The Swordfish Club (Kellic)

Chapter 6

Two weeks have passed since my first bonding with Vic and today was the most important day of my entire life. Okay, maybe not the most important, but definitely crucial for me. It was time to know if I would stay on the Swordfish Club or not. I was extremely positive about it, that's why I felt ecstatic, ready to run everywhere, screaming to the earth I was a definitive member or this incredible club.

I even come up to the club in the morning, too eager to know the answer. Unfortunately, Vic wasn't there and I had to wait all day. It had been excruciating, I lost the count of times teachers told me to stop standing up on my chair today.

Right now I was in the changing room with my teammates. Their talks echoed through the entire room, joyfulness was in the air, and they had perfect muscles as always. However, I didn't even peek at them. My brain was focused on my acceptation on the club. So, I was no longer capable to calm down as excitement was running through my veins and as my heart was pounding at an alarming rhythm against my chest.

"Hurry up Justin!" I urged my friend who was taking his sweet time to change into his swim trunks.

"We have time," he muttered, rolling his eyes.

"No we don't, please I'm so—"

"Eager to know what Vic will tell you, I know," he finished for me, checking his goggles now. What was he doing that now? He never did, or maybe, but really it was not the right time to do that.

"Kellin," he sighed as he glanced up at me from the bench, "maybe it will not go the way you want it to go, so I think you should calm down and...prepare yourself. I don't say he will refuse to keep you, but just in case, you could maybe be less excited?"

I frowned and crossed my arms over my chest as he gave me a sympathetic look. It's as if he was sure I wouldn't make it.

"What makes you think there's a possibility he rejects me?" I asked, kind of annoyed he wasn't the supporting friend I needed right now.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe the fact he's always picking on you at training? He's being super harsh, kind of an asshole actually. He doesn't seem to care about your progress Kellin,"

"I have progressed!"I defended myself in a high-pitched voice as others turned their head questioningly toward me. It was just a reflex, they were used to see me raise my voice from time to time anyway.

"I know you did, and in that short period of time, it's astounding. But did he ever praised you for it? He's tough, so don't get your hopes too high."

"You don't know what he thinks," I mumbled.

"And you do?" he retorted in total disbelief.

"Not really but I know he did a lot in order to make me progress. Why would he do that if he thinks it'll not work?"

Justin shrugged, finally standing up and ready to go, "I don't know, maybe he's a sadist."

That was a good theory and for once, I didn't reply for the sake of the argument. Instead, I opened the door of the changing room and we got out. I couldn't blame him to think that. At training, I was Vic's target. A wrong move, a wrong time, and he yelled at me as if I was a piece of shit. However, Justin hadn't seen how Vic was with me during the extra lessons. It went the same way when I swam, I absorbed critic after critic, without any complaint. Nevertheless, when I was out of the pool, he changed a lot since we had started to bond. He took his time to explain me my mistakes, always in a calm and serious tone. But he didn't stop to the superficial and mechanic side of the body movements. No, he cared about my mental well-being too. Actually, it was always the opening I was waiting to whimper about how my muscles were aching as hell, and that my lungs weren't cooperating. Little by little, he smiled more and more and stopped to give me stern glares every time he found me childish. In fact, I think that it's the fact he started to open up to me and accept who I am that makes me so confident today.