This Just In [ON HOLD]

11. Tristan, And Uhu's Dad Give News {Lauren}

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^ aww, it's Uhu and family. :')
(SORRY GUYS, I JUST HAD TO)

Enjoy the chapter!
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11. Tristan, And Uhu's Dad Give News

Sweat, cheers and Briarwoods' colors poured from the bleachers and blurred the arena as I stood on my usual starting point, trying to get a grip of myself. Outside the swimming complex building, it was a beautiful autumn morning with a faded blue sky and hardly any clouds, and the birds were chirping and leaves brilliant shades of orange; perfect weather to host a swim carnival.

    Okay. First round is Rayna. Second Cheryl. Third Paige. Last is me. They put up a good fight just now. If they can do it, you can, Laur. I pictured Cameron as one of the spectators on the bleachers, cheering. That made me feel a little better.

I don't know why they use the term 'butterflies in the stomach'. There weren't butterflies in my stomach. More like a dozen creeping bugs and lizards that made you cringe and tickled your stomach and...

"Okay, that was disturbing." I muttered. I glanced at the other teams' swimmer. She was a blonde, like me, only taller, prettier, and bigger built. If I were a spectator on Briarwoods' side, or on the rival schools' side, I'd be sure that Lauren King was a goner. But how unfortunate it is, that I am Lauren King. And I was sure as heck that I could take her on. So why was I nervous?

A hand was placed on my shoulder, and I turned to see my coach giving me a thumbs up before hurrying away to join the rest of my teammates.

"Swimmers, on your marks..."

I looked over at the bleachers once I heard someone shout my name loudly, but couldn't find anyone standing out from the crowd. Then I spotted Lia, Charlotte, and Matt somewhere toward the edge of the bleachers, grinning and each giving me a thumbs up. It was funny, because I could've sworn that I heard Uhu's voice somewhere.

"Get set..."

I checked that my goggles and swimming cap were in place. Focus, Lauren, focus. I breathed in and out, in and out, in and out. This is the moment you've been waiting for, ever since you got here. Team Briarwoods, remember?

Everything moved so quickly after the word, "Go!" A blank was fired, and, out of instinct, my legs sprung my body into the blue chlorine abyss before me.

That's it, that's it. My arm swung up and went back down, crashing into the water surface as I tilted my head to take a breath. Now repeat the pattern, only on the left side. Then right. Then left again. Before I knew it, I was halfway across the pool. From what I could see through the series of kicks and arm strokes, the other swimmer was no where to be found on the other lane, which was a very good thing indeed.

I could hardly believe how easy it was to turn myself around and head back to the starting point, which was now the finish line. I could make out my teammates' muffled cheers. That's it, Lauren, you're doing it. Nothing to be worried about now...

But, like in all cliché novels and movies, I spoke too soon.

It was strange, really, how some events in movies suddenly move slower than usual, and even stranger that it was happening to me then.

I was in a code red situation. Literally.

The water around me turned red, then, in a blink of an eye, was mixed with orange, and then blue, and more colours. I was so taken aback that I came to a halt. Really, everywhere I looked had turned a bright shade of red. There was orange and blue, but mostly red. It was like someone had dropped a bomb of redness into the water.