Sitting next to Drew in Maths wasn't helping Rob. He kept focusing on the back of Becky's head wondering what her answer was going to be. He was off in La La Land and wasn't listening to Mr. Campbell. A piece of chalk hit him on the arm. He jerked back on his seat. "Sir?"

"I'm assuming you know how to convert an explicit formula to a recursive formula, Rob." Steve Campbell cocked his head waiting for an answer.

"Ah... no, sir. Sorry."

"I hope your attention's not where I think it is. If it is, you and I are going to come to blows." Steve peered at him. "You need to get back in the game, Rob, or you are going to fail this subject. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, sir."

"Come and see me after class. We need to talk."

Shit. Rob nodded. "Yes, sir."

Drew elbowed Rob when the teacher turned his back. He mouthed, "What's going on with you?"

Rob shrugged so Drew scribbled on a piece of paper. Campbell has a lot of pull. If you don't get your shit together he could have you kicked off the team.

Rob blew out his breath and nodded. He really had to focus on this class.

When the bell rang, Rob waited until everyone had left the room before standing in front of the teacher.

Steve sighed and screwed up his mouth. "What am I going to do with you, Rob?" He tilted his head and twisted his lips again. "You're one of my top students but you won't stay there if you keep this up." He tapped the desk with his pencil and added, "Should I have you transferred out of this class?"

"Ah... no, sir. I get it. Just had other stuff on my mind. Sorry I'll work harder. You're a good teacher. I don't want to change out of your class."

Steve clicked his pen in and out in thought. He opened his folder and pulled out two sheets of paper. "These are my lesson plans for the last week. I want you to take them and catch up. If I don't see an improvement with your concentration I will have you transferred out of this class."

Rob took the sheets and nodded. "Thanks, sir." He smiled and said, "Just so you know. It is better. My focus. Since I've moved. Just had a small relapse. Nothing to do with what we talked about. Other stuff." Rob shrugged and smirked again.

"Righto. Don't let it happen again, because I don't want to see you fail." Steve Campbell yanked his head. "Go on. Get out of here."

*****

Linc and Becky were already in the pool by the time Rob finished hockey training. He threw the water polo ball to Linc and jumped into the water. "I want you out of the pool this time, Linc."

"What? Why? Am I in trouble?"

"No." Rob laughed. "Different game today that's all. I want you to jump in from the edge. Give me the ball and out you get."

Linc swam to the edge and scrambled out.

Becky dog paddled towards Rob. "What about me? Where do you want me?"

"Where do I want you?" Rob beamed at her and watched her blush. "Nowhere yet." He looked back at Linc. "I want you to squat as low as you can. I'm going to the throw the ball. I want you to spring out towards it and try to catch it. Hold onto the block and squat a couple of times first. Just go slow and steady." Rob watched Linc struggle to get low. Maybe this was going to be too much. "How does that feel? If it's hurting don't go down as far. I just want to try and get this leg to stretch further."

"Yeah. It's okay. Hurts a little bit."

"Do you want to give this a go or too hard do you think?"

"I want to give it a go." Linc grinned. "Say go when you throw the ball."

"Alright. Ready. Set. Go." Rob tossed the ball up in the air.

Linc sprang forward, missed the ball, and landed in the water. He came up laughing. "I missed it."

"That's okay." Rob grinned. "How did the leg feel?"

"Good. A bit tight but I want to give it another try." Linc swam to the edge again.

"He's walking better you know." Becky came a little closer. We worked on his stretches on the weekend and he was doing them a lot better."

Rob reached out and touched her bruised cheek. "What happened, Becky?"

"We're not talking about that, Rob. I told you already. I'm clumsy. I fell." She peered at him. "I also told you it's none of your business."

"Yeah. It is." Rob sank into the water, took her hand, and drew her towards him. "If you're gonna be my girlfriend then it's my business."

"Are we gonna play this game or are you gonna kiss her?" Linc called out from the edge of the pool.

Becky blushed and tried to pull away. Rob slipped his arm around her waist and grinned over his shoulder at Linc. "I'm gonna kiss her first, and then we'll play the game."

"Eew... see... I told you he liked you, Becky."

Rob laughed and cocked his head at Becky. "Your brother must be smarter than you." He lowered his mouth to hers but Becky put her hand up and stopped him.

"You are not kissing me in front of my brother and you're doing that pushy thing again. I haven't even given you an answer yet so you better back off."

"When are you going to give me an answer?" Rob jerked her closer and grinned harder.

"Ah... come on, Becky. Just let him kiss you so we can get on with the game would you?"

"Linc! Will you shut up?" She gave Rob a shove on the shoulder. "When you drop us off at the corner. If I say yes, then I'll let you kiss me. Now let go."

"So I'm dropping you home, am I?"

"No. At the corner. You don't listen very well do you? No wonder you're failing Maths B."

Rob laughed and let her go. "I'm not failing Maths B. Just falling behind." He swam closer to Linc. "She wouldn't let me kiss her, mate."

"She will." Linc grinned. "I'll make her cause I don't want you to fight again."

"Linc. I told you to be quiet." Becky glared at him.

"And I told you if a boy wants to kiss you it means they like you, so you gotta let Rob kiss you so you don't fight with him anymore."

"You're twelve, Linc. Twelve year olds don't know anything. Girls have a say too. If they don't like the boy they won't kiss him." She made her way to the pool ladder. "I'm getting out."

"But you do like him."

"Linc! Shut up!"

Rob laughed. "Come on, mate, let's do this."

"She's just playing hard to get. Girls do that."

"Who told you that?" Rob chuckled some more. He watched Becky get out of the water and storm off. "I think you made her mad."

"Carl told me that's what girls do if they like someone." Linc grinned and watched his sister grab her bag and storm off. "She'll be alright once you kiss her."

"Maybe she won't let me. Maybe she doesn't like me." Rob lifted the ball. "Go."

Linc dived, caught the ball, and landed in the water. He came up beaming. "Got it." He wiped water from his face. "She likes you."

Copyright © 2017 by Donna Fieldhouse. All rights reserved.

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