The Darkest Shade Of Black - An Arranged Marriage Dark Mafia Romance

CHAPTER I: Another World.

Undeservedly you will atone for
the sins of your fathers.

-Horace.

It's been 52 seconds since I last took a breath, my thighs and arms burn, muscles contracting with every stroke, I push harder, faster.

The water is a soothing pressure above and around me. This is where I'm free, where nothing bounds me, nothing holds me back. It's just me and the water.

Another world.

I can see the white and blue tiles of the pool's floor through my goggles, as the wall comes into view I increase my speed, preparing to swerve, I twist my head sideways which allows me to take a deep breath.

I make the decision to turn, and instead of recovering my left hand, I hold it to my side and continue pulling back with my right hand. I start to bring my feet together in preparation to execute a light fishtail shake. I keep bringing my left hand up and bring it back halfway forward, stopping it suddenly in midair. By doing so, the drive from my arm is transferred to the body and helps me turn. I immediately return the arm to the position beyond the head.

I rest my chin on my chest, palms facing down. I join my legs and feet, bent at the knees.

My body loses its straight alignment as my head continues downward and the trunk flexes. Simultaneously, I propel both hands, palms down, as if preparing a dive from the surface. I beat my feet down in a fishtail percussion in order to help propel the hips upward.

The front of my body continues to bend at the hips.

As my hips pass over my head, I continue to propel the water towards my head with my left hand. My right hand, with the palm facing inwards, acts as a rudder, with a slightly circular movement to rotate my body on its longitudinal axis.

My feet are completely out of the water, collecting my legs I throw them back, towards the wall. I turn my head and shoulders and turn on the side.

My body is positioned for the drive from the wall. My hands are almost touching. And my feet are planted on the wall. I continue to rotate my body to place it on the side.

While my legs begin to propel forward by extending the knees, my arms continue to stretch.

My shoulders are almost completely level when I make the final drive of my legs. When my feet leave the wall the impulse is powerful and explosive, my arms tighten forward, with my head between them, creating a hydrodynamic position. My back is straight and my legs and feet are together and extended.

Raising my head to help rise to the surface, I perform two butterfly shakes while keeping my arms stretched until I reach the surface.

I resume my strokes and recover the cadence of them.

The lights on the roof give the water an eerie glow.

When I finally call it a night, my arms and legs are shaking. I push myself up on the ledge of the pool. Water drips down my body, leaving a trail of puddles behind me. I reach for the towel I left on the start block and wrap myself in it.

The lane lines are still trembling as I make my way to the changing room and into the showers. I quickly wash the chlorine off my skin. Once in my locker, I put a pair of basketball shorts on and a long sleeved shirt. The top reason why I can use this locker is because coach and I are close -well as close as coach and student can be - the second reason is because only half of the lockers are used. And I suspect somebody -Eddy or Dick- gives very generous donations.