Stuck In a Book

Chapter Six

A/N I've rewritten some of the other parts. You may want to go back and reread them if you'd like.

"You know Hat," Lane starts out when I finally calmed down, "I think you should go out for the swim team."
I just stare at him with wide eyes.
"Lane, are you kidding me?!" My voice is raspy from crying so hard. "I just yelled in front of our entire grade. And you want me to go do the swim team?"
"You are one of the best swimmers I know. You hold at least three of the records and you're not even on the team. Preseason has already started but if the coach sees you I know he'll let you in. Not to mention, you've already done the next four months of school work for all of your classes!" He tells me. "It's impossible for you to fall behind! Please try it?"
"Fine. One practice." I say.
(QUICK A/N- sorry. I skip around a lot. And I'm sorry I haven't updated this story in forever. Hope you still like it!)

~~~~~First swim practice~~~~~
Now, I'm not super tall or short. I'm not fat or skinny. I'm average. Completely average. I'm 5'5"-5'6". Not totally sure. I'm pretty muscular but I don't try to define them. I just swim. Lane and I walk into the swim room.
My hair is in its everyday messy bun and I'm in my sweats and one of Lane's old sweatshirts. I follow him like a lost puppy to the coach.
Apparently his name is Wade and he's the co-ed coach. We only practice together due to a large school and a large pool. Meets are not together. Wade is not the only coach, there are three others. There's Shelby, Coach Britten, Wade, and Drew.
"Hattie right?" Coach wade waves his hand in front of me. I must have zoned out again.
"Yes! I'm sorry I zoned out for a second!" I pull a small laugh.
"Perfectly fine! Can you get changed and we will do warm ups and then I'd like to do a time trial with you?"
"Sure thing." I look at lane and he nods. I head off towards the girls locker room.
I walk in the locker room and hear girls laughing and talking. I just hope I can stay as invisible as I have been for the last year. The voices dwindle as I walk to a blue locker.
"Who is that?"
"Isn't that that one super smart girl?"
"The one Kaden has his eyes on?"
"What's she doing here?"
"I thought she didn't do anything other than read."
Those are only some of the things I heard. But the things they said didn't hurt, more surprised me. Kaden has his eyes on me?! Whhhaaattt??? I block out everyone as I take off my sweats and hoodie only to reveal my swimsuit underneath. I grabbed my cap and goggles and stuffed my clothes into my bag and walked out. I threw my bag on the benches and grabbed my water bottle and put my glasses away.
I go over to the pool and dip my cap in the water, put my goggles on and then place my cap over them, keeping my eyes down the whole time. When I look up, nearly everyone in the room is looking at me. My breath catches in my throat. Why is everyone looking at me? I just walk over to a lane that looks empty and put my bottle down there. I look for Lane and can't find him anywhere in the swim room.
"Okay everyone! I want a 600 swim and a 400 kick!" The coach screams over the swimmers. One after another, people get on the blocks and shoot off, beginning their sets. I get on the block, mentally count myself down and shoot off. By the time I hit the surface for air I'm neck and neck with most of the other swimmers. I swim down, do my turn and streamline off and by then I'm ahead. I go ahead and finish my 600 then I grab my board and do my 400. I can tell, this is going to be good. I take a break to breathe and take a drink and I look in my lane to see it full of both guys and girls. Coach comes over to my lane and motions me to our schools dive well. Sometimes I wish I was a diver, but then I remember I could need do that. All those people staring at me...
I get out of the pool and follow coach. I hop in the well and the water is smoldering compared to the regular pool.
"It's about ten yards across, do you think you could do five laps for a fifty?" I nod my head as I get on the practice block and he counts me down. I shoot off and reach the wall before I even take a stroke. I do my turn and decide I should probably do some stroke so I come up and stroke a few times in free and do my turn. I do this three more times. When I finish I look over at the coach and he is just smiling.
"Welcome to the team!"