Free Caleb + Kate by Cindy Martinusen Coloma

the prom and the fact that Finn’s little dare has definitely caused a problem for me.
    How could I start falling for Kate Monrovi in one conversation, one dance? She’s the one person I can never fall for. Never.
    The water is clarity for me. I can’t lose myself.
    â€œWell, hello,” the girl yells with a giggle as she bounces up and then down a wave. She was drifting toward the rocks and could have easily been injured or drowned. I’ve seen it a number of times back home; people forget to respect the sea. I’ll rescue her—but she rescued me.
    This Katherine took a swim just in time. Thank you, silly rich girl.
    KATE
    He comes out carrying Katherine, watering streaming off them like it’s some kind of movie. Katherine is coughing at first, then she starts laugh-coughing. People are running and shouting, like Katherine’s been attacked by a shark. Caleb sets Katherine on the sand and takes a few steps back as our friends huddle around her.
    My first thought isn’t about Katherine but about Caleb’s defined muscles and . . . he has tattoos.
    â€œAre there really still heroes in the world?” a familiar voice asks beside me, and I see that it’s Monica. She’s not even being sarcastic.
    Two girls run up from behind us crying, as if Katherine is dead. Ms. Liberty, Mr. Beemer, and Ms. Atkins arrive, wearing serious expressions that contradict their Shakespearean attire.
    My eyes switch back to Caleb as he slides back into the crowd and disappears. There’s a tattoo between his shoulders that looks like an intricate compass. Then I realize I’m still holding his shirt, wallet, and an old, beat-up cell phone.
    Mr. Hutchinson rises and announces loudly, “She’s fine, everyone back to the party. Let’s go people. The beach is off-limits to Gaitlin students.”
    People start to disperse. I walk closer to Katherine and the teachers. John and Belle, two hotel employees, arrive and I’m drawn in to giving details about what happened.
    â€œKate, I’ll see you up at the table,” Monica says, stepping through the sand like it’s hot coals.
    My father is going to love this. I can just hear him and Mr. Davis, the hotel manager, ranting and raving that this was exactly what they’d been worried about. The liability of teenagers holding an event here was high even if the student body purchased insurance for the night; I am sure this will be the first and last prom at the Monrovi Inn.
    I don’t see Caleb anywhere. Finally, I spot him walking toward a less-used trail that takes a steeper route to the north end of the hotel grounds.
    â€œI’ll be back,” I say to John, and try hurrying in the sand.
    â€œCaleb!” I call. He stops, pausing a moment before turning around. “Wait.”
    As I’m coming up, I see that other guy coming down.
    â€œHey, man, what happened here?” It’s Caleb’s cousin. He has that snide look on his face as he watches Katherine being helped toward the stairs on the other end of the small beach area.
    â€œWe had a swimmer,” Caleb tells him, before reaching out to help me take the few steps up to him.
    â€œI have your things,” I say.
    â€œThanks.” Caleb takes his shirt and uses it to dry off his head and chest. Again, my eyes are drawn to the tattoos. “This is my cousin, Finn.”
    â€œHi,” I say, forcing my eyes to behave.
    Finn glares at me. His animosity might be humorous if he didn’t look like a drug runner or mob guy.
    â€œFinn, this is Kate.”
    â€œI know who she is.” He says it like I’m the most disgusting person on earth.
    â€œSo I lost the dare.” Finn’s beady eyes search my face. “Did you tell her it was only a dare?” He thinks Caleb didn’t tell me and that I’m going to be offended.
    â€œYou what ? This was only a dare ? I thought you liked me.”
    Caleb looks at me with