The Swordfish Club (Kellic)

Chapter 7

I always had trouble to stay concentrate in class, either I needed to move or my mind started to wander on its own. After what I had witnessed this morning, it was harder than usual. Vic's cries kept resonating inside my head and I wasn't satisfied by the fact I let him all by himself. So, I decided to cheer up his mood tonight at my extra lesson. I was completely capable of that. A couple of weeks earlier and I wouldn't have cared like this. But now, it was different. I didn't see him anymore as an annoying trainer without any mercy. I reconsidered him a lot in the past few weeks. I knew he could laugh and not stay serious all the time. I learned that he needed time to open up to people, and he surely didn't give in friendship easily. Finally, today I saw him break down and the sight affected my humor. Although he was a perfectionist, he hadn't the perfect life I thought he had. He was having a hard time and he shouldn't go through it by himself. Sure, his friends could help him, but what if he kept this bottle up? For all I know, I could be the only one to know this, it should be me.

I knew I would have to wait until the training ends to make him laugh. However, I was eager to see his face, so I urged Justin to hurry to put his swim trunks. He grumbled a lot and I couldn't give him an explanation, so for once, I decided to wait patiently. I sat down on the bench with my elbows on my knees and contemplated on what Vic's face would be. Surely blank, impassive, he'll put on a strong face. We wouldn't even guess something bad had happened to him this morning. I wished I could be like this because today my friends kept asking me what was wrong. I couldn't blame them, they were used to see me in a hyperactive mode, not on a thoughtful one.

"Earth to Kellin, we have to go," announced Justin, clicking his fingers an inch away from my face.

I glanced around, snapping out of my daze. There was nobody in the changing room. Where did they go? Well, at the training, what a stupid question. That wasn't really the problem anyway.

"Why are we the last one?" I accused Justin.

"Because you let me take my time for the first time in my life and I didn't want to interrupt you, it's so rare to see you think."

"What that suppose to mean?" I snapped as a little smile played on his lips.

"Nothing, we really should go," dismissed Justin while opening the door.

I narrowed my eyes, skeptic, but I still joined him without questioning him any further. I knew Justin, he was just teasing me. Anyway, it was all Vic's fault. I was like this today because of him. He shouldn't have affected me this much, but he did. Maybe that was because it was an astonishing sight to see Vic cry. I just might be sensitive to people crying and I would have been like this with everyone else.

Justin and I jogged up the set of stairs quickly as everyone was gathering around Vic. My teammates were so tall, I couldn't see his face from here so I made my way through their well-built bodies, glad to touch toned arms on my way, that's what I call killing two birds with one stone. As I was sneaking between two guys to see Vic's face, he spoke.

"Go do your warm up," he simply said.

"No speech?" some guy questioned, genuinely surprised. I titled my head up between two shoulders to see Vic's expression.

My jaw dropped the moment I saw his face. He didn't have the blank look I thought he would have. There was no trace of sadness. No, he turned it all in rage. His body was so tense, I could almost discern the nervous veins pulsating on his crossed arms. Just looking at his face made me gulp in apprehension. The way his jaw was clenched and the darkness in his eyes told me I would suffer today, we would all suffer.