Synchronized Swimming

Chapter 37: Adapting Team

This is the team Lindenwood University swam at the Collegiate Championships this year. I decided to use it as the routine the boys will swim for their team, and while it's probably too hard for them in real life, I really love this routine and figured that they could swim it in my story.

Sang

I'm lost in my thoughts as I eat breakfast. Is it bad that my parents haven't contacted me in any way all week? Sure, my dad is busy with travel and work, but he could probably spare a moment for me. And I don't even know what my mom's up to. Although, would I really want to talk to her? Probably not- it just feels like she cast me aside without a second thought.

The boys sitting around me eat in silence as well. It's rather peaceful actually. The companionable silence is broken by Kota entering the kitchen. He looks puzzled by the lack of chatter, but doesn't comment on it. "Mr. Blackbourne wants to modify the team routine for eight people before we go to the pool, so once you're done with breakfast come into the living room," he says.

Well, there goes my peaceful Sunday morning. I'd been planning on stretching my over-splits, but this works too. I glance at the clock—it's seven am, so there are six hours until we have to be at the pool.

"Can we finish team in six hours?" I ask. I'll have to learn it and we'll have to change it from seven to eight people, so that seems like it would take a day at least. Luke smiles at me.

"You clearly haven't done a task the Academy way before. I bet we'll be done in less than an hour," he says.

It's weird to hear them being so chill in mentioning the Academy. Maybe they really are trying to be more open...

After I finish eating I place my bowl in the sink and go sit in the living room. Within five minutes the whole team's there, so Mr. Blackbourne start talking. I'm briefly distracted by the fact that he's wearing slacks and a polo shirt—not a suit—but I force myself to focus.

"Alright team," he begins, "We need to teach Miss Sorenson the routine, and in the process make it suitable for eight people."

Nathan groans. "Ugh, do you remember three years ago when we thought that Silas wouldn't be able to swim at nationals because of that concussion? We had to switch the routine for six people at the last second and then it turned out that he could swim so we had to switch it back," he says. The rest of the boys shudder at the memory.

"That was awful!" Luke exclaims.

"But we won't have that problem this time because we'll stay calm—right?" Mr. Blackbourne says. It's phrased like a suggestion, but it's clear that he won't tolerate any sort of argument. I wonder what happened that was so horrible?

Sean turns on the music. I'm surprised when I hear the more modern style—that definitely isn't the trend in synchro. Although with a team of seven boys, they'd already stand out so why not go for it? It'll be a fun change from the delicate solo music I've swam to.

"So I guess the first thing is a jump lift. Normally Victor's our flier, but do you want to try, Sang?" Kota asks. I flash back to my previous lift experience—if being a flier is anything like that, I'm just fine pushing.

"No thanks, I'm good," I reply. Kota frowns, but accepts my answer. Since I'm by far the lightest person, I really should be on top of all the lifts, but the idea of it makes me nauseous.

"Hmm... it's a basket toss lift and we already have the basket and all the pushers we need... I guess you could push Gabriel's shoulders like on a leg lift to support him," Victor suggests. I've never tried that before, but if it's not flying I'll take it.