Read Falling for Free Online

gently.
    “I did, it was amazing actually. I met this girl who thought she could beat me.”
    “Really? That’s fascinating. And had you met this girl before?” I step back, but he is square in front of me now. “I could beat you any day, Keller, but I don't have anything to swim in.” I say holding my hands up.
    “Of course you don't. Why would you say that?” It's not a question, my back hits a tree and I skirt around it, but I'm not fast enough. My hands fly up to grab him as he gently nudges me into the water, but I miss after he moves back at the last second. My head is under water before I can think of anything else.
    I reach down and untie the laces on my shoes. I pull them off my feet. “And I don't usually swim with my shoes on.” I tip them up for dramatic effect letting all the water gush out of them. Then I hurl each one at Keller's chest, he lets out a shocked sound as the first wet thud bounces off him, but he doesn't move, then makes the same sound as the second one makes a perfect bullseye on his green t-shirt. “That was a remarkably good aim.” He says.
    “I am outstanding at everything I do. Modesty is an especially strong point of mine.” I say tossing my wet hair back, pulling my legs up and float on top of the water. The water feels surprisingly good on this warm afternoon.
    “Clearly.” He dives in, over the width of my body, landing just behind me.
    “What a show off.” I say when he surfaces. “You might want to save some of your energy for the actual race. I don't want to make you feel too bad when I beat you. So try to keep up.” I press the end of his nose like an adult does to a two year old.
    “How far do you want to race?” He stretches his arms and swings them above his head like he is warming up.
    “You pick, seeing as I'm going to win. It's only fair that way.” I add sweetly.
    “That reedy twig thing, sticking out of the water a couple of feet back from the edge.” He points to the other edge of the lake. It’s not too far, maybe seven or eight hundred yards.
    “Looks good. You know what? I will even give you a head start.” I say smugly.
    “Great.” He launches under the water, and I dive at him at the same time. I am so baaaaddd. I watch through his eyes as he powers toward the reedy thing. He might have actually beaten me.
    All right, one, two, three. I dive forward holding out my hand. We reach it at the exact same second. Of course. But I'm deep down in the water. I swim around him and come to the surface. “I told you I was good.”
    “Whoa. Where did you come from?” He surges back surprised.
    “I dived under you, otherwise you might have won. And I couldn't have that.” I squeeze out my hair.
    He looks at me with a weird as look on his face. “You didn't even make any movement in the water. It was so weird. At the end I felt like I was swimming by myself.”
    “That's why I'm fast, because I don't swim like a shark eating a seal like you do. I'm sleek.” I push my hands through the water. “No thrashing around.” I make a gliding line through the water with my finger, then I turn and dive deep under the water so he can't ask me anything else. Maybe that wasn't the smartest thing to do.
    I stay under for as long as my lungs will allow me. Let him think about how I must have swum beside him. The lake isn't very deep, and I push off from the bottom hurtling myself up and out of the surface of the water.
    “So, Mr. Keller. You want to race again?” The odd look is completely gone, and he is making himself float around in circles.
    “I would, but next time I will beat you. And I don't want to make you feel bad about yourself.” He says sounding very concerned.
    “And why would I feel sorry for myself?”
    “Because I would have to swim back to the start line and go again just to make you feel like you could keep up with me. It's okay, I get it all the time.” He waves his hand like it’s nothing.
    “What's that?” I ask already floating in