Against the Tide

  Against the Tide

  Ridgemont University Book 2

  Meredith Taylor

  Copyright © 2016 by Meredith Taylor

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher at the address below.

  Meredith Taylor Books

  29 Postnet Suite

  PO Box X04

  Kuils River

  Cape Town

  South Africa

  7479

  The characters, locations and events in this book are entirely fictional. Any similarities to actual persons, locations or events is coincidental and unintentional.

  Twitter: @RidgemontUni

  Email: [email protected]

  Meredith Taylor Books

  meredithtaylorbooks.com

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  About Ridgemont University

  Join the adventures and MM romantic exploits of the students at Ridgemont University in this exciting new series.

  Ridgemont University is one of the most prestigious educational institutions in South Africa, with a reputation for academic excellence. It is set in a picturesque, sleepy college town, next to the famous Ridgemont Valley and a fifteen minute drive from Sandy Shore, where students often laze in the sun and swim in the crystal-clear waters of the many world-class beaches.

  The University has highly respected sports teams and cultural groups, and a range of student societies. Many of the academic buildings are more than 100-years-old, and are inspired by both Greek and French architecture. The University Gardens and the local nature reserves also offer magnificent sights for those who love the outdoors.

  Once the academic day ends, the town of Ridgemont has a thriving nightlife, and even a healthy gay scene. Most students can find something to keep them stimulated in Ridgemont.

  For the latest on Ridgemont University, and to learn more about the guys who are featured in the books, visit meredithtaylorbooks.com.

  Against the Tide

  Chapter 1

  Darryn Fredericks stood at the edge of the Olympic-sized swimming pool in the large swimming stadium of Ridgemont University. He felt his heart racing wildly, and even though the crowd was cheering and excited, he could hardly hear a thing. He was laser-focused on what he had to accomplish. Get to the other side first. Stroke, pause, breathe, stroke, pause, breathe. He mentally went through the race then, and saw himself gliding across the water gracefully. He couldn’t make a single mistake, and in the hours of practice over the past months he had perfected his form and technique. But he was not about to become complacent or think that winning was a sure thing. He had always had to work hard for everything in his life, and it had gotten him onto the Ridgemont University swim team as a first year student, on the path to make the national team in a few months if he could keep on winning. This was the time to be more focused than ever.

  Darryn noticed the stands growing quieter. The moment was approaching. His muscular chest was rising and falling as he breathed deeply. His caramel skin glistened with small beads of nervous perspiration, accentuating his muscled, toned swimmer’s physique. He adjusted his goggles and swimmer’s cap to make sure everything was in place. He bent his bare legs and kicked out some of the tension he was building up. He was as ready as he would ever be.

  The announcer’s voice boomed over the loudspeakers: “Welcome everyone to the Ridgemont University swimming championships quarter-final match 3. The winner of this race will go on to compete in the semi-finals in three weeks’ time, and will be considered for the intervarsity team. We are also happy to welcome the scouts for the South African national team who are in the stands today. Please give them a round of applause!” The crowd responded with a loud roar. There were at least a hundred supporters. Swimming was one of the most popular sports at Ridgemont University, and next to the rugby championships, the swimming finals were the most attended event on the annual sporting calendar. Darryn knew that this was the only reason he received such a sizable scholarship for being a gifted swimmer, as the swimming team was well funded and had many sponsors. The scholarship was almost enough to cover his entire tuition at Ridgemont, and since it was one of the most expensive universities in the country, this was saying a lot. He knew that if he wanted to make the national team and make a career out of swimming, losing was not an option.

  The announcer spoke again when the crowd became calmer: “In a moment we will turn over to the referee who will signal the start of the race. Good luck to the swimmers!”

  Darryn looked into the crowd, seeing the expectant faces and the signs supporting particular swimmers. He wished then that his father and brother could have been there to support him, but he knew that it would not be possible. He felt slightly selfish for not being at home, where he could help his father on such a difficult day, but he knew that he had to be at the race. He had to win and hold on to his scholarship so that he could at least support them with some of the funding that he received. He had to win for them.

  He noticed his coach and the rest of the swim team at their spot on the benches. Coach Tyson was chewing his nicotine gum furiously, making it look like the veins in his neck were about to explode from stress. He nervously gave Darryn a thumbs-up and managed a smile that looked more like a grimace. Coach Tyson was the reason that Darryn’s swimming had improved so much in the few months that he had been on the swimming team, and Darryn respected him immensely. He returned his coach’s gesture, and saw that he was being leered at by a particular set of piercing blue eyes that stirred immediate anger in him.

  JP Terreblanche was giving Darryn a smug look, his eyebrow raised. He had his short blond hair styled in a spiky, boyish style, and his sharp jaw and heavy mouth gave him a look of mischief that only fueled Darryn’s distrust of him. JP adjusted his Ridge U jacket, but his gaze did not move from Darryn. Even though Darryn knew that JP was good looking, with his high cheekbones and strong jaw, the arrogance that went along with it made Darryn’s blood boil. JP was one of the best swimmers on the team, but Darryn knew that he was definitely better. JP, however, acted like he was God’s gift to swimming, and he walked and talked with an air of importance that only the spoiled Ridgemont elite could pull off. Unfortunately, JP had won his quarter-final race earlier that morning, only adding to his arrogance. Darryn knew that he would enjoy beating JP in the finals if both of them made it, and a smile crossed his lips at the thought that JP would have to watch him win. Beating JP would be one of the most satisfying parts of his swimming career at Ridgemont, Darryn thought.

  He stepped to his mark at the very edge of the pool, and bent down to be ready for his starting dive. He trained his eyes on the water in front of him, rehearsing his movement
s in his head again. He could do this, he reminded himself, and held his breath as he waited for the sound of the gun that spelled the start of the race. Everything was quiet, and Darryn’s mind was blocking out even the stray thoughts of JP’s arrogant stare which was surely still trained on him like a laser. Suddenly, the bang of the starting gun sounded, and Darryn was in the water. He found his rhythm perfectly as he hit the surface. Stroke, pause, breathe, stroke, pause, breathe. He felt his movements echo the months of training and mental preparation that he had done. He knew that he was doing everything right. He knew that the stakes couldn’t be higher, and he pushed himself even harder than he thought possible.

  The thrill and discipline of swimming were intoxicating for Darryn. This was where he was happiest, and where he felt most in control. He loved the feeling of moving so swiftly and powerfully in the pool, his large arms and shoulders sliding through the water and propelling him forward, his legs finding exactly the right rhythm to facilitate his propulsion, all combining to make his movement through the water like that of an eagle swooping through the air. Coach Tyson had looked at him in amazement the first time he had seen Darryn swim, and told him that he had a rare talent. Darryn knew that he had to put his talent to use and go as far as he could with his swimming career. He had had too late a start at swimming to compete internationally earlier in his life, but he could still make the intervarsity and national college teams. He knew he had it in him.

  Suddenly he felt his fingers touch the opposite edge of the pool. It was over. He emerged from the water and saw on the scoreboard that he had completed the race in a new personal record time. He had won, and the crowd was cheering in elation. Darryn raised his fist proudly and smiled. He saw his coach and the rest of his team standing and applauding. Coach Tyson looked especially jubilant. But one face was smirking between the rest of the team. JP was still sitting even though the rest of the team were standing in applause. He was not cheering at all, but merely staring at Darryn. Darryn decided to ignore him; it wasn’t worth letting JP ruin his proud moment.

  He was eager to let his father and brother know that he had won, that he would be progressing to the semi-finals in a few weeks. He got out of the pool and found his towel, and his coach was immediately next to him, tapping his shoulder. “Well done, Darryn! That was excellent, exactly as we practised it. You did an amazing job. Now you just need to keep it up at the semis and you can make the first team. It’s been years since we’ve had a first-year student on the first team. Keep it up!”

  “Thanks, coach,” Darryn said, with a bashful smile. He knew that his coach favored him over many of the other swimmers, and that he was secretly rooting for Darryn to do well. Maybe it was because Darryn was one of only two mixed-race students on the swim team, or “coloured” as they were called in South Africa. The rest of the team were all white, often from wealthy backgrounds. Darryn knew that he had a lot to prove, and Coach Tyson seemed to be determined to help him in any way he could.

  Coach Tyson moved in closer to him and said, “Just remember to try and make it to the get-together this afternoon once the last races are done. I invited the national scouts and it would be good for you to meet them.” Darryn was thrilled at the prospect of meeting the national scouts, even if it meant attending a party with the rest of the team.

  Darryn’s best friend on the swim team, Mario, came over to him and enthusiastically shook his hand in congratulations. Mario was the other coloured student on the team, who had come second in his quarter-final race as he had participated in the race that JP had won that morning. Mario was always optimistic and merely shrugged off his second-place finish, saying that he would do better the following year, and that he didn’t need to make the intervarsity team just yet. He was one of Darryn’s most ardent supporters, and was always ready to tell Darryn how much he admired his technique. “You know you’re the best swimmer on the team, and in a year’s time you’ll definitely be captain,” Mario often said to Darryn.

  Darryn shook the hands of the rest of the team. It was a ritual that Coach Tyson encouraged, even though Darryn knew that he was not well-liked among the other guys on the team. They often treated Darryn like he was beneath them, but they were forced to accept that he was one of their best first-year swimmers. Last in line for the handshake was JP, who didn’t say a word as he approached Darryn and squeezed his hand tightly, almost hurting him. Darryn squeezed back, and they stared straight into each other’s eyes. JP was trying to provoke him, he thought. But he resolved not to let JP ruin his proud moment. Darryn pulled his hand free and just walked away from JP, moving towards the locker room to change.

  Mario came up to Darryn again as he walked towards the locker room, whispering in a serious tone, “Listen, Darryn, I need to talk to you. Your dad just called my phone, he said that he was trying to get through to you but that your phone was just ringing. He said it’s quite serious, about Billy, and you must call him back as soon as you can.” Mario had thin, sharp eyebrows and his hair was cut short on his round face, giving him an almost comical look which suited his jovial personality. It was rare to see Mario being serious, and the contrast of his playful features and serious words made Darryn uneasy.

  “Thanks, Mario, let me just get to my phone. Can you drive me home? It will take too long to get there with the bus.”

  “Sure. Go call your dad and I’ll tell Coach that I can’t be here for the rest of the races. I’ll be ready to go when you are.”

  Darryn rushed into the locker room and opened his locker, taking out his ancient Nokia phone. He saw eight missed calls and two messages from his father, and immediately returned the call. His father answered in his deep voice, sounding nervous, “Hello? Darryn?”

  “Dad, yes, what’s going on? Is Billy okay?”

  “He just had another episode. I thought he was getting better when you left for your race this morning, but it’s not looking good. Can you come back now? You’re the only one who can calm him when he gets like this.”

  “I’m on my way. Mario says he will give me a lift. Listen, don’t worry. I’m gonna be there in twenty minutes. Just try and see if you can play some music for him until I get there.”

  “I’m sorry, Darryn. I know it’s an important day. I just don’t know what to do.” His father’s voice was faltering, and Darryn felt sorry for him. His father was approaching fifty and not in the best of health himself, and all of the worry over Billy was really getting to him.

  “Don’t worry. I’m done here and I’ll be back soon. Just stay with him.”

  Darryn hung up the phone and didn’t bother showering, throwing on his clothes and rushing out. His face hung in a look of worry, his sharp cheekbones and serious brown eyes accentuating the look of sadness and fear. He knew that he should have stayed home with Billy. He rushed towards Mario’s car, desperate to get home as soon as he could.

  Chapter 2

  Mario pulled into the driveway of Darryn’s house. They only lived a few blocks from each other, and they had both been able to get out of their impoverished community and go to the prestigious Ridgemont University by studying together and getting scholarships. Darryn often marveled at how strange it was that such a poor community as theirs could be only a short drive away from a place like Ridgemont University, with its immaculate, regal buildings and incredibly rich students. But he was glad that he could have an opportunity to study there, and to one day be able to get his father and brother out of their difficult circumstances and look after them like his father had looked after Darryn and his brother their whole lives.

  He rushed out of the car as it stopped, ran to the front door, and opened it. The house was completely quiet. Their family dog, Colette, was sitting quietly on the couch, and just watched Darryn as he entered. He walked towards the bedroom that he shared with his brother Billy. The curtains were drawn in the room, and only a sliver of light entered in the space between them. His father was sitting on the bed, looking at Billy as he sat on the floor. Billy was eleve
n-years-old, and he had his fingers clenching his long, curly hair, as his face hung low. He was rocking slowly from side to side.

  Darryn’s father, Angelo, looked at him with an expression of desperation. He got up from the bed and tapped Darryn on his shoulder as a signal to follow him outside. When they stepped out of the room, his father gave a sigh of exasperation. He was a heavyset man, with dark lines under his eyes and big, calloused hands from years of manual labor. His skin was darker than Darryn and Billy’s, and he was balding on top of his head. Darryn could see the exhaustion written all over his father’s face. “I’m glad you’re home, Darryn. He’s been like this for about an hour now. He was doing so well this morning, I thought it was only a minor episode. I tried taking him to school, but his teacher called me about half an hour later and said that he wasn’t doing well.”

  Darryn’s sharp, dark eyes were stuck in a frown as his father spoke. “I came as soon as I could. I’m sorry I missed your calls. I saw that he wasn’t doing well this morning. I should have stayed.”

  “No, you did nothing wrong. I hope I didn’t make you miss your race,” his father said.

  “I just finished it when Mario told me you called, actually.” Darryn thought that it would be frivolous to talk about winning the race when Billy was not doing well.

  His father spoke again in a strained whisper: “This is the second time this month already that he’s had such a bad day. The episodes seem to be getting more frequent. I thought that the new medication would help, but he doesn’t seem to be doing well at all.”

  Darryn nodded solemnly, and walked past his father into the room where Billy sat in the corner. “Hey, Billy boy,” he whispered. “How are you doing, kid?”