Chapter 6: The Photo

By lunchtime, the photo was everywhere.

Hank found Jesse in the dining hall and put his phone on the table without a word.

An anonymous account called @halbrookswim_confessions had posted it at 9:14 that morning.

It showed Nate pinning Jesse to the stairwell wall, with Jesse's hands gripping his shoulders.

The caption said: Captain's new walk-on is getting private lessons.

Under it were two hundred comments and climbing.

Some were jokes.

Some were worse.

"I'm so sorry," Hank said. "I tried to report it. They said it takes a day."

"It's fine," Jesse said.

It wasn't, and his hands were shaking around his sandwich.

"Who would do this?"

"Someone in a green jacket," Hank said. "Which is half the school."

Jesse's phone buzzed.

It was Cal.

Saw the photo. I'm not mad about the photo. Call me when you can.

He stared at the message for a long time.

Then another buzz: Nate.

I'm so sorry. The coach called a team meeting at 1. I'll fix this. Don't go anywhere alone.

Jesse typed back: I'm coming to the meeting.

The answer came fast. You don't have to.

I know, Jesse wrote.

He put the phone down and finished his sandwich, because Hank was watching him with a worried face and because he was hungry.

At one o'clock he walked into the Dunmore team room.

It was a long, low room full of folding chairs and a whiteboard, and thirty swimmers were sitting in it.

The coach stood at the front, a gray-haired woman with her arms crossed.

Nate stood next to her, pale.

Pierce sat in the front row with one ankle on his knee, looking sorry for everyone.

The room went silent when Jesse entered.

"Larkin," the coach said. "This is a team meeting."

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