Sushi (gxg)

Chapter 13

Mark, for all that he said he was the best because he was the last leg of the relay team, wasn't really the best. As Janine told us while reading articles during our lunch, he was the last leg because he was solid and didn't make mistakes like entering the water too early and stuff. Yes, he was a good swimmer, but he wasn't going to set a record. She also couldn't find any mention of him swimming in any 200m races. It didn't mean he hadn't, but he wasn't known for them. Neither was I of course, but that was by design. They just didn't interest me. I'd been swimming for the fun of swimming and to aid in my recovery, not the thrill of something that was over in a couple minutes. The longer races had always been better for my health, so that was what I always swam.

That was just fine with me.

When we got to the aquatic center, we went right to the changing room to get workout gear on. We spent an hour in the fitness room going over all of the things that Janine wanted Kit to start doing, and I was impressed. It was a total body fitness plan that would help no matter what kind of dive she wanted to do. With her ankle feeling better, we actually got some work in doing those, just enough to warm me up, when several members of the men's team came into the center to interrupt.

"Mark is ready when you are. I don't think a last minute workout is going to help you!" the first said.

"He must really be in a hurry to lose," I said as I stood up from doing leg presses. One of the guys had the decency to look impressed with the amount of weight I was using, but the other never even checked it out.

Kit quickly grabbed my right hand in both of hers, pulling me back to her. "Please win! I don't want you to be with him."

I pulled her into a hug, and yes, we were both sweaty and I didn't care. "I'm only available for you, Kit. Trust me." I heard her sigh happily, and gently kissed the top of her head. "Now come on, you have to cheer me on."

"I have to say, I'm with Kit on this," Janine stated. "I don't like this kind of wager."

"I know, and I don't like it either," I agreed. "But it was obvious that Coach McGinty has been spreading rumors about me, and this will be a good way to show them what I can do. Besides, that Mark asshole needs to be taken down a few pegs."

"You know, there are a lot of press outlets that are always asking for team interviews," Janine mentioned. "Maybe you should do one. Tell them the truth and get your story out there. You'd get a ton of fans out there. Overcoming cancer and succeeding at the highest level would be very inspirational to a lot of people going through that."

I thought about that as I walked down the stairs and into the locker room. She had a good point, though I was normally a private person, and it seemed like a big step. "What do you think?" I asked as I turned to Kit.

"I think you should do it," she quickly replied. "You're wonderful, and everyone should know that. I already know, and so does Janine, but she is right about it being inspirational to people that might need motivation to fight their own battles."

"Okay, I'll do it." I couldn't turn it down after Kit said that, and it made a lot of sense.

Janine quickly smiled, and then pulled her phone out to start typing while I started getting changed again. Kit gasped and turned away again, though I couldn't help but grin when I saw her sneak a few peeks when she thought it was safe to not be caught. Yeah, that made me feel good that she was allowing herself to look. Maybe she was beginning to accept us as being more than friends a little bit.

I put my swim cap on, and then grabbed my goggles and headed out to the pool with Janine and Kit by my sides. There was quite a crowd there, and a lot of catcalling heralded my entrance to the swimming lanes. Even all the divers stopped their practicing to watch, which was kind of surprising. Mark was already standing there, surrounded by admirers, including some women that glared at me like they thought I wanted to lose or something.