Sequel: Swimmers Story ›
My 3 Dedications And Me
The Exiting Truth
Having been in Florida for a few days Dorothy was starting to get used to the constant heat, the way the sun warmed her bones was something she'd miss back at home. She walked in to the bar sitting down ordering when someone sauntered over "Can I buy you a drink?" "Me?" she asked and the guy nodded making her smile. "Pretty lady like you from around here then?" "Me? Are you kidding?" she said and he shook his head making her laugh "So, you look familiar. Do I know you?" she quizzed as he ordered again and he shook her head "Although you should know me better" he winked and she tried not to cringe.
"I do know you, you're Devon Lochte aren't you?" she asked and he nodded "How'd you know?" he asked looking like his ego was just boosted to 4 items it's original size, "Because a lady never forgets the face of a boy she thrashed in the pool, Dorothy are you okay?" Ryan laughed pushing between them as Devon looked at them. "Dorothy? Dorothy Phoenix? No way, you look smoking" "Devon, my date...get lost!" Ryan snapped and he skulked off as she laughed "Who's he kidding?" she said and Ryan grinned "He's a weird one, but he grew up with me around so that explains a vast amount I guess. Anyway come on" Ryan said motioning her to follow him.
Later that night and many many alcoholic drinks down they were walking along the University campus together, "So have you heard from Michael?" Ryan quizzed as he kicked a stone along the sidewalk "I wish" "You wish?" Ryan grilled and she nodded. "I miss his voice, I miss his laugh and the way he smacks his hand on his leg when he finds something hilarious and the way he sounds ridiculously awkward and goofy when things should be serious" she listed and Ryan looked at her.
"What do you think he's up to in Vegas then?" "I don't know, probably wandering around in his shorts and sunglasses gambling away his fortune" she joked and he smiled "You miss him?" and she nodded. "You ever miss him all those years you were not friends with him?" he asked and she shrugged "I hated him more than anything, but I missed that guidance at time. He was the only person I really felt understood what I was saying and at work people would think I was weird for going swimming all the time and I knew he never would" she rambled and he laughed.
"You love Michael!" he teased and she laughed shaking her head "I do not love him, I just admire him...an awful lot more than most" she giggled and he shook his head nudging her "You love him, you want to kiss him but you already kissed him!" he mocked and she laughed. "You done anything else with my Michael?" he asked and she widened her eyes shaking her head, "Most certainly not!" "Well you spend the night together a lot and he was keen that night in Rio" he reasoned and she glared at him.
"Don't want me to know, then don't do it in the same room as me!" "Well we were drunk and nothing happened and has happened! We're just close friends" she argued at him and he nodded. They turned towards his apartment and he sighed "So do you like him enough to go back to normal or would you like to be Phelp's girlfriend?" he said and she sighed, "I have a rule! But I like Michael, he's so nice and understanding and he's really weird at times but I love that about him. I like that we can talk about nothing and that when it matters he's always there but I'm not sure being normal is ever possible for us" she admitted drunkenly.
"Well I think Michael likes you more than he wants to let on and he's being bitter with you because you make it clear you have that stupid rule and he wants you to forget it for him, I think if you told him how you feel he'd make sure you worked around it. It's not just anyone Dorothy" he reassured and she looked at him as they crossed the road. "Meaning?" "Well he's Michael Phelps, he understands what you're doing and he knows what you can and can't give. Plus all them times you have to let someone down in a relationship because you've had to train longer than you thought...well he'll be right beside you so it's fine" he reasoned and she nodded.
"I guess you're right" "So I think you need to ring him tomorrow and tell him you need to talk when you get back and that it's about you and him and then he'll know he's been on your mind and he'll feel better about the matter!" Ryan explained and she laughed at him as he tried to open the door.
"I do know you, you're Devon Lochte aren't you?" she asked and he nodded "How'd you know?" he asked looking like his ego was just boosted to 4 items it's original size, "Because a lady never forgets the face of a boy she thrashed in the pool, Dorothy are you okay?" Ryan laughed pushing between them as Devon looked at them. "Dorothy? Dorothy Phoenix? No way, you look smoking" "Devon, my date...get lost!" Ryan snapped and he skulked off as she laughed "Who's he kidding?" she said and Ryan grinned "He's a weird one, but he grew up with me around so that explains a vast amount I guess. Anyway come on" Ryan said motioning her to follow him.
Later that night and many many alcoholic drinks down they were walking along the University campus together, "So have you heard from Michael?" Ryan quizzed as he kicked a stone along the sidewalk "I wish" "You wish?" Ryan grilled and she nodded. "I miss his voice, I miss his laugh and the way he smacks his hand on his leg when he finds something hilarious and the way he sounds ridiculously awkward and goofy when things should be serious" she listed and Ryan looked at her.
"What do you think he's up to in Vegas then?" "I don't know, probably wandering around in his shorts and sunglasses gambling away his fortune" she joked and he smiled "You miss him?" and she nodded. "You ever miss him all those years you were not friends with him?" he asked and she shrugged "I hated him more than anything, but I missed that guidance at time. He was the only person I really felt understood what I was saying and at work people would think I was weird for going swimming all the time and I knew he never would" she rambled and he laughed.
"You love Michael!" he teased and she laughed shaking her head "I do not love him, I just admire him...an awful lot more than most" she giggled and he shook his head nudging her "You love him, you want to kiss him but you already kissed him!" he mocked and she laughed. "You done anything else with my Michael?" he asked and she widened her eyes shaking her head, "Most certainly not!" "Well you spend the night together a lot and he was keen that night in Rio" he reasoned and she glared at him.
"Don't want me to know, then don't do it in the same room as me!" "Well we were drunk and nothing happened and has happened! We're just close friends" she argued at him and he nodded. They turned towards his apartment and he sighed "So do you like him enough to go back to normal or would you like to be Phelp's girlfriend?" he said and she sighed, "I have a rule! But I like Michael, he's so nice and understanding and he's really weird at times but I love that about him. I like that we can talk about nothing and that when it matters he's always there but I'm not sure being normal is ever possible for us" she admitted drunkenly.
"Well I think Michael likes you more than he wants to let on and he's being bitter with you because you make it clear you have that stupid rule and he wants you to forget it for him, I think if you told him how you feel he'd make sure you worked around it. It's not just anyone Dorothy" he reassured and she looked at him as they crossed the road. "Meaning?" "Well he's Michael Phelps, he understands what you're doing and he knows what you can and can't give. Plus all them times you have to let someone down in a relationship because you've had to train longer than you thought...well he'll be right beside you so it's fine" he reasoned and she nodded.
"I guess you're right" "So I think you need to ring him tomorrow and tell him you need to talk when you get back and that it's about you and him and then he'll know he's been on your mind and he'll feel better about the matter!" Ryan explained and she laughed at him as he tried to open the door.