Loving You is Not A Possibility

Chapter 7: The Race

When I woke up the next morning, things were a bit groggy.  I just couldn't shake the fuzzy daze that had settled over my mind, which was really frustrating.

After lying in bed for a few minutes and trying to wake up, to no avail I might add, I forced myself out of bed.  Instead of getting in the shower I stumbled into my bathing suit and grabbed my goggles and swim cap.

Then I practically fell down the stairs to the kitchen and started making coffee.  Normally I wouldn't drink that evil substance, but I needed a jump start.  All that caffeine would defiantly do it.

Just as I was pouring myself a cup Jackson stumbled inside the room, perching himself on the island.  He rubbed his eyes groggily, wiping a hand over his face.

The thing that got me was his choice of clothing.  All he was wearing was a pair of swim trunks.  He had his pair of goggles looped around his right arm, and a pair of flip flops hung from his feet.

"Can I have some coffee?"  He asked, raking his eyes over my body.  At that moment I regretted not putting on a shirt, or at least a pair of pants.  Oh well, at least I was wearing a one piece suit.

"Here."  I grunted, shoving the cup that was supposed to be mine in his hands.  He smiled at me, taking a big gulp from the cup.

"Damn!"  He cursed, sputtering the coffee back out.  I burst out laughing as the brown liquid dripped down his chest.

"That's what you get for gulping it down while it's scorching hot."  I laughed, blowing on my new cup.  See, I'm the smart one.  Who takes a giant gulp when it just comes out of the pot, anyway?

"Ha ha."  He said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.  This time he blew on his drink before taking a hesitant sip.

"I'm guessing we have the same plan?"  I rose an eyebrow, eyeing his swim wear.  I didn't even know he enjoyed swimming.  Well, maybe I did...But I didn't think about it much.

"Guess so."  He shrugged, hopping off the counter and walking out of the room.  Polite of him, wasn't it?  Shrugging it off, I set both of the coffee mugs in the sink before skipping down the rest of the stars.

The coffee was already doing it's trick, I was wide awake.  On the way down I pulled on my swim cap, making sure to tuck all of my hair under the rubber.

Jackson was already in the pool, swimming slowly along.  Smiling to myself, I dove into the water and took off at an easy pace.

The water defiantly shocked me.  It was nice and cold, just how I liked it.  Slowly, I worked myself faster.  The set I had decided on was a thirty minute constant swim - which means I didn't stop for a full thirty minuets.

That might sound like a long time, but it's really not.  After the first five minutes or so you just fall into a grove, and it isn't any harder than breathing.

It just seems natural to keep kicking and moving your arms, breathing every three strokes.  That's one of the things I love about the water - you can just forget everything.

You can become one with the water and just focus on the way it moves with your body.  I know that sounds cheesy, and like it came out of a book or something, but it's true.

You can't even imagine the feeling until you experience it first hand.  I can't even form it into words, the feeling you get.

Eventually though, I had to stop.  When I did, Jackson was sitting on one of the pool chairs, watching me curiously.

"You swam a long time."  He commented, tossing me a Gatorade.  It landed a few feet away from me, and I gladly scooped it up.

"It was a set."  I defended, chugging down a few mouth fulls, "Every heard of them?"  He gave me a confused look, making me roll my eyes, "A set is something you do for a work out.  I don't know why you swam, but I actually wanted to get something out of it."