Irreplaceable.

Chapter 2.

"Excuse me?" I could tell the confusion was evidently clear on my face. 

"I'll see you on Tuesday." His smile grows wider as he takes a few steps towards me. 

"How do you know what pool I swim at? And what days I go there?" This is a little creepy. I bump into a rude, elderly lady,split open my shopping bag, go inside to get a new one and find this boy who seems to know a lot about me for only meeting me not 5 minutes ago and helps me pick up tampons and pads. 

Walking closer to me he speaks again.

"I'm Louis, I work there. I teach kids to swim." 

"I'm not a kid. How do you know me?" he stopped still about 3 feet from me. 

"I'm a coach. Terry's a coach. We kind of know each other." his smile is still planted on his face, not faltering once. I clutch my purse and shopping closer to my body.

"You still haven't answered my question." I state, still not following his words.

"I've seen Terry coach you and he his nonstop talking about how good you are." From the intense stare that I give, trying to figure out his intentions, I almost took no account of his small shuffle forward. 

"Okay…" I drag out feeling uncomfortable and awkward. "Well I have to go now so" I take a few steps backwards to my car. "bye." I turn around without a second thought and ditch the shopping in the bag seat. I heard a faint goodbye as I shut my door with a loud thud and drove away.

Oddly effected by the strange event that had just occurred, I walk into the house warily and put away the groceries before fixing myself lathered marmite on toast with a glass of plain milk. I know you might say I'm a bit out of the ordinary for liking it so much but Nutella is overrated. 

Who am I kidding, I love that too. 

I soon retreat to my room to study further on my philosophy assignment. 

What is with this shit? 

As much as I love learning about economics of health and 'philosophy of the mind', I know nothing. 

I pretty much failed school and just got into UCL philosophy. Only by 3 percent on my final exams. I still need a tutor though. 

Sitting through a gruelling three hours of work along with two episodes Breaking Bad I decided to take a break. I was thinking of getting a release by doing laps at the pool but then the boy with the styled brown hair popped into my mind and the features of my face scrunched up. I pushed myself away from my desk with a sigh and decided to call my friend Alice… my only friend since-

I don't want to think about it. 

I can't.

I find her contact and hover my hand over the call icon, hesitating not wanting to hear her go into a full on conversation about the party she went to last night and which guys she gave a blow job to so on and so on. I decide to text her instead.

*Hey Alice, how are you?*

Text language is not my thing. At all. It annoys me a little too. She replied 3 minutes later blabbing on about the party and how hungover she is like I knew she would. Ever since we graduated she had gotten more tattoos than we can both count, died her hair bright purple, gotten piercings, and drank every night. Not like it was much different than when we were still in school, she just took it further as her birthday was the very next day. 

I on the other hand are just about the opposite. I'm not out there with who I really am. I'm just your average underachiever who would rather watch repeated episodes of Breaking Bad and Will and Grace. Looking at the time on my iPhone I decided that a 2 o'clock nap would really suit at this moment in time. I try to keep the conversation going with Alice but my eyes become heavy and droopy, slowly putting me to sleep.

……….

After the exhausting lecture ending every Tuesday I get from Dr. Clark, I flop onto my bed groaning. I hear I short knock on my door before it is opened before I can protest. Dad peeps his head through past the dark, wooden door,

"Are you ready for your laps today?" he asked. I lift my head up to look at him properly. 

"Do I have to?" I whined falling back again. 

"Yes, come on Zara, you already missed going Monday morning." 

"I had to sleep though. I need sleep. I'm a growing teenager." I continue on not feeling up to getting ready.

"Then make up for it today. Terry wants to keep this 5 times a week a regular thing now." I heard the door open up more and my fathers foot steps on the floorboard moving closer to me. The bed sunk at my right indicating he had sat down.

"I know you're on your mental cycle" He had lowered his voice to a whisper when he said 'mental cycle' feeling a little embarrassed. He has never felt comfortable around these types of subjects. When Alice was finding her true self, dad had to have the talk with me along with mum and dear god it was the most unsettling, disturbing conversation I have ever had with them. By the end of it, both dad and I were red faced. "but it hasn't stopped you in the past." 

Groaning again, I shooed dad out and got ready. 

That's what I hate most about doing laps at the pool, the getting prepared part.

All I want to do is just get in and swim. Not have to change into swimmers and put goggles on, remembering towels, extra clothing ect.

It wastes the energy I already don't have. 

I wave goodbye as my father drops me off at the front of the local swimming pool as he drives off. When I enter the doors I find Coach sitting on a chair, looking at his phone screen.

"Hey Coach!" I have a little hop in my step as I meet him. A grin takes over his face as he looks up at me. 

"Nice to finally see you again stranger." I roll my eyes at his terrible joke, his strong Scottish accent ringing in my ears.

"Come on Terry, I only missed 3 days." The usually stern look over takes his face as he gets into coach mode.

"3 days is a lot when you're supposed to be training like a professional." 

"I only do because I like it, you know that."

"And I also know you have the potential to be a star Zara Phillips." I ignore is daily comment that he likes to throw in, so I just walk ahead, exiting the reception and heading over to the change rooms only to make contact with the brunette boy I saw 2 days ago with him walking my with a smirk playing on his lips.