Taylor's Diary

2. Him

The swimming pool complex was still the same. The waters in the 25X10 meters swimming pool sparkled in the evening sun. A smile broke on my face as I walked along the side of the pool towards our warm up floor. Pearl was already chatting with Aaron, one of our team mates. The way they both talked, with colour climbing both their cheeks, I was sure they were crushing on each other!

Pearl Dianne Jamieson was the centre of attraction of our swim team. Not only was she powerful in the water, she was also a treat to the eyes. All of 14, she stood tall at 5'9". Her shoulder length straight brunette hair, which she loved to let loosely fall, complemented her perfectly lean figure. A swimmer's tan now covered her once pale skin. And man, did she know how to flaunt it! She always wore shorts just touching her mid thighs, exposing her long, perfectly shaped pins. The sports tanks she loved wearing highlighted her thin and broad shoulders. Also, being on the school sports team as well as the science secretary put the cherry on her delicious cake!

I, on the other hand, was this curly brunette. My hair was styled in a bob. Although I was a nerd in school, I was a freak when it came to our sports club! I stood tall too. But at 5'7", I was a bit shorter than most of my team mates. I didn't bother with my clothes that much, and wore what came in handy in my wardrobe. That mostly was shorts or yoga pants, with sports tanks. I didn't have Pearl's broad shoulders. But I surely had a leaner or rather, skinnier figure than my sister. I hardly had any muscle over my bones!

But that was two years ago..

Now I looked a lot more healthier. My bones had got not only muscle, but also a  lot of fat on them! So yeah, right now, I could surely call myself the ugly little duckling!

As I entered the warm up floor, I smugly cleared my throat. Everyone stopped whatever they were doing and looked up to me. Smiles lit up to everyone's faces instantly, except one.

"Hey Aaron!" I hugged my sister's crush as I greeted him.

"Long time!"

"Yeah, Tay! So you finally back, man!"

I nodded and gave him a wide grin before glancing at my sister. I liked the daggers she was sending me with her eyes..!!

I then went and hugged every one from our team.

We were the closest bunch of friends. We had practically grown up together. There was Valerie, Stella, Samantha, Susan and Pamela among the girls. Valerie was a year younger than Pearl. She was one sweet bunch!

Stella was again a year younger to Pearl, but unlike Val, as we called Valerie, she studied in our school and was a complete bitch. Yeah! We hated her! I guess everyone hated her! She was one good for nothing drama queen! She was labelled as the wanna be of our team. She was 13, but had thrown herself at every guy in our swim team! I don't know what had made her that desperate!

Samantha was as old as Pearl, and was Stella's self proclaimed best friend. We did pity the poor soul!

Susan was our coach Sean's daughter. She was two years my senior. She would be graduating from our school this year. She had applied for fine arts at our local university and would be pursuing painting as her career. She was a sweetheart, and the closest friend I had here.

"Suzy!" I bear hugged her when I saw her.

"Hey there, long legs! Looks like someone's back!", she said , as she hugged me even tighter , if that was possible.

She was the shortest one among us! She was in a road accident when she was 12, which left her legs with stunted growth. That did not, by any means, deter her optimistic nature, though. She radiated happiness at every inch of her being!

"Yeah! " I just breathed and I broke the hug before I could get breathless. She gave me the widest grin, flashing her deep dimples on both sides. She was one pretty lass!

Pamela, or Pam, as we called her, had quit swimming last month. She was my classmate. She had told me then, that she was no more interested in sports, and would be shifting to Carolina to compete her high school, for reasons best known to her. I missed her at the club today.

Among the boys, we had Ross, a chubby 7 year old who had just joined in when I had gone on my break two years ago. He was now leaner, at 9 years old. He was our teddy bear!

Tanner, or Tan, as he was called, was another 12 year old and was a great friend of Pearl.

Justin James, was the fastest 13 year old our club had, and Stella's current crush. I think even he was crushing on her.

Lord! Our team was turning into a  mush factory!

Then there was Aaron - my sister's crush! He was all of 15, and a hunk! He already had a national record to his credit. No one could swim fly faster than him. He stood tall at 6 feet. The perfect set of abs he flaunted could make any girl swoon over him! No wonder Pearl was drooling over him! They made a great pair! So by those means, he was off limits for me. I anyways, didn't have a thing for guys younger than me.

Ashton - Ash was another heartthrob our club had! He greeted me with a sad smile today, though. I knew Pam was the reason. They had been dating since they hit puberty! I really don't know what went wrong. I could find out later. Ash, too had a national record for backstroke to his name. Although he was notorious in our school for being a player, he had never been one to me.

And finally,

"Hello Taylor Margaret Jamieson"

I turned to recognise the source of the ice cold voice I'd just heard. As if on cue, the chirpy atmosphere that what once here a moment ago, turned cold. Everyone went silent as Samuel Stephan Martin entered.

It was Him.

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