Trying to focus on doing my homework I couldn't, I felt really bad about what had happened yesterday at the ice rink. Today Adam barely spoke a word to me, I felt like it was my fault. And to make matters even worse, I had developed a tremor in my hand. Yesterday at practice Coach gave us a talk about how important it was that we win this seasons state championship.
She said she wanted me to swim the hardest event of them all for sprinters, the 500 free. When all of us were in the locker room I had slipped and used my wrist to break my fall. Now it hurt and wouldn't stop shaking.
I knew I could still swim but it would seriously mess up my stroke, I just had to fix it. I started writing with my left hand and letting my right hand rest.
But writing with my left hand wasn't easy, my handwriting looked awful. I heard the phone ringing from the kitchen and I got up to answer it.
I put the phone to my ear, "Hello?" I say.
"Lauren? It's me," Adam says over the phone.
"Oh hey, what's up?" I ask.
"I just wanted to apologize about yesterday, I didn't mean for you to get in trouble." He says. "Actually, do mind meeting me in the park in 20 minutes?"
"Sure," I say.
"Ok, great see you then." He says.
I hung up the phone, I had to hide my shaking hand from him. I didn't want Coach to find out then make a big deal over it. I knew that if Adam found out he'd make me tell Coach, or he'd tell her himself.
• • •
When I got to the park I saw Adam waiting on a bench, when I approached him he stood up.
"Hey you came." He says.
"Yeah, why'd you want to meet?" I ask, my hands were stuffed in my pockets, luckily it was already pretty cold so it worked out.
"To formally apologize, not over the phone." He says.
"Adam you don't have to-" I start to say.
"Lauren, I'm sorry that I got you yelled at yesterday. I didn't think Orion would be there that soon. I'm sorry." He apologizes.
"I forgive you." I say.
He brings me in for a hug, and I had to take my hands out of my pockets. He hugged me tightly and I managed to hug him bag before my hand started to shake again making him clear his throat.
"What's wrong with your hand?" He asks and takes it. "Did you fall on the ice yesterday without me knowing?"
"Its nothing, no big deal." I say taking my hand back.
"Well it is a big deal," He says taking it back making me wince. "And it hurts too? You have to tell your Coach."
"Adam it doesn't hurt that badly," I say.
He looks around and picks up a stick and hands it to me, "Hold it." He says as I take the stick and he puts his hands in his pockets. "Now, rotate it."
As much as I wanted to, I couldn't. My wrist wouldn't move, "I-i can't." I mutter.
He takes the stick and throws it aside, "You have to tell your Coach." He says. "You'll just get more hurt."
"You can't tell me what to do, you're not the boss of me." I say starting to walk away but he quickly grabs my arm pulling me back.
"No but I care about you very much, and I don't want to see you getting hurt." He whispers angrily.
I take my arm back from him, "Don't grab me like that ever again," I spit. "That really hurt." I mutter.
We're both silent for what felt like ten minutes, "Look I'm sorry, again." He says. "Come here." He pulls me into another hug.
• • •
The next day we had another swim meet, I was nervous enough as it is. and with my hand shaking and hurting I knew it wouldn't go well. I would be swimming 100 fly today, and that itself uses a lot of arm strength. My tremor would completely mess up my stroke.
Adam was sitting in the audience, he told me to drop out of the meet but I refused. He wanted to make sure I told my Coach about my hand.
The closer my race got the shakier my hand became, and I was becoming even more nervous.
When the announcer called for my event behind the blocks I saw Adam looking down at me, I quickly looked away. The first beep went off signaling to get onto the blocks.
"Swimmers take your marks." The announcer states.
My hand was shaking so badly that it was making my body move slightly, "Stand." The announcer states. "Swimmer in lane 4, Lauren Parker. You're moving on the block. Why is that?"
"Uhm, just nervous." I say, putting my hand behind my back.
"Ms Parker please hold out your right hand." The announcer says.
I look over at my Coach who looks infuriated, I hold out my right hand. "Ms Parker your hand is in a tremor, you are not allowed to swim in this race, please step off the blocks." The announcer says.
"But, I can still swim." I argue my voice starting to break.
"Off the block, Ms Parker." The announcer says.
Speechless, I step off the block in tears and start to storm away from the pool deck. Not getting far as my Coach stopped me, "You're hurt Lauren? Why didn't you tell me?" She asks.
"I was going to, I swear. I just really wanted to swim-" I start.
"You're not swimming next week, I want that hand fixed. No swimming, no writing, no nothing with that hand." She states.
She walks away and I storm off the pool deck, Adam was walking down the stairs as I ripped my cap and goggles off my head.
Adam
I walked down the stairs and saw Lauren storming into the lobby taking her cap and goggles off her head when she saw me, she was crying. I don't blame her, I would be too.
I walk over to her, "I'm not allowed to swim all next week." She cries and hugs me, I hug her back as she cries into my jacket.
"Shouldn't that be a good thing? By the end of next week your hand will be fixed right?" I say.
She pulls away from me, "Maybe, i can't believe he wouldn't let me swim. That was so embarrassing!" She says.
"At least you told your Coach." I say.
"Adam, you don't get it. What if you were hurt, and your Coach benched you for a whole week. And they told you no training, no writing and not to do anything with your hand." She says.
"Remember the day we met, and I told you my hand was injured." I say, she nods her head. "Well, when my Coach found out, he did bench me, and I wasn't able to play for a while."
Her face changed completely, "I'll walk you home," I say and she nods.
