Toe to Toe (On Pointe Book 1) by Penelope Freed (read with me TXT) 📕

talking to Andrew than Tyler, but way more nervous than chatting with Trevor. I wish Trevor was here.

“Yeah, they’re really cool about letting us all hang out here. My parents would never be cool with having so many teenagers hanging out all the time, but I’m glad the Quinn’s don’t mind. Besides, their pool is awesome.”

I nod in agreement. “Yeah, it is. I never realized that Katy’s brothers had people over here so much, but I guess that explains why Katy never seems intimidated by you guys.”

“Do I intimidate you?”’ Andrew asks, grinning.

I nod my head, my messy bun bobbling on top of my head with the movement. “A little,” I admit. I shove a forkful of salad in my mouth to force myself to stop talking. Andrew throws back his head and lets out a laugh. I’m fascinated by his confidence. He just started talking to me as if it never occurred to him that I wouldn’t immediately want to continue the conversation. I guess I proved him right by sitting here. “So,” I ask, swallowing my food. “Um, how’s baseball going?” I manage, feeling brave.

Andrew leans back on both hands, lifting his face up to the sun, and starts talking. I’m half listening, trying to eat my salad and pizza without looking like a slob, and occasionally admiring the smooth expanse of his chest when I think he’s not paying attention. A mental image of Trevor crosses my mind and I wonder what he’s doing this weekend, but Andrew distracts me with a question and I let the thought go.

I relax as we chat and eat, the sun warm on my shoulders, the water cool on my calves. I slowly kick my feet back and forth in the water, enjoying the resistance and the relief from my hours of pointe work in rehearsal. I’m still wary, but it turns out Andrew is nicer than I assumed he was. He keeps me laughing with his witty observations of everyone sitting around the pool. I’m just finishing off the crust of my pizza slice, when I’m startled by a wave of water sloshing over us.

“Nice one dude!” Andrew laughs at Tyler as his head pops up from the water, a huge grin on his face. This seems to be some sort of signal, because suddenly half a dozen other boys go flying into the pool, legs tucked up in the air and bellows of “Cannonball!” and “Look out!” ringing out. I’m drenched by at least three more waves of water, my tank top soaked and stuck tight to my skin.

I’m startled by the sudden sensation of a pair of hands gripping my calves tight as I’m busy wiping water from my eyes. “Hey,” Andrew says looking up from the water, his hands holding my calves. “You coming in?” When I hesitate he tugs on my legs, grinning. “Come on Hannah. I promise not to bite.”

“You already said that,” I point out as I peel my wet shirt off and wring it out. I toss it in the same direction as my leggings. Before I have a chance to push myself off the pool ledge Andrew’s hands are on my waist, lifting me into the water.

“I know. And I haven’t bitten yet, have I?” His voice drops an octave and leans in close to whisper in my ear, “I thought you might need a reminder.” Andrew’s eyes are roaming over my face, the skin of my waist still warm from his hands. I blush and look away, hands absently moving through the water, careful to avoid brushing against his arms. I gasp when he cups my jaw and runs a thumb over my cheek and into my hairline. My eyes open wide, my heart races and I know my mouth is hanging open like a fish, I’m so taken aback by the intimate gesture.

“You had a little…” he holds out his thumb and I see a smear of green. It must be a bit of mask that I missed washing off earlier. He grins like he knows exactly what I was thinking, then he winks and cocks a finger at me, before pushing off the wall and swimming out to the center of the pool where the boys all seem to be trying to drown each other.

I gulp and take a deep breath, trying to calm down, my stomach jumping and my heart pounding. That was…weird. I can’t deny that having someone like Andrew pay attention to me made me feel powerful, like I just won a competition I didn’t even know I was part of. I kind of like it. It was almost as good as YIGP, but without all the hard work. I push away my worry about what it means. I told myself tonight was about having fun with my friends, not worrying.

I turn around and hook my arms over the edge of the pool, looking at Lisa and Katy. “You guys coming? And no, we’re not talking about what just happened.” Katy gives me a look and I sigh. “Later, okay? Not now.” They’re already standing and pulling off their layers as I speak. They slip into the water on either side of me, squeaking a little at the coolness of the water.

“Do they always try and drown each other like that?” I ask Katy, before either of them can start asking me about what just happened between me and Andrew. I don’t even know what it was.

“Yup. And the girls hardly ever actually get in the water,” she nods her head towards the other end of the pool where all the other girls in attendance are gathered, whispering furiously amongst themselves. “It’s been like this since I was a kid and Cole would invite all his buddies over. When I was little, they used to toss me around the pool like a football.”

“You don’t hang out with the girls?” Lisa asks. Katy just scoffs at that.

“Um, no. They are exactly as catty and superficial as they