Synchronized Swimming

Chapter 21: Fake It 'Til You Make It

Sang

Okay Sang, don't freak out. This is just another swim, just another two minutes. Don't panic- it's not like this is THE MOST IMPORTANT SWIM OF YOUR LIFE!

Time to switch tactics, this one isn't working. I know- distractions. On to scoping out the pool area. Mr. Blackbourne and Sean are fiddling with the sound system to get it to stop cutting out when the music gets too loud. Kota lingers nearby, offering helpful suggestions. Gabriel and Luke are trying to figure out the best method to launch someone into the water. They wanted to test out their methods on me, but I had to decline, since getting hurt right now would be disastrous. Silas and North are playing monkey in the middle with Nathan and a swim cap. The game abruptly ends when Nathan tackles North, knocking him to the ground. They both spring right back up, only now Nathan waves the swim cap around victoriously.

Victor, ever the gentleman, is trying to calm me down without much success. "You did fine in practice yesterday Sang, just swim it the same way today and I'm sure you'll make the team." he says.

Right, swim practice yesterday. After we came back from the mall, we had a delicious lunch prepared by Luke before going over the routine on land and doing a small workout. At the pool, we wasted no time in getting to work at hammering through the details. I finished practice tired, but ecstatic to be working with a team.

And then came today. I spent the whole morning nervously flitting around the house, hoping that not doing anything specific would make the time go by slower. It actually had the opposite effect and before I knew it we were heading to the pool. Each step brought me closer to swimming under Mr. Blackbourne's watchful eye.

I smile at Victor to reassure him that I'm fine, but actually my stomach is rolling. I don't know why I'm so worried- even at national level meets my nerves aren't this bad.

Sean cheers and I see that they've fixed the sound system. Joy. Mr. Blackbourne calls everyone over and he explains how this is just a trial routine, not to freak out, and that he'll have the results by the end of tonight. With a friendly good luck, he sends us over to the pool edge to walkout.

Lining up besides the boys feels so bizarre that by the time I've finished marveling at it, we are already in our deck position. How did I miss the walkout? I surreptitiously check either side of me to make sure that I'm in the right position. Thankfully, I managed to do the correct move even while being totally zoned out.

The music starts playing. Arms whirl around me as the boys do their specific deck positions, but I stand frozen. Everyone is too close! Swimming solos has not prepared me for swimming on a team at all. I gather my wits in time to dive in on the proper count at least. If I continue at this rate, Mr. Blackbourne will never let me onto the team.

I surface to do the first arm set. I'm prepping to move my arms when I have a horrible realization- I forgot the routine! I've seen this happens to other swimmers when they get nervous before, but it's never happened to me. The music continues playing, uncaring about my internal panic. Think Sang, there has to be a way to solve this! What did the other swimmers who blanked out on routines do? They mirrored!

I watch Nathan swimming in front of me closely. When he moves his arm, I move mine a fraction of a second later. He tilts his head, so I tilt mine. Maybe if I'm good enough at mirroring, Mr. Blackbourne won't notice that I forgot the routine.

I'm doing just fine until it's time for the first hybrid. Mirroring doesn't work on hybrids because our legs are out of the water but our heads are under the water, so I'll have to think of something else. When the boys go underwater to start the hybrid, I dip my head underwater and then come up coughing. I cough and cough, right until the hybrid is over. Avidite never would have accepted coughing as an excuse to break the hybrid, but hopefully Mr. Blackbourne will.

Now that I think about it, there are a lot of maybes involved in this plan.

I cheat my way through the second set of arms, only this time I'm watching Kota. I had hoped that the routine would come back to me as I kept on swimming, but apparently not. When the second hybrid comes around I try a different tactic to avoid it. I go under like I'm going to start the hybrid, but instead I pull of my nose clip and let go, watching it float to the bottom of the pool. I surface and make a big show of getting a new one from my suit and placing it on my nose.

I survived two hybrids; now there is only one left to go. I spend the whole third arm set plotting how to escape it, but in the end it doesn't matter because someone's arm hits me in the face- hard.

Synchro is a contact sport, but since I've never swam on a team I've never had the pleasure of being beaten up by my teammates. My nose clip gets knocked off for real this time, and my eyes well with tears at the sudden pain in my nose. I don't want whoever hit me to feel bad since it wasn't their fault, so I quickly compose myself. The music thankfully comes to an end. All of the boys are talking about what a good swim that felt like, but all I can look at is Mr. Blackbourne staring at me. He does not look happy.

Mr. Blackbourne- two minutes earlier

"Does Sang look a bit... out of it to you?" Sean asks. I nod- I had been thinking exactly the same thing. During the past two practices she's been extremely focused, but right now she just looks freaked out. Can't fault her for that, I guess.

"We'll have to see if she becomes more confident while swimming." I say. Sean plays the music and it immediately becomes obvious that Ms. Sorenson is uncomfortable; she probably isn't used to being next to so many people. They all dive in and everything looks like it will be fine, but then the first arm set starts.

"What in the world is Sang doing?" Sean asks. I stare at her for a moment before it hits me.

"She's mirroring!" I gasp. She's doing a good job of making it look like she knows what's going on, but I can tell that she just completely blanked out. When she starts coughing during the first hybrid, I almost jump in to rescue her, but then Sean informs me that she's faking. Whoops. He never would have let me live it down if I jumped in to save Ms. Sorenson from her fake coughs.

I turn towards Sean, no longer watching the routine. "We need to figure out a way for them to reswim this without Ms. Sorenson knowing that we're on to her. She'll probably be too tired to be very nervous, so maybe she'll actually be able to swim it." I tell him. Sean brightens at my suggestion.

"That's a great idea! We can blame the reswim on one of the boys messing up, or that we just wanted to see it again, or... I have the best idea!" Sean exclaims. His happy grin leaves me worried as to the nature of his idea.

"Would you care to inform me as to what your brilliant idea is?" I ask sourly- I don't like surprises. Sean merely shakes his head and pretends to zip his lips.

"You'll have to trust me, Owen." he says dramatically. Fine, but I don't have to like it. My normal stoic expression transforms into a frown as the routine finishes. Sean definitely has something fishy planned.

Sean smirks at me before calling out to the swimmers, "Hey guys, you'll have to swim it again! Owen got distracted by a bee and missed the whole thing!"

Curse that man. All of the boys laugh at me as they get ready to swim again, and I can do nothing but sit there and take it. Ms. Sorenson looks relieved to have another shot at it, giving me the strength to withstand the boy's ribbing.

They all walkout again and strike their deck pose. This time, Ms. Sorenson exudes confidence. Sean plays the music and the team starts swimming. For a solid two minutes, Sean and I stand transfixed. The boys swim amazingly well together, but with Ms. Sorenson they are truly remarkable. Ms. Sorenson herself is an inspiration to watch- she is so graceful, yet so strong, radiating happiness as she swims which makes me want to hop in and join her.

When they finish swimming, everyone is panting hard. Ms. Sorenson has a brilliant smile on her face which highlights her natural beauty. The boys get out of the water and crowd around me, waiting to hear my thoughts on the swim. Ms. Sorenson lingers a bit behind them looking confident in her swim yet nervous to hear my thoughts.

Not one to beat around the bush I quickly gather the group's attention. I look Ms. Sorenson right in the eye and proudly announce, "Congratulations to Ms. Sang Sorenson, the newest member of the Charleston Synchro Sharks!"