October 8 2011
[Two years before- Day Five]
It'd been almost a week since Alex came to our school. And obviously he became an instant celebrity.
Normally, in a small town like this, if you are the new kid people will talk about you endlessly for three days top but Alex surprised me. He'd been the talk of the town for five straight days.
Maybe it was because of the bad vibes that he had been sending like black waves at us, telling all of us to back off. Or maybe because he had some good looks that the shallow girls found attractive and a well-built body that our football team envied.
But the one that I was betting at was the circling rumours that he was in and out of juvie because of drug possession.
And I think some people believed in that because they were running away from him with shaking knees.
Oh, gosh. How pathetic was that?
I stretched my arms and jogged in place. After Mrs. Williams dismissed us earlier, I ran down here at the pool to practice for my upcoming meet. No one was here aside from me, which I mostly prefer because there will be no distractions or whatsoever.
I tied my untamed black hair and put the cute hot pink swimming cap over my head. I adjusted my goggles and looked at the enthralling water in front of me.
I became drawn to the water more than ever during the start of my sophomore year. It was the year when Belle and Aly decided to join the team and Coach Riley chose me to become the next captain even though back then, there were lots of seniors and juniors who would give anything to get the spot, plus it's also the year I was offered by a full scholarship by some known university.
Yup, that was a good year.
I dived in the water without any preamble since I'd already finished my warm-ups earlier. Instantly I felt the cool and refreshing water sliding down my skin.
I think I was really born to swim.
My mother didn't need to enrol me in any kind of swimming lessons, she just signed me right away in a children's swimming team when I was still four. Since then, I have always been the fastest and the best.
I didn't want to be boastful but I was just saying the truth and I know little by little I was still improving. What was the use of swimming six hours a day if I couldn't be the best in what I do?
As I was swimming, I let myself be loose and free and be carried away by the cool water, my second home. I let myself swim as fast as I could and as good as I know. I did all kinds of strokes just to practice each one of them but my favorite was what I do most and that is freestyle.
I did not want to stop. Swimming was my only way to escape from everything boring that was happening to my life. It was the only thing that makes me smile whenever I was sad. As I said, it was my life.
But eventually I needed to stop when I felt that my arms and shoulders were already sore and I got out of the pool.
When I reached the metal handles, I cringed. It's October, so I was not surprised that the air was pretty chilly. I quickened my pace away from the pool to get to my table. I was dripping wet and shivering like crazy when I reached it but to my distress the light blue towel that I brought earlier is nowhere to be found. Oh boy, I must have forgotten it in the locker room.
I put my wet arms around my trembling body and tried to stop my teeth from chattering. It was so cold, why did I forget that stupid towel?
I was starting to walk back to the locker room when I saw a pair of black combat boots standing on the edge of the pool.
Immediately, I pulled down the pink one-piece bathing suit that I was wearing for any hopes of covering parts of my body that were still exposed.
But yeah, it's of no use. The stubborn fabric was like a leech stuck on my skin, it refused to budge.
The person who owned the pair of combat boots started to walk towards my direction and only stopped when he was two steps away from me.
"Here," he said, handing me a light blue towel.
I gulped and nervously looked for the exit. I did not know what to say to him. His green eyes were looking at me with so much warmth and gentleness that I couldn't help but smile. So, I reached for my towel and expressed my thanks to him.
"Thanks,"
"You're welcome."
We just stood there, caught between a pretty awkward silence. Thankfully, he was the one who broke it by laughing a little.
"You are Raven right?" he said.
I sighed.
Aside from being a swimmer and a goody two shoes, I was also one of the semi-popular kids at our school. Everybody knew me and treated me right. It was one of the perks of being the captain of the team. Everyone inside the 'in' crowd was my friend but I chose not to be with them because of some personal reasons. So, technically all of the students here knew my name and knew who I was and he had always been sitting behind me for five days now, so why was he asking that to me?
I just couldn't find any strength to say that to him because of those stupid warm green eyes and that crooked smile on his face so I just nodded.
"Nice name," he replied.
"Thanks,"
"So are you a swimmer?" he asked then laughed. He actually looked cute when he smiled. He almost looked like a five year old boy standing there and scratching his head.
"Ah, please don't answer that. I'm so stupid to even ask you about that. Of course you are a swimmer because you are wearing that bathing suit." He said, pointing at my little pink swim wear.
I looked down and blushed. I hated the way this boy was making me girly and so insecure of myself.
"Raven, you are so cute when you blush." He suddenly said out of the blue and made me blush even more.
I did not know what to do anymore so I wrapped my towel around me to keep my body warm.
"What are you doing here anyway?" I asked, immediately changing the subject.
"Let's just say that I came here watching," he replied, still smiling.
"Why?"
"We have Math together right?" he asked and I nodded.
Math was my last subject every day and it was the only subject besides homeroom that I had with him.
"Well, every time Mr. Smith dismisses us, you are always the first one who rush on the door and run to some place I don't know. And you know sometimes you just walk out of the room without even hearing the bell."
Wow, how did he notice that?
"So," he continued "I got curious and followed you earlier. I watched you dive and swim and it was flawless and girl, you are really good."
I raised my hands and covered my face. I knew I looked like a ripe tomato with my red face and all. I just wished he would not laugh at my clown-like face.
"Th-thanks."
He smiled.
I smiled.
I know I was an idiot standing there and smiling at him but I couldn't help it, he was adorable.
"Go, get dressed. I will wait for you outside."
"Huh?"
"It is already dark, Raven. I am getting you home."
Okay, let us stop right there. What was he talking about? Was it already dark?
I looked at the small window that was stationed on top of the rows of lockers and gasped. Alex was saying the truth, it was already dark.
"What time is it?"
Alex looked at his watch and said, "It's already eight in the evening, Raven. I am shocked you are still here."
"I've got keys."
"You got keys?"
"Yup, coach gave that to me so I can practice whenever I want."
"Wow," he said and whistled.
I only smiled at him and ran to the locker room, hiding my excitement and happiness.
I intentionally forgot about my curfew and just enjoyed the time I spent sitting on his black motorcycle on our ride home.