The Reality of my Dream

Chapter One: Him

Chapter 1: Him

“How’s this?” I asked, holding up my favorite pair of dark wash skinny jeans and a long sleeve floral top with a semi-open back.

“Ummm- it’s okay,” Payton said in a not-so-convincing voice, “but don’t you think it might look like you are kind of- well, you know trying a little too hard?”

I looked in my full-length mirror to see if she was right. She was. Why is this so difficult! All I’m doing is going to watch a swim practice. Why am I trying so hard? Who am I kidding myself. I know why… it’s because of him; I’m trying to impress him. Like always.

Payton said something, but I didn’t hear her as I was lost in thought about… well you know.

“Lynsey. LYNSEY!”

“Wha- what?” I practically yelled when she woke me from my thoughts.

 “What do you think about this?” she asked impatiently, tapping her foot and pointing at an outfit she had laid on my bed.

She picked out my red, gray, and white flannel button-down with plain black leggings and my black Jessica Simpson boots with gray trim around the top.

 "Ohh…” my voice rose a couple octives as I tried to find an excuse not to wear it, “you- you know I’m not so comfortable in leggings.”

 “Oh stop being such a wuss!” Payton yelled, “They’ll look great!”

 “Umm… uhh…”

“Oh, just go put it on.” she instructed sourly while shoving the clothes in my hands and pointing at the bathroom, “And hurry up or we’re going to be late!”

I looked down at the outfit and could feel my stomach cringe as I walked into the bathroom. Leggings. Really? I don’t wear leggings, unless I’m going to dance class. Ugh! I put the outfit on anyways, mostly to please Payton, and looked in the mirror on the wall. Oh this is going to be such an uncomfortable evening. I walked out and saw Payton light up. Oh boy, she’s not going to let me change out of this.

“Oh. My. Goodness.” Yup, I was right. “That looks so great! He’s gonna love it!” she shrieked.

“Come on Pay. You and I both know that he’s not even going to notice me.” I complained still feeling terrible about the stupid outfit.

“Not with that Negative Nelly attitude he isn’t! Now come on, grab your coat and let’s go or we are going to be late.”

I let out a giant moan as I grabbed my coat and was dragged to the car by Payton's grasp. It was fricking' freezing out, even with my white fluffty coat. I guess that’s what you get when you live in northern New Jersey and it’s winter time. How stupid is that? Swimming in the winter. Seriously?

Well anyways… We were on our way to the swim practice singing along to Toby Keith’s I Wanna Talk About Me, which was blasting from the radio of Payton's tiny, tiny car. She was driving, like a mad woman I may add, and I was in the passenger's seat.

When we arrived at Pillsborough High, a twenty-five minute drive from my house that today felt like it went by in twenty-five seconds, we went into the main room that connected to the pool practice area through the black double doors across from us. When we got into the pool area, most of the swimmer’s family and friends that came were already there sitting on the bunk bed like structures that are provided for observers to sit upon. Don't ask why they were set up like this. I have no idea, I haven't been to a pool practice in years. We choose to sit on the top part of the 'bed' farthest to the right in the front row and took off our jackets as we walked there. The 50-meter pool had a slope in it which got deeper as it got farther away from us and after about three minutes or so the eight swimmers on the co-Ed team came out of their designated locker rooms.