Of All The Things I Didn't Say

Chapter 7

"Three minutes and forty-five seconds", Zara said, timing my speed while I swam. Tomorrow was the big swim meet and I asked Zara to come time my laps today after school. She whined about it at first but I then offered to buy her food and then she was willing to go.

"I can do better", I said putting back on my goggles and re-starting my laps. The first race we had to do was just swim a simple ten laps in the middle pool in under five minutes and forty-five seconds. That was the easy part. I could swim that in my sleep. And from my timing now; I knew this was going to be a breeze. But I had a feeling that's how ever other swimmer felt. So I had to do well.

"Three minutes and forty-seconds", Zara said after swimming yet another ten laps.

"Alright that should be good". I breathed.
Next was that we had to swim twenty-five laps in under a certain amount of time. We get divided up into skill levels and only the top seven make it into the next race...weird number I know, but the odds are heart staggering. For there's at least fifteen in each skill division.
After the twenty-five laps, if you even make it that far, you now have to swim fifty laps in a certain amount of time. And only the top three get an award... No pressure my ass.

This is one the hardest competitions I have ever had to experience. I've been in other tournaments for swimming but not like this one.

I swam my fifty laps in under eleven minutes. I figured that was a pretty good time, but I was still freaking the freak out. What if the time limit was ten minutes? Or I do worse tomorrow?!
All these what if's are going to drive me insane.

"It's not good enough", I choked out after the laps. I was starting to panic. I couldn't do this. It's too much pressure, too much! Everyone was expecting me to win and I want to win so badly but I could mess up so badly...
Maybe it's not too late to back out? I'm sure my team would understand... Yeah right, like anyone would understand.

I pushed aside my fears. I could do this. I will do this. I felt my heart flutter just at the thought of waking up tomorrow.

"It is good enough", Zara said. "Olive, you are an amazing swimmer and from your timings here, you are fast as hell and this is just you practicing. You'll be so full of energy and high off of adrenalin that you'll be even faster and you will win tomorrow".

I went to argue with her, even though I wasn't really sure what I was going to say but she cut me off first. "No, stop it. You are going to do fine. I believe in you and you know squad will be with you every step of the way. Now let's go get that food you promised me".

~

I twisted and turned all night long. I went to bed at around ten. It was nearly midnight now. We had to be at the swim lodge at around nine in the morning. And it'll go into whenever we finish.
My friends wanted to come and watch but I told them not too. I didn't want any distractions or any more people watching me. Lucas would be there because well, there's no point in arguing with Lucas. He'll show up whether you want him too or not. Besides, I wanted Lucas there. He's my brother, the only one I got.

The silence in my room was killing me. I could here the clock from the living room down stairs as if it were in my own room. The moon was peeking through my curtains, the hour torturing me.
A knock on my door nearly made me scream out loud until I saw Lucas pop his head in. Speak of the devil.

"You still awake?" He asked.

"Well now that you scared the living crap out of me and caused my heart to rate up to a thousand. Yeah! I'm awake!" I exaggerated. "It's not like I'm awake because of the huge swim meet I have tomorrow. Or the fact that everyone is expecting me to win and the weight of everything is threatening to flatten me".