The Swimmers Secret

Chapter Two

“I think it's fake.” Noah stated, staring at a video on his phone.

I couldn't see the video, he was talking to himself, not me. I looked down at him as he was lying belly down on my bedroom floor, a pillow under his chest, green eyes fixed on his screen, nothing else.

“I'm sure it is.” I said plainly with a sigh behind my voice.

I looked away from Noah and stared back at my bedroom ceiling, it was a darker panel wood ceiling, just like my walls and everything else in the house.

My room, which was originally supposed to be an upstairs screened in porch, had three of the four walls screened in windows. It let in a nice breeze during the hot summer days but was chilling during the winter when I closed the glass windows.

Privacy wasn't a concern in my room, regardless of the abundance of windows, my view was consistent of forest on two walls and the third overlooked the bay.

I rubbed my hands over my blue quilt before sitting up, me and Noah had been laying in my room for hours. It was normal for us to do so before practice. Kylie and Mich would pick us up, so we had to wait around until they pulled up.

Today I had decided to mentally prepare myself for swim practice, knowing that I had to get in the water and swim for a workout just crushed my mood all day long.

My swim bag sat in the corner of my room on an old wooden chair next to my standing wardrobe. Inside of it a cap and goggles rather than my dive shammy. 

Brushing back my blonde hair, I stood up from my bed, lightly kicking Noah to gain his attention.

Through my open windows I could lightly hear music playing from a car speaking, signaling to me that Kylie and Mich were out front waiting for us.

Understanding my cue, Noah stood up from the floor and walked out of my room, no doubt going to grab his bag from the guest room he had made his.

I walked over to the chair in the corner, grabbing my black and light blue swim bag and swinging it over my shoulder.

Exiting my room I made my way down the stairs and out the front door with Noah right behind me.

Kylie smiled at me, grinning at me as I got in the car.

“I heard something from a birdy today.” she stated and I rolled my eyes.

I harshly sat in the back seat, Noah and Mich now looking at me.

“Yes, I have to do swim practice today.” I replied to Kylie, earning a cheeky grin for Mich.

He chuckled to himself, shaking his head as he began to put the car in drive.

“Emerie, the pro swimmer.” Mich said jokingly

Noah, in the seat next to me, gave me a half smile.

“I don't know why you hate swim practice so much, you're good at it Em.” Noah reassured.

Sure, I was good at swimming, but that doesnt mean I liked it, I thought.

“All you do is stare at a black line.” I explained, “There is no thrill, no excitement.”

Dive had thrill, it had excitement. When I got on the board it sometimes felt like I was fearing for my life, which oddly, I liked. I never got the same adrenaline rush with swimming and that made it boring.

Kylie just looked at me confused as we pulled into the pool parking lot.

Opening her car door she chose to say nothing, knowing it was an argument I would never agree to.