted to keep in contact with her friend.

She was jolted out of introspection by a vibration in her right pocket.‭ ‬Shit,‭ ‬she hadn’t even‭ ‬checked her phone since she got into the locker room.‭ “‬Oh,‭ ‬fuck,‭ ‬one sec,‭” ‬she murmured aloud,‭ ‬reaching into her pocket to grab her phone and swiping past the lock screen.

One text,‭ ‬from Heather Edwards:‭ ‬“I think Nowak’s still alive.‭”