Stephanie Coleman - Real, Not Perfect

Real, Not Perfect

Searching for Normal

The Me You See

Chasing the Spotlight

Real, Not Perfect 2021 Focus on the Family. All rights reserved.

A Focus on the Family book published by Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188

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Cover design by Mike Harrigan

The characters and events in this story are fictional. Any resemblance to actual persons or events is coincidental.

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ISBN 978-1-58997-704-4

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Build: 2021-04-21 22:34:32 EPUB 3.0

I TRIED NOT TO HEAR MY NAME being called, tried to just nudge my way through the humid pool room and out to freedom, but the call came again.

Wheres Tessa? Does anyone know where Tessa is?

I had to get home, or Id be late for the party. I couldnt be late for a party I was throwing. But if I didnt turn arounddidnt do the right thingI would spend the rest of the night with guilt simmering in my gut. Had my best friend, Mackenzie, been here to witness my moral crisis, she wouldve rolled her eyes and called me Good Girl Tessa.

I gave the double exit doors of the aquatic center one last longing look and then turned. Im here. I waved half-heartedly.

I hadnt recognized the voice, and I expected to see one of the senior boys or maybe a dad. I had not expected the new boy, Abraham.

His dark eyes locked with mine. Youre Tessa?

My stomach squirmed. Yep.

Coach wants you.

Internally, I winced. Id been here for several hours already. First with my own heats, and then helping wrangle the middle-school swimmers. I needed to get home, rush through my shower, and complete the last-minute tasks for Mackenzies going-away party.

Externally, I put on a smile. Okay, thanks.

I started back toward the blocks, where I could hear Coach Shauna yelling warm-up instructions to the young swimmers who were about to start their heats.

I guess theres girl drama, Abraham half yelled as I shouldered my way through the crowd of exiting and entering families. I hadnt expected him to follow me. And Coach Shauna was like Wheres Tessa? We need Tessa. I tried telling her that Im qualified for girl drama, but she didnt buy it.

I laughed. Should she have bought it?

Im not unqualified. I have sisters.

I squeezed around a group of chattering pool moms and caught a glimpse of why Id been summoned. Coach Shauna stood with Kayleigh, who at least had her swim cap ona victory on its ownbut was crying with her ropey eight-year-old arms crossed over her chest.

Good thing I hadnt just walked out the door.

I turned to Abraham and nearly bumped into him. For weeks, the other girls on swim team had been giggling about how cute Abraham Mitra was. He had dusky skin, long, curly eyelashes, and beautiful swim form. He was too flirtatious for my taste, but up close like this his charisma was hard to ignore.

There was no time for being flustered, however. Not when Kayleigh needed me. My mom has probably been waiting in the parking lot for me for fifteen minutes. Im gonna go tell her that I cant leave yet. Can you tell Coach and Kayleigh Ill be back in one minute?

No problem.

I elbowed through the thickening crowd. These all-ages practice meets were always chaos. For seasoned swimmers like me, this was a chance to practice before the upcoming season and to collect a few community service hours by helping with the younger swimmers. But for parents of new swimmers, even these practice meets appeared to be a cause for premature gray hair and bitten-off nails.

I pushed open the doors and breathed deeply. Even though it was August, the outdoor air felt comparatively cool, and the smell of not-chlorine was welcome.

Hey, I was just about to come looking for you.

I startled at the sound of Alexs voice. What are you doing here?

He stood from a metal bench, surprising me all over again by how tall hed gotten in the last year. For most of our friendship, Id had the height advantage. Your mom asked me to pick you up. Didnt she text you?

That was weird. Mom had never asked Alex to pick me up before.

Possibly, but I have no signal in there. I swung my swim bag around to dig through it for my phone. Did she say why?

Shes busy with party food, I guess.

What about my dad?

Alex replied with a shrug. She didnt say.

Sorry to interrogate you. I pulled out my phone and skimmed Moms text. Just says youd be coming to pick me up. Huh.

Alex twirled his key fob around his finger. She didnt make it sound like it was a big deal or anything was wrong.

I started to type a response to Mom, realized it didnt matter right now, and zipped my phone into its waterproof pocket. Sorry to do this to you, especially when youve been sitting out here for who knows how long, but I cant go yet. You know Kayleigh from church whose Mom died a few months ago? I dont have time to explain it all now, but she needs me.

Oh. Alex stopped twirling his fob. Okay, no problem. Ill just hang out here.

Alex, you really dont need to. I can walk home. Its not that far.

Alex frowned. Its a couple of miles. And doesnt the party start at seven?

It does, but I take that shortcut trail through the forest

He shook his head, and his sandy hair flopped. I dont want you going that way by yourself.

I rolled my eyes, even as I felt my cheeks heating, touched by his thoughtfulness. Its well lit the whole way and full of moms and strollers. Im fine. Thats what I usually do, but it was supposed to rain, so Mom said shed pick me up. I remembered Kayleighs tear-streaked face and made myself stop explaining. I have to get back in there. You can come in if you want, or you can go. I promise I can get home fine.

Alex reached past me, grabbed the door handle, and held it open. Ill come in.

I tried to say, Okay, in a casual and unaffected voice.

Mackenzie would have something to say about this situation, too. Since middle school, shed been after me to make it official with Alex before other girls snapped him up. I hadnt disagreed... but I also hadnt known how I should go about making it official with a boy I used to invite to My Little Pony birthday parties. And then freshman year, when he met Leilani, my snap him up opportunity had expired.

I turned to Alex and found him wide-eyed, surveying the mess of parents, kids, and swim bags. I know, its Crazy Town. You can wait here. Im gonna be over by the blocks, but Ill be done as soon as possible.