Lost and Found • mikhaiah au

07. Betting for Stakes

It had been a week, a painfully long week—since Agnes had last set foot in the pool. Her break from training had felt like an eternity, each day dragging on with an agonizing slowness.

Fortunately, Malia's presence provided a much-needed distraction from missing the pool. Agnes was grateful for the countless times her Ate Malia invited her to coffee shops, where they would chat and relax.

In many ways, Malia had become like a sister and friend to Agnes, which was ironic, given that Malia was the wife of her coach, the very person who had banned her from training.

Despite the welcome distraction, the situation with the box continued to weigh heavily on Agnes. She grappled with the temptation to read the journal entries inside, but the thought of delving into Maiko's past without her consent felt wrong, and Agnes was determined to respect that boundary.

She found herself constantly wracking her brain, trying to devise a way to return the box to Maiko.

But now, as she made her way to her true home, the pool, Agnes couldn't care less about the Maiko situation. All that mattered now was getting back into the water.

Her eyes gleamed as she approached the pool, the familiar scent of chlorine filling her senses. She had missed everything about this place: the cool touch of the water and the rhythmic sound of one's strokes. In all its glory, the water was her home, the place where she felt most alive.

Agnes quickened her pace, her heart racing with excitement. As she approached the entrance, she could already hear the faint echoes of splashing. Pushing open the doors, she stepped inside, feeling a wave of peace wash over her.

The scene before her was both comforting and exhilarating. Her teammates were already in the water, their movements swift and fluid. The sound of whistle pierced the air, a familiar and welcome sound.

Agnes felt a rush of adrenaline as she dropped her bag and made her way to the locker room, where she quickly began to change into her swim gear.

Once in the locker room, she headed straight to her usual shower cubicle to drench herself with cool water as part of her routine before hitting the pool.

She closed the door behind her. Upon hanging her duffel bag on the hook inside the cubicle, a voice behind her cracked.

"Hey."

Startled, Agnes turned around to find Maiko standing there, her hair wet and draped in a towel that barely covered her.

Agnes froze, her eyes widening in shock. The sudden appearance of Maiko Herrera, standing there in nothing but a towel, caught her completely off guard. Her heart pounded as she stammered, "Wha—Anong ginagawa mo dito?-! This is my— I mean, how did you even—"

Maiko, clearly amused by Agnes's flustered reaction, raised an eyebrow. "Well, I could ask the same about you. You're the one who barged in on me."

Agnes opened her mouth to respond but found herself at a loss for words. Her eyes involuntarily wandered downwards, catching glimpses of Maiko's bare skin peeking out from beneath the towel.

Maiko's skin looked soft and warm, her curves accentuated by the damp fabric clinging to her. Agnes couldn't help but gulped, noticing how effortlessly flawless Maiko's body looked.

For a moment, she was completely lost in her thoughts, a deep shade of red spreading across her cheeks. The realization of what she was doing hit her only when Maiko gently reached out and lifted her chin, forcing their eyes to meet.

Maiko smirked, her tone teasing. "My eyes are up here, Navarro," she said, her voice playful yet tinged with a hint of knowing.

Agnes snapped back to reality, her face burning with embarrassment. She quickly looked away, stammering, "I—I know, I just... wasn't expecting... I mean, what the hell! Bakit ba nandito ka?—!"