SECRETS | D.S

twenty-two

The first day was always the most daunting.

Katie arrived on campus early that afternoon, being given a tour before the first practice session would begin.

She was left with the first-year junior rowing team thereafter, and introduced herself with a smile.

"I'm Katherine," she stood before the team with as much confidence as she could gather, her eyes moving over them slowly, "and I'll be your coach for the year."

They reminded her so much of herself when she'd been their age; young, optimistic, bright-eyed, a little mischievous, too. While she had yet to see them in action, she had a feeling this year was going to be a good one.

"I started here a few years ago, started on this team with Coach Ryan taking us to the top. We did well, before the accident, of course, and I have high hopes for you. Work hard, stay focused, and you'll get where you want to be... however, hard work doesn't come without having a passion for what you do and above all, have fun. If you love what you do, as someone once told me, you'll never work a day in your life."

Cheers and applause came from the team and Katie smiled before sending them off on a warm-up run around the field before they'd start with training.

By the time the session was over, she sent them off and met Dan across the field. He had a coffee in hand and wore a tired smile.

"Dan Smith, what on earth are you doing here?"

"Came to celebrate your first day, officially," he held out a coffee for her.

"Aw," she leaned in to hug him, "that's very sweet, but you didn't have to."

"Of course I did," Dan smiled as they sat down side by side. "How did it go?"

"Really well," she admitted, "I think they have potential, although; I haven't seen them on the water yet, but I think they're going to be great."

"That's awesome - you're fitting in rather nicely, Coach."

Katie smiled, nudging him.

"How was your day?"

"Meetings," he sighed, dragging his hands over his eyes, "tour prep, pretty much. I just... don't know right now, it's all a bit overwhelming."

"Take your time, Dan, things will sort themselves out."

"Hope so," his smile met her own and he reached for her hand, entwining their fingers, and she didn't pull away.

She lay her head against his shoulder, thumb tracing along his skin ever so lightly, and her heart was filled with unexplainable joy for the first time in what felt like forever.

She was in love with Dan Smith - and it was terrifying but beautiful.

"Dinner tonight?"

He pressed the softest kiss to her head and her heart somersaulted.

"That would be lovely, thank you,  but I think I'll give it a miss. I've got all this paperwork to sort out, you know, university stuff..."

"Right of course," Dan nodded, taking a sip of his coffee, "maybe later in the week, then."

"Tell you what, once I've finished organizing my flat, we can watch one of your weird and wonderful films over pizza and wine."

"Perfect," Dan laughed, "also, they're not that weird, they're just eccentric."

"Right."

They split paths as they went home and Katie had a shower before falling into bed with her laptop. Her phone rang on the bedside table and she reached for it.

James. Perfect.

"Hey..."

"Katherine, how are you?"

"Good, thank you, how about you?"

He sounded tense, cold, as always, as if he didn't approve of her move, which she knew very well was the truth. She'd never been her own person, not really, not with him breathing down her neck every second of the day, trying to control everything she did.

But she decided to be polite, for that was what Mother had taught her.

"Yeah, alright," James said, "how's... London?"

"It's wonderful," she admitted, "just as it was before."

"If vague weather chitchat and gloomy looks on your direction is for you, then, fine, I suppose..." he mumbled.

"Well, my first day was good," she might as well bring some optimism to his doom and gloom, "forgot what it was like to be among people my own age."

"Right."

"Dan brought me coffee, which was incredibly sweet of him and --"

"Dan? I knew it..." James muttered.

"Yes, Dan. I don't see what the problem is."

"He's wrong for you, Kate."

"In what way is he wrong for me?" she dared to ask.

"He's an artist, in the spotlight all the time, constantly the focus of media companies and the press - do you really want to be dealing with that?"

"Well --"

"Journalists are terrible, they fabricate stories, lies, and feed it to the world, and everyone believes it... that's not the kind of like I want for you --"

"Well, it's not up to you, is it?" Katie interjected, "you're not in control of my life, it's my life. If I want to be with Dan, don't think you're going to stop me."

The conversation ended on a bad note that night but Katie was certain she wasn't going to let her brother control her anymore.

It was a new beginning for her and she wasn't about to let anything stand in her way.

Never again.