Never Fly Too Close To The Sun

Changing

Tuesday (After School)

The heavy door thudded shut behind the small brunette as she slowly entered the quiet changing room. A cold breeze hit Beca's lungs and she wheezed a little before adjusting herself to the harsh layers of damp and dust settled in the atmosphere. With caution, the teenager walked from the school corridor's entrance around a tall block of red and grey lockers, deciding to drop her bags on an empty bench space opposite one side. On the other side of the locker-tower were a set of ugly, faded white-tiled shower cubicles with ragged cloth representing curtains strewn across.

Sighing to herself (and the silent room), the girl set about extracting items of sportswear from a black and white rucksack she'd set down next to her schoolbag. Why did she agree to participate in an extracurricular? Beca grumbled internally. And why did she choose SELF DEFENCE?!

Ping

A message illuminated Beca's screen and she frowned at her girlfriend's words as she finished swept her hair into a ponytail:

Chloe: Guess who ;)

As Beca's brow creased at the screen in confusion, she felt a pair of sleek hands slip around to lightly cover her eyes from behind. Within a second, the brunette's breathing was shallow and her heart skipped a beat as the unexpected arrival's body shuffled closer. Chloe's warm breath tickled the hairs on the nape of the smaller girl's neck, "Did you guess?" The melodic tune of the ginger's words shot through the cold air between the two girls and Beca found the energy (and awareness) to spin around. The taller girl's hands rested across the brunette's shoulders and her fingers eagerly nestled into the ponytail's loosening locks. Without replying, the smirking smaller girl leaned forward, lips parted, and closed the distance between the two. Lacking hesitation, Chloe's tongue licked hungrily against her girlfriend's rosy lips before gaining full entry. Meanwhile, Beca's hands drifted down the soft grey fabric of the ginger's baggy hoodie before slipping under the hem and up the girl's sides. Her fingers slid smoothly across a swimming costume's nylon fabric which tightly clung to the taller girl's sleek frame. Pulling back briefly from the kiss, the brunette smirked, "How am I meant to undress this gift without damaging the packaging?"

"Actually," Chloe smiled however her bright eyes dimmed a little, "You aren't meant to.. Not right now, anyway. I need to stay focused on the swimming competition."

"And sneaking up on me is maintaining your focus?" the smaller girl chuckled softly.

"Fair point," the ginger took a reluctant step back and her girlfriend released a quiet whimper of objection, "This was just a treat to keep me going." Chloe leaned in to give Beca a brief peck before spinning and marching diligently to the door she'd stealthily entered through. However, she paused before fully disappearing and turned her head slightly to the side. The taller girl's confident words echoed along the space outstretched between the two teenagers and resonated in Beca's mind long after her girlfriend had left, "You know, the shower stalls at the swimming pool are pretty private.. I'll see you after the competition."

Shaking her head in awe, Beca smirked inwardly as she quickly changed into her sportswear in order to make up for lost time. Shoving her bag into an empty locker and readjusting her messy ponytail, the brunette hurried out of the changing room and towards the gym for her class.

---

5 Minutes Later

"Right, listen up everyone!" a tanned, bald man called in a deep voice as he entered the gym. He removed a grey suit jacket from over his black tank top, which matched his grey joggers, and tossed it aside onto a bench at the side of the gym. Behind him a skinnier tanned man with thick black glasses and frizzy black curls stumbled, balancing sports bags on his bony arms like branches, struggled to follow. The crowd of people attending the class set aside their drinks bottles and phones by their bags of other belongings at the edge of the large gym and walked to join the instructor in the empty space. Impatient, the bulkier man spoke in his gruff voice over his muscular shoulder, "Dax, give out the equipment and spread everyone out as we planned".