Sequel: Swimmers Story ›
My 3 Dedications And Me
First Time Back
She stood shaking at the back of the room when she heard someone try get her attention, she turned to the noise to see a tall figure in basketball shorts, a black hoody and sunglasses with white sneakers on. "Come here" he whispered and she slipped out the room, "Mikey you shouldn't be here" "I know but I wanted to come see you, stop being nervous you're going to be fine. Don't rush, don't follow them. Swim your own race and you'll be fine! I'm not expecting you to win, I don't particularly want you to. This is a formality and to get you back in to competition, you can't keep racing me" he said looking around nervously.
"But I'm not..." "You're ready! I wouldn't have you here if I thought you'd lose. Look I want you to go out there and forget them, it's just you and I in that pool and nobody else" he stated and she looked at him. He grinned hugging her against him "Good luck Dolphin! I'll be out there watching you and maybe just cheering, put these in!" he reminded passing her ear plugs and she nodded taking them as he let her go.
She turned to walk back in "Dolphin?" "Yep! Why?" he quizzed "I was going to ask you that" "Oh, l'll explain later! Just go out and get them, I'll see you after okay?" he said and she nodded. "If you do well I'll cook you dinner! Don't be nervous, your father didn't raise a wimp and I don't coach a fool" he winked walking off and she walked in the room again putting her ear plugs in.
She walked out with the others standing at the side of the pool keeping her eyes trained on the water in front of her. She stretched her back out before taking her starting position, she felt the beep through the block she was standing on and dived in. She found the first turn mid stroke and felt herself fall behind but on the third turn she was back in her stride, she was used to racing Michael for a couple of lengths but never for 4 lengths and she felt her legs getting heavier and her arms begun to struggle. Her lungs burnt as she pushed for the wall and her fingers found it, she surfaced from the water catching her breath pulling her goggles off.
She'd come 4th but she knew it wasn't over, in an hours time she was back for another race, a medley. She went through the routine she was used to her phone buzzed, 'Good stuff Dolphin! The same again will make me happy! You know the drill, keep warm and keep moving! X' she read smiling and before long she was back to her side on the water waiting. She moved better this time feeling surer in herself but still wasn't finding her strokes easily timed for the wall and still struggling to push at the end.
She wandered out and in to his car without a word and she glared out the window with intense purpose, "So what's wrong Dolly?" "What's wrong? Are you kidding me? I lost!" she grumbled and he laughed. "I didn't want or expect you to win! You got 2 fourths, Dolly that's great! I haven't got you peaking yet, you're not meant to win! I wanted to see how you moved in the water with strangers and to see how you take the pressure. I'm happy with this Dolly so calm down, I'm still cooking!" he reassured.
She sat down at his house watching the TV hearing him in the kitchen, she sighed as he called her through taking the plate from him. 'Well done today, I hope my son treats you to dinner! X' she read before showing Michael who smiled. "Dolphin don't be upset! You did real well, honestly I'm proud of us. I'm proud you did so well and I'm proud I'm not wasting your time, don't be down on yourself" he offered and she nodded.
"Little soldier you are, you were tired out there but you kept pushing, we are perfectly well on track. So how's your life? Seen anymore of that Mike kid?" he asked and she shook her head "I only went out that once because I kind of felt bad for talking to him and because I walked in to him. You?" "My love life has ceased, I think my mother will send me a card for valentines because she doesn't want me 'getting drunk and fresh' with girls" he complained making her laugh.
"Why'd you call me Dolphin?" she quizzed and he grinned at her "Because you remind me of one, they're graceful and intelligent and you can be really funny but you're vicious when you want to be" "Oh charming!" she huffed and he laughed. "Plus! You're Dolly Phoenix...your name kind of does it for you as well" he reasoned and she looked at the plate eating still, "I meant it as a compliment, just a nickname Dolly. So do you have Valentines plans?" "Don't even think about asking me out you git!" she scolded and he laughed "I was only going to suggest we..." "No! For one your mother would start the sex conversation again and it freaks me out!" she explained and he smiled.
"Am I not good enough for you? A date with me is that bad?" "Don't get all upset and take this the wrong way but you're awkward and weird, I like it as a friend but as a boyfriend it does nothing for me" she admitted and his eyes widened. "Well you're a grumpy, rude cow sometimes and that does nothing for me. But as a friend I find you amusing. I wasn't suggesting we hooked up and went long term, merely that as friends we could go out or you could come around to mine for dinner" he offered and she sighed. "Maybe, I don't want you getting drunk and fresh" she teased as she finished eating and he laughed.
"But I'm not..." "You're ready! I wouldn't have you here if I thought you'd lose. Look I want you to go out there and forget them, it's just you and I in that pool and nobody else" he stated and she looked at him. He grinned hugging her against him "Good luck Dolphin! I'll be out there watching you and maybe just cheering, put these in!" he reminded passing her ear plugs and she nodded taking them as he let her go.
She turned to walk back in "Dolphin?" "Yep! Why?" he quizzed "I was going to ask you that" "Oh, l'll explain later! Just go out and get them, I'll see you after okay?" he said and she nodded. "If you do well I'll cook you dinner! Don't be nervous, your father didn't raise a wimp and I don't coach a fool" he winked walking off and she walked in the room again putting her ear plugs in.
She walked out with the others standing at the side of the pool keeping her eyes trained on the water in front of her. She stretched her back out before taking her starting position, she felt the beep through the block she was standing on and dived in. She found the first turn mid stroke and felt herself fall behind but on the third turn she was back in her stride, she was used to racing Michael for a couple of lengths but never for 4 lengths and she felt her legs getting heavier and her arms begun to struggle. Her lungs burnt as she pushed for the wall and her fingers found it, she surfaced from the water catching her breath pulling her goggles off.
She'd come 4th but she knew it wasn't over, in an hours time she was back for another race, a medley. She went through the routine she was used to her phone buzzed, 'Good stuff Dolphin! The same again will make me happy! You know the drill, keep warm and keep moving! X' she read smiling and before long she was back to her side on the water waiting. She moved better this time feeling surer in herself but still wasn't finding her strokes easily timed for the wall and still struggling to push at the end.
She wandered out and in to his car without a word and she glared out the window with intense purpose, "So what's wrong Dolly?" "What's wrong? Are you kidding me? I lost!" she grumbled and he laughed. "I didn't want or expect you to win! You got 2 fourths, Dolly that's great! I haven't got you peaking yet, you're not meant to win! I wanted to see how you moved in the water with strangers and to see how you take the pressure. I'm happy with this Dolly so calm down, I'm still cooking!" he reassured.
She sat down at his house watching the TV hearing him in the kitchen, she sighed as he called her through taking the plate from him. 'Well done today, I hope my son treats you to dinner! X' she read before showing Michael who smiled. "Dolphin don't be upset! You did real well, honestly I'm proud of us. I'm proud you did so well and I'm proud I'm not wasting your time, don't be down on yourself" he offered and she nodded.
"Little soldier you are, you were tired out there but you kept pushing, we are perfectly well on track. So how's your life? Seen anymore of that Mike kid?" he asked and she shook her head "I only went out that once because I kind of felt bad for talking to him and because I walked in to him. You?" "My love life has ceased, I think my mother will send me a card for valentines because she doesn't want me 'getting drunk and fresh' with girls" he complained making her laugh.
"Why'd you call me Dolphin?" she quizzed and he grinned at her "Because you remind me of one, they're graceful and intelligent and you can be really funny but you're vicious when you want to be" "Oh charming!" she huffed and he laughed. "Plus! You're Dolly Phoenix...your name kind of does it for you as well" he reasoned and she looked at the plate eating still, "I meant it as a compliment, just a nickname Dolly. So do you have Valentines plans?" "Don't even think about asking me out you git!" she scolded and he laughed "I was only going to suggest we..." "No! For one your mother would start the sex conversation again and it freaks me out!" she explained and he smiled.
"Am I not good enough for you? A date with me is that bad?" "Don't get all upset and take this the wrong way but you're awkward and weird, I like it as a friend but as a boyfriend it does nothing for me" she admitted and his eyes widened. "Well you're a grumpy, rude cow sometimes and that does nothing for me. But as a friend I find you amusing. I wasn't suggesting we hooked up and went long term, merely that as friends we could go out or you could come around to mine for dinner" he offered and she sighed. "Maybe, I don't want you getting drunk and fresh" she teased as she finished eating and he laughed.