Learning To Swim For Real

Chapter 38: Winning, At Everything

"The first word I learned to say was 'flags'," Jack confided, pointing at the colorful backstroke flags that were strung across the pool. "I think I was less than a year old. We were down at the pool, and my parents were helping string the new flags before a meet or something."

Kelsey looked over at Jack and smiled, picturing him as a baby, toddling around a pool deck with his three big brothers, dark, curly hair, apple cheeks, pointing chubby fingers at the multi-colored flags.

They were sitting on the bleachers at UCSM, which were already pretty full of people, especially considering how early it was. The atmosphere was charged, and there was an energy in the air that wasn't usually present, Kelsey noticed. Normally, the pool felt efficient, humming along, but today everything was in a higher gear or something. Announcements were made from time to time over the PA, and the starter beeped every now and then as the Colorado timing system was tested.

It was meet day, the first of the season. It was early, just a pre-season, exhibition meet, but a good opportunity for the various teams to come together and see their swimmers, and the swimmers from the other teams, in action.

Jack had told Kelsey that she didn't have to come, that there would be a lot of people. "Maybe you don't want to deal with all that yet," he said carefully, looking at her. The publicity over "everything," which was how they usually referred to the messy, horrible events of the past few months, was insane and still raging. Kelsey couldn't go anywhere without photogs showing up, and "fans" (or stalkers) wanting selfies or whatever.

"No, Jack, no," Kelsey replied. "You're my boyfriend, I'm your girlfriend, you're a college athlete competing in a meet. It's like my job, you know?" She looked at him, eyes serious. "For once in my life I just want to be a normal person. I'm not saying I regret my life choices or anything melodramatic like that, just that I think I'm allowed to have something normal sometimes, you know?"

So here she was, bundled up in Jack's hoodie against the morning chill, clutching her coffee, looking absolutely adorable as far as Jack was concerned. She was blinking, eyes still puffy with sleep as she took in the activity around her. Her sunglasses, which would've helped, sat forgotten on her head.

"Hey, bro!" A loud voice hailed them.

Jack turned with a smile as he rose to hug Jeremy, who stood clutching a coffee and a bag of something that smelled amazing. Kelsey, too, rose, hugging Jack's brother. She turned to Jack as the three of them sat.

"Did you know he was coming?" she asked.

"I knew he was going to try," Jack said. "He had some orders to finish and he wasn't sure, so I didn't say."

"So you drove all the way here from San Diego?" Kelsey asked. "What time did you get up?"

Jeremy shrugged, and there was so much Jack in the gesture that Kelsey stared. "Five? Not so bad. We're all early risers in my family from the swimming, we're used to it." He smiled his easy smile and passed out the breakfast burritos he'd brought for everyone.

"Oh my god, thanks," Kelsey said, setting her coffee aside to unwrap it and start eating.

"Excuse me, but are you Kelsey Carlisle?"

Kelsey turned and nodded, mouth full of food, at the man and woman who stood looking at her expectantly.

"But she's here as a spectator and private citizen today, you know?" Jeremy said. His brown eyes were friendly, but his voice was firm. "Plus, she's eating breakfast right now?" He smiled at the couple, who had the good grace to look apologetic as they nodded. "I'm just saying that she's actually here as a fan, to root for her boyfriend, so she'd like a little privacy. You understand, right?"