Swimming back to you

chapter 3.

Early the next morning, I headed to the sports academy, eager for another swim session. The excitement of diving into the pool had become my new favorite part of the day. After slipping into my swimsuit, I met up with Lily, who was just as thrilled as I was.

We walked side by side from the changing room, chatting about the day ahead. The floor was a little slippery, still damp from the early morning maintenance. As we turned a corner, a guy came barreling down the hallway, clearly in a rush. Before I could react, he was nearly on top of us. The slippery floor didn't help, and I felt my feet start to skid out from under me.

Just as I was about to fall, I felt a firm grip on my hand. The guy, his other hand clutching the metal railing on the side, stopped both of us from crashing to the ground. My heart raced, not from fear, but from the suddenness of it all.

I jerked my hand away, my frustration flaring up. "You should watch where you're going," I snapped, unable to hide the irritation in my voice. "It's dangerous to run around here, especially when the floor's wet."

He looked down at the granola bar that had slipped from my grip during the commotion. There it was, lying in a small puddle of water, completely ruined. "Great," I muttered, more to myself than to him. "That was my last granola bar."

The guy glanced at the soggy granola bar and then back at me. "Sorry about that," he said simply, his tone almost indifferent. "But why 'last'? Your friend there has two in her hand."

Lily, trying to stifle a laugh, held up her granola bars as if to prove his point. But I wasn't in the mood to be teased. "That's not the point," I shot back, trying to keep my irritation in check. "It's just... ugh, never mind."

As I was pouting over my lost snack, he tilted his head slightly, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. "Wait a minute... have I seen you somewhere before? You look familiar."

I looked at him, a little thrown off by the question. There was something about him that did seem vaguely familiar, but I was too annoyed to care. "I don't think so," I replied curtly, not really wanting to engage in this conversation any longer.

He didn't seem convinced. Instead of backing off, he leaned in closer, squinting slightly as if trying to study my face. My instinct kicked in, and I moved my head back, trying to create some distance between us. The sudden proximity made my heart skip a beat, but not in a way I particularly enjoyed.

Lily, who had been watching the whole exchange with barely contained amusement, mumbled under her breath, "Ahh, the classic."

Both the guy and I turned our heads towards her. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he asked, "What's classic about it?"

Lily shrugged nonchalantly, her grey eyes twinkling with mischief. "It's just a typical pickup line to start a conversation—'have we met before?' I mean, it's practically a cliché at this point."

The guy looked at me, clearly puzzled by Lily's comment. His expression asked the silent question, Is she serious?

Lily, undeterred by his confusion, continued, "I use it all the time, honestly. It's flattering, and guys apparently love it," she said with a smirk, then added with a playful glance at him, "Though I'm not so sure about girls."

The guy finally stepped back, his expression a mix of amusement and exasperation. "I genuinely thought she looked familiar, but okay, fine," he conceded, raising his hands slightly in surrender.

Before I could respond, the coach's voice cut through the air, sharp and commanding. "Alright, enough of the chatting, you three. We're here to swim, not to play matchmaker. Or would you prefer I make you run laps for wasting time?"