SWIMMING IN CHAOS~THOMAS CECCON

1

"Bianca"

The water brushed against my skin as I submerged, providing a sense of calm and tranquility. Undoubtedly, the last few months of my life hadn't been the best; in fact, they had been a complete chaos. However, training was my moment of disconnection, where I could detach from reality and just be myself.

Today was like any other training day, but in a way, it felt different because in less than a month, the Paris Olympics would take place, one of the most important events marked on the calendar of athletes worldwide. The pressure was increasing as the day approached.

Suddenly, the voice of my coach, Paolo Degli, snapped me out of my thoughts. "As you all know, we have only four weeks left to finalize preparations for the games." That statement only heightened my nerves and those of all my teammates. "Remember, it's crucial that you stay focused on your training and keep a cool head. I don't want your personal lives or problems affecting our participation in Paris. Understood?"

Once his speech ended, we began our exercise routine. Next to me was Thomas, world champion and my romantic partner for over two years. We had met through our coaches after being selected to join the Italian Olympic team.

In the adjacent lane was Isabella Altieri, an excellent swimmer who had recently joined the team. Despite her short time with us, her bond with Thomas was relatively strong and noticeable.

To my left was Lorenzo Storti, my teammate since childhood. My relationship with him had always been based on a solid friendship, where we both helped each other through difficult times. So far, Thomas hadn't managed to get along with him, as he didn't like Lorenzo's intentions toward me.

Once we finished the session, we headed to the locker rooms. In the showers, there were lively and enthusiastic conversations about the upcoming experience in less than a month.

I headed to my locker, next to Martina's, my best friend on the team. She and Luca, another teammate, were my biggest supporters in competitions and the ones I spent the most time with during events.

Once ready, we left the locker room together, heading towards the complex entrance, where Luca was chatting with Lorenzo and Camila. While they continued talking, I got distracted and caught a glimpse of Thomas and Isabella laughing heartily as he placed his hand on her back. Such a seemingly insignificant gesture sparked a sudden and inexplicable annoyance within me.

In an instant, I felt an arm around my shoulders. By the scent, I knew it was Thomas, so I looked up to see him. I usually felt especially good with him, but at that moment, I couldn't help but think about what I had seen earlier.

When my eyes met his, he winked at me. "Are you ready?" he asked with his characteristic smile.

"Yes, but I'll get ready at Martina's place," I replied. My friend, unaware of this plan, gave me a puzzled look, while Thomas nodded and said goodbye, not giving it much importance.

Once he disappeared through the door, Martina's voice reached me. "And this sudden change of plans? I thought you were going together."

"You know how clumsy I am with makeup, and I thought you could help me," I said, coming up with the quickest excuse I could think of.

After a short drive to Martina's house, we finally arrived. As we got out of the car, my friend turned to Luca, who had driven us. "Be here at eight. Don't be late."

As soon as we entered the house, we headed to her room to get ready. While getting ready, I couldn't help but think about the closeness between Thomas and Isabella. I kept replaying my reaction, maybe it was too exaggerated. However, I decided to push those thoughts out of my mind and focus on my makeup.

The night ahead promised to be full of events that fate was eager to reveal.

By 8:05, we were already on our way to the coach's house, where every year on June 25th, we held a dinner to celebrate the achievements and hard work of the entire season.

I hadn't spoken to Thomas since that afternoon and wasn't looking forward to facing him after what had happened a few hours ago, despite his passive reaction.

When we arrived, I saw his car parked by the main door, and my nerves flared up inside me, causing a strange sensation I had never experienced before.

Upon entering, I was greeted by a warm vanilla aroma, and the first person I saw among the guests was Paolo, who welcomed us and invited us in. We left our coats in a closet near the entrance and moved together to the main living room, where many teammates were animatedly sharing ideas.

Among them, I only focused on one: Thomas, who was standing alone with a champagne glass in his right hand. He was wearing a black suit that looked splendid on him, and I couldn't help but blush when his gaze met mine.

As I moved to meet him, I decided this was the perfect moment to try to explain how I felt and clear my mind and doubts, which had been tormenting me these past days.

Thomas greeted me with a kiss, sealing it with a pleasant smile, and handed me a glass. "You look gorgeous!" he said after admiring my long black dress, which I had bought just a few weeks ago.

"You don't look bad yourself," I said with a playful smile. "Taking advantage of the fact that we're alone, I wanted to tell you something important." Just as I was about to share, I saw his attention shift towards the entrance, where I spotted Isabella signaling for him to come over, which he didn't hesitate to do.

At that moment, I saw Lorenzo heading towards me. When he arrived, we started talking about our plans after the games, but I couldn't help but constantly glance at Thomas and Isabella. I knew it was going to be a very long night.