— t h i r t y - o n e —

swimming today, it will be one of the most important meets you will be competing in," Mr Jeffries said, even more gruff and serious than usual. "Especially for the year thirteens. It'll be the last national competition you'll swim with Woodway and your last opportunity to make a good impression for yourself if you want to take your swimming to the next level. We have plenty of scouts coming to watch today, some with specific people in mind."

He didn't specify who was being scouted out for individually, but he didn't need to. Mr Jeffries had already pulled aside those on the team who had managed to garner attention from scouts over the last year to inform them privately. Not that had been much point in keeping it private; gossip travelled quickly and it was only a matter of hours before everyone on the team knew who exactly was being scouted. Oliver had been pleasantly surprised that a couple were here for him — he had never really considered continuing swimming after high school, not beyond joining his university's team. He loved to swim but he didn't have the dedication or passion to take it to a more competitive level.

Along with Charlie and Kessy, Reed also had scouts coming for him, far more than anyone else on the team. At least half of them seemed to be here to watch him. Not that Oliver knew any of this from Reed — the two of them still weren't talking, their self-proclaimed Cold War stretching on for two weeks now. The ignoring only got harder with each passing day but as frustrated as Oliver was by it, as fed-up of not talking to Reed, his stubbornness still held out. Oliver glanced at Reed now as Mr Jeffries kept up his pep talk that was more terrifying than inspiring. They didn't need to be talking for Oliver to tell he was stressed.

There were shadows under his eyes, signs of sleepless nights, and he'd bitten his nails down to the quick in a way he only did when especially anxious. He knew, from Adam, that Reed was coming in early most days and staying late after school even when they didn't have practice to swim. For Oliver, this competition was nothing more than a chance to swim, a little nerve-wracking but fun. The consequences of doing badly were nothing more disappointment. For Reed, it was the culmination of everything he worked so hard for over the past seventeen years. If he did well, and the scouts liked him, he would be invited to take part in the National Summer Meet, championships that would put his name out there with the other top swimmers in the country.

Qualifying for the British Summer Championships would be the next step to put his name out there with other top swimmers in the country. It would open the door to specialised training with the best coaches and representing England at international meets and would put him on the right track for the Olympics to be a possibility in the future.

Oliver knew all of this because it had been Reed's dream for so long and so much of it was riding on his performance today. As if sensing eyes on him, Reed looked over, too distracted to even remember to glare at Oliver as he had made a habit of doing anytime they made eye contact. He was making a valiant attempt at appearing calm but Oliver knew him too well not to recognise the flicker of panic in his pale eyes, to know he was slowly clenching and unclenching his fingers to stop them trembling. Oliver wanted nothing more than to go over to him, fuck whatever stupid thing they were arguing over and fuck Reed going back to Bailey. Fuck pride and stubbornness. Oliver should be there for him for this.

The arrival of the other teams distracted him from this line of thought. Spectators had started trickling in a long time ago, families and friends and scouts blended into the mix filling up the stands surrounding the pool, but the competing teams brought with them a nervous energy and tension. It was as important of a day for them as any of the Woodway students, and Oliver was sure more than a few scouts were here for them too. Oliver spotted Hampstead easily enough, Ife striding ahead as she led to them their designated part of the poolside. Marcie offered him a wave as she passed. Finley winked at him and extended the same courtesy to Reed, who stiffened with a scowl.

"Good luck," Finley called, turning more than a few heads with his loud words. Oliver couldn't tell whether he was addressing him or Reed. "You're going to need it, if you're hoping to beat me!"

"Asshole," Reed growled, loudly enough that most of their team and at least half of Woodway's heard, earning him a warning from Jeffries for unsportmanslike conduct. Oliver was sure whatever he muttered under his breath was as far from sportsmanlike as you could get and was glad he at least had the sense to keep his voice down for it.

If Oliver thought Woodway's Olympic sized pool was impressive before, it was nothing compared to the place when the endless stands of seating were filled to the full. His parents were up there somewhere, undoubtedly with their hands full trying to keep Lexie in her seat, and Adam and Clair too. The loud voices and splashing echoed off the tiled surfaces to create a cacophony of sounds, only amplifying the buzz of competition in the air. Oliver's blood was heated after they had completed their warm-ups and it wasn't entirely from the laps in the water. He didn't live for the high stakes of competition the way Reed did, but the thrill of adrenaline from knowing he was part of something bigger was a reminder of why he loved swimming so much. He was so caught up in the excitement of it all that he didn't notice Reed was missing until Bailey came over to him.

"He's been gone for a while," she said, biting her lip nervously. He couldn't tell if her unease was because of what she was telling him or the fact they hadn't spoken since the party. "It's probably nothing, but the heats are going to be starting soon..."

"How long has he been gone?" Oliver asked.

"About twenty minutes?"

Oliver frowned. When they were ten, before a competition that would play a part in determining whether Reed would get a scholarship to swim for Woodway, he had been so nervous he had disappeared just like this right before his race to throw up. Oliver had found him huddled over one of the toilets and convinced he couldn't do it. It had been fine in the end; Oliver had managed to coax him out from the bathroom and of course Reed had dominated in his race, earning the scholarship he was on now. It was the only time Oliver had ever seen him so rattled by nerves for a competition but the stakes were as high for this meet as it was for that one years ago, if not more so.

"Okay," Oliver said, remembering a little too acutely his position in this situation, seeing the two of them sitting close together at that party. "Why are you telling me?"

Bailey blinked. "Oh, well, I can't go in the boys changing rooms to check on him."

"You could've asked Charlie, or Dex. Maybe you didn't notice, but Reed isn't talking to me," Oliver said, fighting to keep the bitterness out of his voice. "I doubt he'll want to see me."

Bailey chewed her lip, seeming to grapple with her response to that. "Look, Oliver. I think there's been some confusion," she said. "About the party, when you walked in on us — "

"It's fine." The last thing Oliver wanted to do was talk about that and especially not right now, when he was due to swim to determine their place in the final meet of the season. He couldn't afford to be in the wrong headspace. "I shouldn't have barged in on you like that. It's none of my business whether you and Reed get back together."

"No, no, that's what I mean! We're not getting back together," she said hastily. "Not at all. We were just talking that evening, because he was upset and I...anyway, I just wanted to make that clear. I know you guys aren't talking and I'd hate to be the reason to come between the two of you. I ended things with Reed a while ago because I knew, even back then, that there was no future between us." Her brown gaze was steady, willing him to understand what she was saying. There was no bitterness or anger in her voice. "Not when he was in love with someone else."

The words were like a punch to the gut. "Oh," he said, incapable of conjuring up any other words over the sudden roaring of blood through his ears. He didn't think his vocabulary could handle anything more profound.

"Yeah." Bailey smiled, a little ruefully. "Sorry if I've seemed a bit distant over the last couple of months. It's nothing personal, I guess I just needed some time to get over the fact my boyfriend had feelings for someone else. But no hard feelings, okay? I've moved on. I only want the best for you guys."

Oliver was still reeling from her earlier words, forget processing what she was saying now, and it was only the loud trill of the whistle that snapped him out of it. The first event was starting. Luckily, Reed wasn't swimming in this event and there were enough heats that he wouldn't need to be present in the immediate future. But he was competing in an event before Oliver would be and he still hadn't returned from wherever he had disappeared to.

"Shit," Bailey said, having similar thoughts as she cast a worried glance over her shoulder.

"I'll go check on him," Oliver said, sounding far more composed than he thought possible for how rattled he felt. He managed a smile for her. "Thank you, by the way. You would've been well within your rights to hate me for effectively stealing your boyfriend."

Bailey laughed. "It's not stealing if he's been yours for a while now, Oliver. Longer than you probably realise."

And with that bombshell dropped on his head, she returned to take her place by Dex. Oliver was still turning her words over in his head even as he made his way to the changing rooms. Not when he was in love with someone else. It's not stealing if he's been yours for a while now. He was right for not wanting to have this conversation now — it had totally thrown him off, the nerves twisting his stomach now from something else entirely rather than his upcoming races. But he was glad he had it now, that Bailey had shook some sense into him with it. Reed hadn't gotten back together with her. He wasn't dating Bailey, which meant...

It meant Oliver was a huge idiot. He knew he was still missing something, that there must have been more to whatever misunderstanding had kept them apart for two weeks now, but that could wait. First, he needed to get Reed through this meet.

The changing room was scattered with clothing and bags, but they were otherwise empty. "Reed?" he said, picking his way through the benches towards the showers and toilets. There was no response, but one of the toilet stalls was occupied. Oliver came to a stop outside. "I know you're in there."

More silence. Oliver sighed, wondering whether it was too far to bust the door down when Reed muttered, "What do you want?"

"Everyone is wondering where you are. The races have started and you'll be up soon."

"Oh, so they sent you to find me, then?"

"I sent myself," Oliver said evenly. "I wanted to make sure you're okay."

"I'm fine." He could hear the scowl in Reed's voice. "So you can leave. No need to break your silence now."

Oliver sank down on one of the benches, suspecting they would be here for a while. "You're the one who made it clear you didn't want to talk to me," he reminded Reed. "For reasons I still don't understand."

Reed scoffed. "You're full of shit."

"Really?" Oliver said, with a hint of exasperation. "And what exactly am I gaining from pretending I have no clue what you're on about?"

"Why don't you ask Cora?" he snapped.

"What?" That was the last thing Oliver had been expecting to hear. "What is that supposed to mean? Reed," he said, fully exasperated when his questions were only met with a stony silence, so pointed it was almost palpable. There was a distant chorus of cheers from the pool where one of the heats must have ended. Oliver was fully aware that now was not the time for this conversation, but he didn't know when else they were about to have it. "Seriously, stop acting like a child. If you have something to say to me, say it to my face."

There was a resounding click as the lock was thrown and there was a loud slam as Reed threw open the door with a scowl. He looked a little too pale and jittery, hands trembling even as he curled them into fists by his side. Oliver couldn't tell if it was pre-game nerves or anger at him.

"Fine. You want me to fucking say it to your face? I saw you and Cora together at the party. Yeah," he said, with a savage fury at whatever he saw on Oliver's face. Oliver didn't need to hear his next words to know, with a sinking heart, what he must have thought. "I saw you cuddling on the sofa and I saw her kiss you, so you can stop acting like I'm making everything up. I guess we're not exclusive, that you can kiss whoever the fuck you want, but turns out I'm really not okay with that. I don't want to see anyone touching you but me."

Oliver blinked, seeing past the angry words to the meaning behind them. "Wait — "

"I was right for not wanting to do this," Reed said, barely seeming to hear him. "I can't keep doing this with you and I can't go back to just being friends, so we've fucked everything up." He gave a derisive, humourless laugh. "Our friendship really is ruined."

"Reed, wait." He rose to his feet but stopped when Reed took a step back, with a dark look that clearly said back the fuck up. "Nothing happened between me and Cora. No, seriously," he insisted, at Reed's irritated look of disbelief. "I get why you don't believe me. Fine, maybe she was flirting with me — "

"I don't want to hear this shit," Reed muttered, moving as of to storm past him.

Oliver caught his shoulder and pinned him back against the wall before he could go anywhere. Reed gave a sharp intake of breath and went still beneath his hand, his heart pounding so hard Oliver could feel it. Oliver's own body reacted just as instantly to the proximity and it took everything in his power not to close that distance between them.

"Listen to me," Oliver said urgently. "Maybe Cora was flirting with me but nothing happened between us because I like you, okay? Fucking hell, Reed, I like you a lot. I — " He abruptly broke off before the word love could slip past his lips. This was definitely not the right moment to be telling him that. "The only reason I spent the party with her and not you is because hearing you tell Clair nothing was ever going to happen between us, I thought...I realised I cared about you more than you cared about me, that this was nothing more than some friends with benefits situation for you. I didn't know to handle that. The easiest option was to avoid you, as cowardly as that is."

Some of the tense anger in Reed's expression faded to bewilderment. "I only said that to Clair to get her snooping nose out of something that wasn't any of her business."

"Well, you certainly did a good job of sounding very convincing," Oliver said wryly. "I really believed you didn't give a shit about me. And then when I saw you and Bailey together, and the way you were glaring at me when I interrupted you — "

"Because I was annoyed at you about Cora," Reed said with a frown. "There's nothing going on between me and Bailey. Not anymore."

"I know that now," Oliver said, and when he took a step towards him this time, Reed gave no indication that he should back the fuck up. The heat in his blue eyes seemed to say the opposite, inviting him to come even closer. "So, let me get this right. You've been annoyed at me because you thought I was seeing Cora and I've been annoyed at you because I thought you were seeing Bailey. But neither of us are seeing either of them, because we happen to like each other and we've spent the past two weeks showing that by ignoring one another."

"Yeah," Reed said slowly, "sounds about right."

Oliver groaned. "Adam's right. We've been such idiots."

Oliver had every intention of finally closing the distance between them after so long apart, but another rise of cheers going up in the background drew him back to reality. "As much as I would love to make up for our idiocy by kissing you for a very, very long time, we are in fact in the middle of the most important meet of our high school career," Oliver said, and regretted his choice of wording when Reed paled. "You'll be fine, Reed. You're one of the best swimmers competing today."

"And that doesn't matter if I fuck up today," Reed said, with a shaky breath. "None of those scouts will care how well I swim if I don't place on my races. I'll have ruined my whole future."

"First of all, not doing well today does not mean you've ruined your whole future. It's not the end of the world and if anyone will make it work, it'll be you," Oliver said. "And what makes you think you're going to fuck up?"

Reed took another shaky breath. "The fact that I feel like I'm going to throw up?"

"That's just the usual nerves. You'll be fine the moment you're in the water and instinct takes over."

Reed looked unconvinced, his gaze darting past Oliver to the hallway that led out to the pool as if he was weighing the merits of fleeing the scene before anyone could stop him. Oliver caught his face between his hands to carefully guide Reed's attention back to him and kissed him. He tasted like chlorine, a familiar warm scent. It started soft, a reminder that Oliver was here and believed in him even when he didn't believe in himself, but it had been too long since they'd last done this and things quickly grew heated. Reed flipped their positions so Oliver was the one with the wall at his back and pressed him up against it with the length of his body, hot and fervent and almost desperate, as if he couldn't go a second longer without Oliver's mouth on his own.

Oliver was too busy unravelling at the seams to realise they weren't alone until he heard a loud, "Holy shit."

Reed jerked back and it took Oliver's muddled brain a moment to make out Charlie, gaping at them with an unabashed lack of reserve. They were both breathing heavily, Reed as flushed as Oliver felt with glazed over eyes — there was no mistaking what Charlie had just walked in on. For a moment, there was utter silence punctuated only by the distant, background noise of the meet. Oliver stared at Reed. Reed stared at Charlie. Charlie stared at both of them with his jaw so low it was a wonder it hadn't hit the ground. Then he suddenly burst out into a huge smile.

"I knew it!" he exclaimed. "I knew you guys were a thing! Oh my god, Kessy is going to burst a blood vessel when she finds out about this. She owes me twenty quid and then some, for bullying me so much about how I'm wrong. I deserve some goddamn compensation for how right I am."

Oliver shot Reed another wary glance, waiting for the inevitable panicking and regret that accompanied Brooks finding them. This was even worse because this was Charlie, who wouldn't know how to keep his mouth shut even if you taped it and had already announced he had every intention of telling Kessy about it. But Reed just rolled his eyes.

"I should shove your head down the toilet for making stupid bets about us," he said. "But it'll have to wait. I have races I need to compete in."