Speedy Moves

They gawked at the new hottie as he strolled to the diving board in the school's turquoise swim team Speedo suit.

"Look at his legs! He must hit the weight room heavily. I've not seen any swimmers with legs bulging in muscles like his!" Candy exclaimed. They both held their breath as he arched off the board and hit the water in a vertical line.

"A perfect Olympic ten dive! He will lead the Sharks to first place in all the swim meets! Wait, where are you going?" Candy called to Peggy's backside as her childhood friend approached the diver.

Peggy leaned over the pool's edge, her breasts in his face, giving him her most engaging smile. The swimmer's gleaming teeth would blind someone a block away, shining like a beacon from his deeply tanned face.

"What the hell!" Candy said out loud as he placed his hand on Peggy's ankle. "This guy is a mover!"

Following her five-minute conversation, Peggy was grinning and strutted back.

"Well?" Candy glared at her, annoyed at her speedy snag of the new guy.

"Ned said he was on the dive team at his old school. We have biology together; we're meeting at Ricardo's Pizza this week for a Coke."

"You talked for a few minutes and already made a date?" Peggy nodded, twirling a strand of her bleached hair.

"I'll see you later; I have to go." Candy headed to the changing room and was not surprised when Peggy didn't follow. Candy was sure Peggy was oblivious that she had hurt her feelings.

**

Ned quickly inserted himself into Peggy's circle of friends. He fooled even the teachers, regaling them with wild tales of his former life. He bragged about his athletic prowess and his father's business. He claimed his sister was a Harvard grad and CEO of a well-known blue-chip corporation, and his mother was a child psychologist. Their family took annual ski trips to Switzerland.

"Isn't he cool, Beda?" Peggy said as they watched him swim his laps.

"Something seems off. Why are they living in this tiny town if his parents are so well off and they all meet in Zurich yearly for ski trips?"

"Don't be catty. He'll grow on you too, you'll see." Beda snorted loudly.

**

It was Candy's turn to host Peggy, Ned, Pete, Beda, Beau, and others at her house. The group regularly had a game and movie night, and she was going all Martha Stewart to awe them as the hostess. She had laid out an extensive snack array, with one table set for a do-it-yourself sundae bar. She had a movie they all wanted to see and board games afterward.

Ned touched her wrist in the kitchen as she filled the ice bucket again.

"Say, I want to take only you on a date." Candy stared while Ned smiled his gleaming Colgate best; she could smell his woodsy aftershave.

"You and Peggy are a couple."

He shook his head. "No, we're just friends. I always include you in our get-togethers, so I don't have to be alone with her. I wanted to ask you out, but she kept shoving in, and I couldn't tell if you were interested." He winked and lightly rubbed the top of her hand with his index finger. "Will you go out with me?"

Candy yanked her hand away. "This is not appropriate, Ned! She thinks you are her boyfriend. Even if you told her, I wouldn't go out with you. She and I are best friends!"

She took the ice bucket to the den and stayed away from him the rest of the night but watched his interactions with Peggy. He nuzzled Peggy's neck, hugged her, pushed her hair behind her ears, got her drinks, and put his arm around her during the movie.

Monday evening was a pre-planned study night for Beda and Candy at Peggy's house. Candy was uncomfortable with the knowledge that Ned was playing her best friend. It was a complex subject to broach, and she couldn't go through with it each time she tried. She found herself snapping grumpily at both her friends.

"Candy, honestly, what the hell is wrong with you tonight? You are acting so weird!" Peggy stared at her.

"Nothing. How are your college essays coming? Is Ned helping you with them?"

Peggy grinned. "He is so good at everything! He wrote an example, and Dad, always the college professor, was so impressed he asked him if he could keep it to show other students!"

"Wow. That's great; I guess?"

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know, Peg. It seems like Ned is going overboard to impress everyone – the teachers, your parents, the coaches. One person cannot be so excellent at everything. There's something fishy!"

"That is so mean, Candy!"

Beda's deep chocolate eyes rounded at the tension between her friends. "Peggy, don't be like that! Candy doesn't want you to get hurt," Beda declared. "You know I think the same."

Candy mouthed 'thanks' to Beda and turned back to her homework. All three worked silently until Candy said she was going home. Peggy mumbled goodbye without looking up.

Beda caught Candy outside. "Let's walk together. I'm sorry, C."

"It's OK, but we have been friends forever, and now this jerk has come between us. She doesn't know, but he asked ME out."

"No! When?"

"At the movie night at my house. I told him no way. I want to tell her but I know she won't believe me! I do have an idea, though."

When Candy saw Ned on Tuesday, she stopped at his locker. "Hey Ned, there is a boat party my brother Larry is having with his college friends a week from Saturday at Lake Sammamish. Would you like to come with me? Beer, music, swimming, maybe some Mary Jane." She winked at him. He hugged her and told her he'd pick her up at eleven in the morning.

**

Candy dressed in her tiny red bikini, tied a see-through beach sarong around her waist, and stuck a white beach hat onto her head. Then, she skipped down the walk to Ned's car.

The college kids were zipping around the lake on their jet skis, some playing a crazy volleyball game. She knew about half of them from parties Larry had at their house. She and Ned walked up, his arm tightly around her waist, and she introduced him. Ned immediately lit up a blunt and offered it to Larry and his crew. Larry raised his eyebrows and declined, as did the others.

"I thought you said they'd have some MJ here?"

"I said maybe, Ned! Damn, you have to make an impression, don't you? I mean who the hell lights a blunt right after meeting his date's older brother?" She glared at him until he broke the gaze and extinguished it.

They ate food and lay in the sun until Larry yelled, "All aboard!" Those playing volleyball swam to the anchored boat and climbed the ladder. Ned and Candy walked the pier to get onto the boat. Larry pointed out the life jackets but didn't insist anyone wear them. Not everyone could fit on board simultaneously, so Larry planned to do two runs.

The boat cruised slowly around the lake for a while, and then Larry pushed the throttle, which slammed everyone into their seat, laughing. When he stopped, Ned declared he wanted to swim and did a perfect dolphin dive into the water. Candy watched him bob up like a cork, screaming, "Damn, this water is so cold!" Everyone laughed at the new guy. The lake was known for its depth and cold water. She handed him a towel as he climbed back up. He grabbed her, and she squealed from the cold of his wet body touching her.

"Here's a beer, Ned." Candy handed him a can, and he gave her a long kiss, melding her up against him with no space between.

Standing next to her car, Peggy watched the entire show, and tears formed when she saw him kiss her friend.

She grabbed a jet ski and sped to the boat, circling it repeatedly, creating a wake that rocked it.

"Peggy, hey, what are you doing?" Ned called to her, but she couldn't hear over the engine and water noise. She kept circling while Larry watched, eyebrows raised.

"He asked me out even though Peggy thought they were a couple. I want to show her he is lying but she won't believe me, you know?" Larry grinned.

"Oh yeah? Want me to push him in?" He looked at his little sister.

"Is it safe with Peggy racing around the boat?"

Larry critically eyed Peggy's jet ski circles.

"Hey Ned, come here!"

Ned headed to Larry, and Larry sneakily placed his foot between one of the ropes on deck and Ned's step. Ned tripped and tried to save himself, but Larry was quick.

"Oh no, don't fall in," Larry shouted, muscling to Ned's side.

Larry waved at Peggy and signaled for her to stop. He used a shoulder to totally off-balance Ned. Peggy floated on the jet ski, watching Ned fall over the side, arms pinwheeling, but unable to stop a hard landing in the lake.

When Peggy saw his head bob back up, she revved the engine and took off, a wake swooshing over Ned's head. Her circles became tighter and tighter, Ned flailing and choking in the middle and all of Larry's friends laughing.

Finally, Ned began crying, tears rolling down his face. His Olympic swimming skills wouldn't save him from Peggy's precise jet ski use. He started to swim toward the boat, but she cut him off. The cold water was tiring him. She was an expert on jet skis and stayed far enough away that she wouldn't hit him.

"Have you had enough, Ned?" Peggy screamed at him. "Say, 'Uncle,' Ned, and tell me you are sorry. You went behind my back."

"I'm so cold, Peggy; please let me out of the water." She switched the key off and stopped in front of him, staring. She waved her hand toward the boat.

"Go on. Get in. Larry will take you back to shore so you won't ruin our party."

"I told Peggy to come to the party but didn't tell her I had invited Ned," Candy smiled at her big brother and they high-fived each other.

Copyright © 8/25/2024 by Andrea O. Corwin

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