When I'm with you

Chapter 16

"How did you know that we'll be participating in FHSC?" she said. She was touching her chin, thinking. She used to do it before too, when we were small, everytime she was deep in thought.

"It's just a guess. I mean, after your race against the ace of St. Mary Academy.. was it Silena?" She nodded. "Yeah, well I thought you'd want to take revenge so I assumed that you guys would be participating."

"That's not really the reason why we're going to participate, it was actually a majority vote. It was Sean's idea, he wanted to make his last year in the swim team memorable."

I wasn't really sure, but I saw a spark in her eyes when she mentioned his name.

"Who's Sean?"

I confirmed that it wasn't just my imagination. As soon as I asked who he was, she blushed. She tried to hide it, as usual, but her face showed that she liked that guy.

"S-Sean? He's the captain of the boy's swim team." She said. "He's a senior, and it's also his second year as captain."

"How did you meet him?" I didn't know why but I suddenly felt irritated. "On the swim team?"

"N-no. I met Sean when we both attended the same swimming class. I guess I was 10, when Jane and I entered in a swimming class near her house. So, um, yeah. We always saw each other. And since he was way more experienced than us, he used to teach us when had free time." I regretted asking about that Sean guy. Her eyes were twinkling as she reminisced about her time with him. TWINKLING, for crying out loud!

"Oh! And I remember, there was this one time when he saved me from drowning! I accidentally slipped and fell into the pool, but Sean immediately came and pulled me out." She continued.

So, that was the reason why she was acting this way, fidgeting and blushing as she told the story. Even her feet were splashing faster in the pool.

"Ah, so he saved you. I'm guessing you've liked him ever since?" I scoffed. I meant to tease her, but I was pretty sure it didn't turn out right. Well, judging from her reaction, it didn't matter how it sounded.

"N-n-no!" She said, frantically waving her hands around, "It's not like that. It's true that I look up to him, but it doesn't mean that I like him." Her answer didn't match her reaction. Her face was as red as a tomato. Her eyes darted everywhere but on me, it was like I wasn't even there! And the way she fidgeted pissed me off. She had never shown her girly side before. Who knew the mere mention of Sean's name could bring forth this.. creature? What was so special about him? I pressed my hair back with both hands in frustration. This was so unexpected: one minute we were getting along fine, great actually, and the next she was fawning over Sean the Hero!

"Oh? Are you sure about that?"

"W-what are you trying to say?" She said, knitting her eyebrows.

"Nothing."

"Hey, whatever you're thinking, you're wrong! Sean is just.. a friend!" She yelled, while covering her tomato-like face.

"Okay. So you don't like him. I get it. That means you have another person you like, then?" My eyes widened. Oh no. Bad move, Gab. I considered sewing my mouth shut forever. Then I remembered I couldn't sew. Then I remembered it had nothing to do with my current situation.

She blinked twice, saying nothing. Then her brain finally processed what I just said. Her eyes grew as wide as saucers as she sat there, dumbfounded, her mouth forming a perfect "o". I tried to remain as composed as possible, which wasn't an easy thing to do by the way, especially when all I wanted to do was run and bang my head on the wall for, I don't know, a million times.