Falling (Niall Horan)

Chapter 22: Changes

*Two weeks later*

*Dianne’s POV

The past two weeks have been a blast. My family and I didn’t let a day pass by without doing anything. And yes, if you are asking, my prior plan of going to Malibu Lagoon had been accomplished. We went there last week and spent three days doing nothing but chill. We got back to our home, but the adventure doesn’t end there, sometimes Jonathan would ask me to go with him to malls, and several times we just watch movies of all genres and chill. Most of my free time had been well spent with Kasey; she kept on pestering me about how I met Niall. Kasey had never met Zayn, even back when I was in High School, mainly because she was still socially awkward back then. You’ll only see her outside if she’s going to school or going home from school.  

I told her everything from the dance to the six flags to the courting up until now; she was obviously thrilled at what was happening and kept on badgering about how I should set her and Harry up. This girl is just too obsessed with the Styles.

It was getting late and Kasey needs to sleep or else mom would totally get mad at me for letting her stay up too late. I dismissed her and checked my phone. My jaw dropped to the floor at what I saw.

“Good evening, Dianne. I hope I am not bothering you at this late hour. Your mother had just informed me about your coming back to LA. She also mentioned that you trained often when you were in Seattle. The European Department of Sports and Kinesthetics (EDSK) recently informed me that they will be conducting a mini Olympics this coming week. I am planning to send you, along with seven others from our team which will be selected tomorrow. I know you are prepped up for this, you never let me down. I too was shocked at how sudden this all was, but it would be a waste if we did not compete. Anyway, I am expecting you tomorrow at my office, and we can further talk about it then. Have a good night!

Elizabeth Gordon”

What the fuck? Coach Gordon is my coach in the California’s National Team (Swimming Division), but I already told her that I would be going out of town to find a job. She allowed me, but specifically informed me to train by myself even if she wasn’t there. “Competitions are like pimples, they arbitrarily pop out” were here last words to me. I never really took it seriously because I kind of hoped for a stable job when I get to Oregon, but things just got all mixed up.

Of course her training programs are different from mine. Her training programme is… it’s like you die due to insufficient oxygen. She makes us stay underwater for a minimum of one minute and thirty seconds. If any head of ours pops out under that time, we all start from the top until perfection. It’s pure torture as opposed with my own training programme. I just swim around and do some drills until I get tired; boring life.

But yes, I always win my solos and duets for her. Our past competitions had been just like a breeze to me, except the one when I lost the gold medal to Russia’s Natalia Ischenko. Ever since Natalia’s presence was known in competitions; our team had been losing the gold. I am one hundred and one percent certain that Natalia would be in the lineup for this “mini Olympics” in Europe. It’s NEXT WEEK and IHAVEN’T HAD A PROPER TRAINING, NOT TO MENTION A FRESH ROUTINE. Nope, I’m not freaking out… not one bit.

“Where will the mini Olympics be held? And does mom know about this?” I typed, and thought twice before sending it. But I sent it anyway.

“In Hertfordshire, London. I hope to see you there, Dianne. I know you don’t have a routine in mind yet, and you haven’t had proper training. But I know you, you are not a coward. Yes, I have spoken to Juliette about this. She’s more than happy to have you compete again.”