Dream, Dive, Daley?

Chapter 6(b)

‘What the heck are you doing here, Eric?’ I was furious with my brother and pushed him backwards. He didn't fall, but casually sat down on the cold, wet floor instead. Then I snatched my sunglasses out of his hands and put them on in one movement.

‘What? Didn’t you came just to support me?’ He said sarcastically with a gigantic grin on his face. Both he and I knew that we were going to dive today.

‘Really? Because I thought you were here to support me, dearest brother’ I scowled at him and threw my phone back into my bag.

‘Haha, very funny, Sutton’ He lied down on the floor, supporting his weight on his elbows and crossed his ankles.

‘How can you be so calm? You’re on in an hour or so’ I was curious because Eric and I have always been the two most pumped up contestants at every event. And now, we’re both just chilling here in the corner.

‘Nah.. I don’t worry too much. Not even about your new boyfriend. What’s his name? John? Ron?’

‘Tom’ I corrected. ‘His name is Tom and he's certainly not my 'new' BF’ I spoke quickly, raised my voice and got a little bit defensive at the same time.

‘Chill! I assumed he was since you two have been in the media a lot lately’ I narrowed my eyebrows confused. ‘You know he’s father is dying right?’ You said what?! Rob is what now?! ‘I feel sorry for the guy’ I felt my eyes tear up a little bit. How come I’ve never notice? He seemed so happy every time I saw him. His family acted so normal all the time. ‘Man he’s going through a lot. Lost the world champion title and now his father has a form for brain cancer’ He shook his head in pity.

The crowd started slowly to build up. There were people from Germany, Italy, Mexico and China, but mostly British people. Both Eric and I had changed and we were standing by the food stand. Eric picked up a green apple and started to chew loudly with his mouth open.

‘Do you mind?’ I picked up a bottle of a blue energy drink, staring at him through my Ray Bans totally disgusted by his behavior. He shrugged and turned away to observe this year’s competition, or was he staring at the female contestants? I couldn’t tell. I scanned the entire crowd looking for a familiar face, or torso, whichever I laid my eyes on first. Too tan, too short, too hairy, not muscular enough… Not him, nor him, or him and certainly not him. It seemed like Tom were nowhere to be seen.

‘Who are you looking for?’ Eric said between bites of apples.

‘Is it really this obvious?’ I was still looking for him, refusing to give up. Even though it wasn’t that many people, I could still not spot him. Tom, Tom, Tom, Tom.

‘Don’t bother to even look for him’ I looked up at my brother. He was nearly two years older than me and just as childish. ‘Guys just don’t like to talk about their problems. We don't people to feel sorry for us’ I ignored him. Shut up, Eric and help me find Tom. ’Sutton, do you remember how I was when Mom passed away?’ He tossed the apple carcass in the bin and turned to me. 

‘Of course I remember.’

Our mother died in a car accident just about a year before the Beijing Olympics in 2008. Mom was driving on the highway one night. Eric sat in the passenger seat, and I sat in the back. They were yelling and arguing about something I really didn’t care for. Then all of a sudden, the car went off the road and off our local bridge. I don’t remember anything more than that, but Eric was devastated. He didn’t talk to anybody. All he did was to practice and train. On a daily basis, he would sleep for eight hours, eat and workout the other hours for the Beijing Olympics and World Cup. He practically shut himself down. In 2008 he came home with a silver medal in the individual 5 meters.

‘Yeah, so maybe this is good for him’

‘Fine then’ I gave up. Eric grabbed me in a comforting bear hug and whispered in my ear;

‘Good girl. Now do your best out there, okay?’

‘You too, brother’ I squeezed him before we let go and shook each other hands. Maybe he’s right this time. Well, just maybe…