Bailey
The whole party thing has been weighing on my mind heavily over the past week. I can't really remember anything from that night, I don't even know how I got home. I can't remember who I was with or what I did with a few drinks down, but it was what Melanie said in the flower shop the other week that scratched something. Something about... being good at something? I truly have no idea, but the question has been eating me up. What happened at that stupid party?
"Whitlock, you there." I snap back to reality as Coach waves his hands in front of my face, my focus returning.
"Yeah, sorry Coach, just thinking."
"Okay, can you grab Melanie and take the team down to warmup? I need to go talk to some officials for a second." he slaps me on the shoulder, leaving me alone in my seat. I take a deep breath, rubbing my hands over my eyes before I stand up. My eyes scan the sea of kids, finally falling on Melanie. I nod my head towards her, before motioning to the warm up pool. She nods, standing from her own seat.
"Okay guys, we're going to start warmup now. We'll do quick some stretching on that grass over there together first, and then we'll swim a few laps. Let's go." I turn back to my bag, pulling off my shirt and dumping it on top of a clean towel. I grab both my swim cap and my pair of lucky goggles, taking a quick swig of water. I turn back around, my eyes locking with Melanie's instantly. She averts her eyes just as quickly, and I watch as she grabs her own stuff out of her bag.
Seeing that a group of eager kids are ready, I motion for them to follow behind me. I walk down the cold, long staircase, making the journey from the stands to the pool deck. I lead the team onto the grassed area, spreading us out until we've moved into a large circle. I look across, seeing Melanie standing directly opposite me, her cap and goggles tucked into the material of her tech suit.
"Alright, we can start with lunges first, make sure you feel the stretch." She begins, stepping backwards into the stretch. The rest of the teams follows her lead, and people turn to those beside them to chat. I turn my own head, unaware of who was standing next to me.
"Oh, hey Green, sorry I didn't notice you there." I say, smiling at my friend beside me.
"What's going on with you and Melanie?" I narrow my eyes, suddenly more interested. What does he mean?
I'd been busy with school this week, so I didn't really stick around to talk to many people after training or anything like that. I haven't heard any rumours either, let alone from Jamie. I'd basically been missing from anything social since the party.
The party...
"What do you mean?" I ask, my eyes flicking to Melanie from across the circle. She's deep in conversation with a girl beside her, laughing at something. She must feel my stare, because she looks over at me, her eyebrows knotting at my expression.
"At the party, you kissed her. So, what's going on?" Jamie asks again, a sense of bitterness on his tongue.
"Wait, what? Who said that?"
"Literally half the swim team. The kids you were playing 7 minutes in heaven with. What, you don't remember?" I rack my brain, trying to remember that night. After having a week to think about it, I do vaguely remember kissing somewhere, but the details are still hazy. Was it Melanie?
"Hang on, I don't remember that much about that night. Did the people there say it was her, for sure?" I ask, watching as Jamie scoffs, rolling his eyes.
"Why do you care so much?" I ask, just before it dawns on me. "Wait... are you... are you jealous? You like her, don't you?" He hisses at me to be quiet, looking across at her before turning back to me.
"I just don't want to see her get fucked up by you. Leave her alone." With that, he stalks away from me, going to stand with some other random people. My mind is left confused, mouth hanging open as I fall out of my stretch.
Here's the deal with Jamie. We had to meet when my dad married my stepmom as he was her nephew, but he's always been a little... weird. Always up in people's business and trying to act like a hero. There's nothing explicitly wrong with him, well, I don't think, but I've always had a weird feeling about him. So I don't know whether to believe him, or if he's just spinning this story because he's jealous. But whatever situation it is, I need to figure it out.
I don't miss the stares as I cross the circle, pulling Melanie out of a stretch and pulling her behind me.
"Get in the water now guys, warm up." I call behind me as I lead Melanie away from the group. She complains the whole time we're walking, and only stops when I let her go. We're standing out of sight in a long, cold corridor, dim lighting covering us.
"What the fuck Whitlock? What was that for?" she asks, her eyebrows raised as she yells at me.
"Did we kiss at that party?" I know if Coach comes back to the group and we're not there we'll get in trouble, which isn't fair to Melanie, hence my straightforwardness. She doesn't speak for a second, but the look on her face tells me the rumours are true.
"Why didn't you tell me?" I ask, my voice softer as I look into her deep brown eyes.
"Because I wasn't 100% sure it was you. I had a suspicion it was, but I didn't just want to accuse you of it, especially seeing that you can't remember anyway. Who told you?"
"Green. He said like half the team knew. Apparently, that's who we were playing with." Her face tells me she has no idea who I'm talking about, so I nod my head and quickly rush through an explenation.
"That kid who introduced himself after we figured out who'd be swimming what with coach. He's my step-cousin. Anyway, apparently we were playing 7 minutes in heaven or something."
"Yeah, I mean I remember kissing someone in a darkish room, and by the faint accent I heard I assumed it was you." I place my hands on my hips, taking a deep sigh as Melanie looks out towards the pool.
"Okay, what do we tell people then? I assume you don't want people knowing you kissed me." Melanie snorts, shaking her head.
"They already know, we'll only be bringing more attention to us if we entertain it more. Just let it go Whitlock."
"Yeah, I guess it isn't the first time this has happened." She does a whole body shake as I remind her of our Sophomore year, smiling as she cringes.
"This doesn't change anything between us right?" I add as we start to walk out of the corridor and back into the open.
"No of course not, I'm still going to beat your ass out there."
"We're not even in the same competition?"
"Still." She pulls her thick hair into her swim cap, laughing softly before continuing.
"I guess we should stop going to the same parties if you can't stop accidentally kissing me. Your kindergarten crush on me is getting a little too intense Whitlock."
"Oh please, I do not have a crush on you. I'll have you know, my accent get's me any girl I want."
"Not every. You haven't charmed me yet Mr British."
"Yeah because I've barely tried. After a week of really trying, you'd be knocked down like a feather by my charm."
"Dream on."
"Oh, but I will. And you probably will too."
...
"I always eat a punnet of strawberries at a swim comp, it's my thing." Melanie paces back and forth in the marshalling room, twiddling her thumbs.
"Hey, Mel, it's okay. You're okay. Just think, after this race you only have to swim twice more. You'll be a third of the way through, and then you can go and eat as many strawberries as you'd like."
"You don't get it, I need them NOW! It's like my... my good luck charm. Ugh, how could I forget to grab some yesterday!?" I place my hands on her shaking shoulders, looking her straight in the eyes. Her wide eyes stop in their tracks, lifting slightly to meet mine.
"You're okay. Don't get a big head by me telling you this, but you're an amazing swimmer. You can do it, with or without your lucky strawberries. Everyone on the team believes in you, and I'll be cheering you on when I get out of the pool." She takes a deep breath, her eyes squeezing shut before she nods slowly. I tear my hands from her shoulders, taking a step back to give her some space. She nods again, placing her hands on her hips as she jumps in the air, thrashing her legs about. I know it's to get her blood pumping, but she looks funny. I can't help but laugh, an uncontrollable, deep belly laugh. I hear Melanie join in, our laughs filling the room.
"You guys ready?" I turn my head, a confused look on Coach's face.
"Yep." I focus my attention back to the race just outside the marshalling room, my competitive side flooding back through. My first race for today is the mixed medley relay, which I'm swimming with Melanie and 2 other seniors. I'm swimming the backstroke leg, meaning I'll be swimming first, a whole other load of pressure. I turn back to Melanie, her arms flying beside her as she talks to the other girl in our team. She's swimming butterfly, the maniac she is, so I'm sure her arms will be sore by the end of today.
"Alright, can all of the open mixed medley relay teams please follow me to the pool deck? You should all know your lanes, so let's make this as seamless and easy as possible. Thankyou." I let out a deep breath, looking back at my team before following the marshal out of the small glass room. Cheers come from the packed stands as we start our stroll along the pool deck, and I look up at my team with a smile. My eyes land on Jamie, who's doing a long, slow clap directed at me, a deep frown set on his face.
Whatever, I don't have time or energy for his shit.
We head out and stand behind lane 2. Personally not my favorite, but not my least favorite either. I take my place just a little behind the blocks as we wait for the previous relay to finish, my eyes once again landing on Melanie. She looks a little stressed again as she fiddles with her goggles, her shoulders held high.
"Good luck Melly." I say, leaning around to pat her shoulder.
"Fuck off One Direction rejectee." she complains, although she's smiling, and I notice her shoulders have fallen to a much more comfortable position.
"Wow, that one actually hurt." She mutters more insults which I barely catch as I take a step closer to the blocks.
...
"Looks like we'll have to add strawberries to our food diaries."
"Like they wouldn't already be included."
"Why strawberries?" Melanie ponders this as we grab our bags, walking down the tight aisle of the bus.
"It's what my moms always used to give me before comps. To get my energy up, alongside 3 bags of sour patch kids." We jump into the dark night air, our laughs echoing softly.
"Why'd you forget them then, if you're so used to bringing them with you?" I ask, repositioning my bag on my shoulder.
"Friday game night at one of my friends places. I just... forgot to go. It's not a big deal, I'm just craving them now." She explains as we near my car. I unlock it, throwing my stuff into the backeat. Melanie keeps walking even as I've stopped, not looking back once.
"Well done today Melly." I call, watching as she finally turns back around.
"Well done to you too, Whitlock." she puts on her worst English accent, bowing before turning back around. I chuckle, sliding into the drivers seat of my car. I lay my head back against the headrest, sighing deeply.
What a day.
A/n:
hello friends!
sorry, a quick little psa, if you read part 5 before 30/1/2022, you may have been aware that i wrote Jamie's character as the highschool best friend of Bailey. i've now changed that so they're now step cousins. Sorry for any confusion.
anyway, i hope you enjoyed reading the latest chapter, and stay tuned for new ones!
love you lots, em xx