Sequel: Swimmers Story ›
My 3 Dedications And Me
How To Make Friends And Influence Them
She crouched ready and hit the water, she moved in to her fly effortlessly. She hit the wall changing to get back and glanced to see she was ahead of the field, she started to pull under the water and broke the surface just giving what she could to her backstroke.
She felt the wall and pushed back out to breaststroke, she moved into it feeling far more uncomfortable than she ever did in any other stroke. She never looked for the others knowing it was energy and time wasted she didn't have. Her muscles never felt fully happy letting her move in her breaststroke and she saw the wall hitting it happy to be in free.
She took a glance and saw she was ahead if the others, she moved easier her muscles almost thanking her for giving them something they could do. She waited for them to catch her almost resigning to the fact they would but when Caitlin Levernez looked to close her gap on her she pushed for the wall and she panicked punching out on the wall under water instead of on her stroke as she'd seen it come to her.
She emerged to check and grinned smacking her hand onto the water surface in celebration. She leant across to hug Alicia Coutts, she congratulated her before climbing out waving to the crowd and some woman grabbed her asking her about her swim.
She walked back to be jumped on by Ryan, "You're super fly! You in that water...you're on fire!" Ryan shouted as he hugged her. "Congrats Ryan! I have to go warm down but I'll seen you soon!" she called disappearing, Ryan grabbed her hand as she was being dragged out to her medal ceremony from her warm down and she smiled at him "Go sing for us!" he called and she grinned as he let go.
Out on that podium everything seemed brilliant, she waved at the crowds before being taken around with the others for photos. She saw Ian Thorpe wave her over and she she grinned walking over "Well done, second race and second gold medal. To top it off second world record! You must be happy?" he asked and she laughed "Happy doesn't cover it, I'm still not believing it. It was only 0.05 of a second off the world record" she answered him moving her long hair.
"I bet you had one very tense and nervous coach on that last stroke" "Oh I think my coach was the most relaxed person in here at that point, they know that I'm like that. I'd imagine they were less stressed out today than in the 100 fly" she admitted and he smiled.
"So have your parents forgiven you?" he quizzed smiling and she laughed "I'm not totally sure, I think they're half way there!" "So you dedicated your last medal to your dad, is there any dedication this time?" he questioned and she nodded. "This one is for my mom, she took me to swimming classes when I was a baby and she's been a big support in my life. Her and dad took me to classes and meets through my life and mom made sure I had enough time to do my school work as well as swim. Plus my mom's not been very well for awhile now and she really inspired me to get back in the pool, I figured life's about not having regrets and I had one so I changed it and now my regret is pretty good" she explained and he nodded.
"So tomorrow is your 200 fly, how are you feeling in preparation for that?" "Oh we'll see where it goes, I've got lane 2 and my times were a bit off the pace today in qualification but we'll see what happens" she answered him. "Surely with your last records in the swims here you're on for a win and a record?" "Oh not at all, they're completely different races and I have to treat them that way. There's a massive difference between swimming a 100 fly and a 200 fly and the same for a 200 IM. All I can tell you is from this race I know I'm fit enough to swim 200 in a decent pace but whether I can maintain my fly for that long, we don't know! I guess there's really only one way to find out" she reasoned and he nodded.
"Well congratulations and good luck for tomorrow" "Thank you!" she called walking off and she headed up the same set of steps she'd gone before and saw her parents waving and she handed her flowers to her mom. "Well done Dorothy! You're amazing! You know that friend?" she nodded as they pointed to Michael's mom who winked at her "It's Mrs Phelps, Michael Phelps' mom" her dad said slowly so she'd read what he was saying and she rolled her eyes at him "Dad you can talk normally I can hear you! Is it?" "Yeah you used to go swimming with him remember?" he asked and she nodded. "Well what are the chances, I have to go but I love you guys!" she called running back down and as she headed back and on to the coach to find Ryan laid across the back seats his eyes closed.
She smiled to herself "Oh Mr. Lochte your lucky charm has arrived" she said in a singsong voice and he cracked a smile opening his eyes slowly "My lucky charm isn't so bad herself in the luck department. Come here you little swimming star" he laughed sitting up pulling her to him and she collapsed on to his knee.
His arms snaked around her waist as she threw an arm around his neck "I saw you pulling underwater, nice technique and I would like to formally extend an invitation to you that when this is over you are welcome, no far more than welcome, to come down to my pool and I'll sharpen your backstroke technique up no end. Shave seconds of that world record" he offered burying his head in to her neck and she laughed "I will take this invitation up and I will extend an invitation for you to come to my pool and I'll make you into the best fly swimmer the IM has ever seen" she replied and he smiled.
"Oh I don't think I'll take Phelps' crown anytime soon" "Phelps? Pah, I could make you better" she joked and he smiled at her. His hand moved down to rest below her hips as he spoke and she looked at him leaning in to his ear "Move that another inch Ryan and you won't be fit to swim another meter let alone another race" she growled in his ear and he took his hand away letting her sit at his side laughing.
They walked hand in hand off the bus and to her room "So are you going for the third tomorrow?" "I'm going in to the race and that's all we can ask for right?" she replied and he nodded. "Anyway I should get to bed as I have a final to swim tomorrow" she said he nodded as the door opened to reveal Allison Schmitt and she slammed it behind her.
Ryan shot her a glare daring her to say something as he hugged Dorothy against him, she glared at him before storming past them both to her room "Night Princess!" Ryan smiled kissing Dorothy's cheek before walking to his own room and she climbed in to bed reading a message from her parents and Michael's mom and his siblings. She was about to go to sleep when her phone buzzed again 'So I have 3 golds and you have 2, maybe we could have that fun together after all? Just think, we're both in our physical prime, what is there to lose? ;) xxx' she read before smiling 'You'll be losing body parts that are both vital to your career and your future relationships as well if you keep this one up Lochte! I am not sleeping with you, you're pushing your luck with a good luck kiss if I'm perfectly honest. You've transformed me in to a superstitious swimmer on that one and so for that we can kiss 2 more times but nothing else! Now good night my little stud :D xxxx' she replied before going to sleep.
She felt the wall and pushed back out to breaststroke, she moved into it feeling far more uncomfortable than she ever did in any other stroke. She never looked for the others knowing it was energy and time wasted she didn't have. Her muscles never felt fully happy letting her move in her breaststroke and she saw the wall hitting it happy to be in free.
She took a glance and saw she was ahead if the others, she moved easier her muscles almost thanking her for giving them something they could do. She waited for them to catch her almost resigning to the fact they would but when Caitlin Levernez looked to close her gap on her she pushed for the wall and she panicked punching out on the wall under water instead of on her stroke as she'd seen it come to her.
She emerged to check and grinned smacking her hand onto the water surface in celebration. She leant across to hug Alicia Coutts, she congratulated her before climbing out waving to the crowd and some woman grabbed her asking her about her swim.
She walked back to be jumped on by Ryan, "You're super fly! You in that water...you're on fire!" Ryan shouted as he hugged her. "Congrats Ryan! I have to go warm down but I'll seen you soon!" she called disappearing, Ryan grabbed her hand as she was being dragged out to her medal ceremony from her warm down and she smiled at him "Go sing for us!" he called and she grinned as he let go.
Out on that podium everything seemed brilliant, she waved at the crowds before being taken around with the others for photos. She saw Ian Thorpe wave her over and she she grinned walking over "Well done, second race and second gold medal. To top it off second world record! You must be happy?" he asked and she laughed "Happy doesn't cover it, I'm still not believing it. It was only 0.05 of a second off the world record" she answered him moving her long hair.
"I bet you had one very tense and nervous coach on that last stroke" "Oh I think my coach was the most relaxed person in here at that point, they know that I'm like that. I'd imagine they were less stressed out today than in the 100 fly" she admitted and he smiled.
"So have your parents forgiven you?" he quizzed smiling and she laughed "I'm not totally sure, I think they're half way there!" "So you dedicated your last medal to your dad, is there any dedication this time?" he questioned and she nodded. "This one is for my mom, she took me to swimming classes when I was a baby and she's been a big support in my life. Her and dad took me to classes and meets through my life and mom made sure I had enough time to do my school work as well as swim. Plus my mom's not been very well for awhile now and she really inspired me to get back in the pool, I figured life's about not having regrets and I had one so I changed it and now my regret is pretty good" she explained and he nodded.
"So tomorrow is your 200 fly, how are you feeling in preparation for that?" "Oh we'll see where it goes, I've got lane 2 and my times were a bit off the pace today in qualification but we'll see what happens" she answered him. "Surely with your last records in the swims here you're on for a win and a record?" "Oh not at all, they're completely different races and I have to treat them that way. There's a massive difference between swimming a 100 fly and a 200 fly and the same for a 200 IM. All I can tell you is from this race I know I'm fit enough to swim 200 in a decent pace but whether I can maintain my fly for that long, we don't know! I guess there's really only one way to find out" she reasoned and he nodded.
"Well congratulations and good luck for tomorrow" "Thank you!" she called walking off and she headed up the same set of steps she'd gone before and saw her parents waving and she handed her flowers to her mom. "Well done Dorothy! You're amazing! You know that friend?" she nodded as they pointed to Michael's mom who winked at her "It's Mrs Phelps, Michael Phelps' mom" her dad said slowly so she'd read what he was saying and she rolled her eyes at him "Dad you can talk normally I can hear you! Is it?" "Yeah you used to go swimming with him remember?" he asked and she nodded. "Well what are the chances, I have to go but I love you guys!" she called running back down and as she headed back and on to the coach to find Ryan laid across the back seats his eyes closed.
She smiled to herself "Oh Mr. Lochte your lucky charm has arrived" she said in a singsong voice and he cracked a smile opening his eyes slowly "My lucky charm isn't so bad herself in the luck department. Come here you little swimming star" he laughed sitting up pulling her to him and she collapsed on to his knee.
His arms snaked around her waist as she threw an arm around his neck "I saw you pulling underwater, nice technique and I would like to formally extend an invitation to you that when this is over you are welcome, no far more than welcome, to come down to my pool and I'll sharpen your backstroke technique up no end. Shave seconds of that world record" he offered burying his head in to her neck and she laughed "I will take this invitation up and I will extend an invitation for you to come to my pool and I'll make you into the best fly swimmer the IM has ever seen" she replied and he smiled.
"Oh I don't think I'll take Phelps' crown anytime soon" "Phelps? Pah, I could make you better" she joked and he smiled at her. His hand moved down to rest below her hips as he spoke and she looked at him leaning in to his ear "Move that another inch Ryan and you won't be fit to swim another meter let alone another race" she growled in his ear and he took his hand away letting her sit at his side laughing.
They walked hand in hand off the bus and to her room "So are you going for the third tomorrow?" "I'm going in to the race and that's all we can ask for right?" she replied and he nodded. "Anyway I should get to bed as I have a final to swim tomorrow" she said he nodded as the door opened to reveal Allison Schmitt and she slammed it behind her.
Ryan shot her a glare daring her to say something as he hugged Dorothy against him, she glared at him before storming past them both to her room "Night Princess!" Ryan smiled kissing Dorothy's cheek before walking to his own room and she climbed in to bed reading a message from her parents and Michael's mom and his siblings. She was about to go to sleep when her phone buzzed again 'So I have 3 golds and you have 2, maybe we could have that fun together after all? Just think, we're both in our physical prime, what is there to lose? ;) xxx' she read before smiling 'You'll be losing body parts that are both vital to your career and your future relationships as well if you keep this one up Lochte! I am not sleeping with you, you're pushing your luck with a good luck kiss if I'm perfectly honest. You've transformed me in to a superstitious swimmer on that one and so for that we can kiss 2 more times but nothing else! Now good night my little stud :D xxxx' she replied before going to sleep.