For The Crowd

•twenty-seven

School on Monday was one of the longest days of my life I have ever experienced.

Lucas told the swim coach I was ready today to take my today and I couldn't stop freaking out over it.

When I got over to the pool Lucas was sitting there on the bleachers waiting for me to walk in. I walked over to him and I noticed that Josh wasn't here with him.

"Go change," Lucas shifted his head over to the locker room, "Then come out here and show her how good of a coach I really am."

"Okay," I said, pulling my hair into a pony tail.

I walked into the locker room and I put on my black swim suit. I gave myself a quick pep talk before I walked out to the pool. Lucas was standing their waiting for me to come out of the locker room.

"Just keep your face in the water and move your head to opposite sides when you need to breathe," Lucas said, walking me to the ladder.

I sat down and let my feet dangle in the water Lucas did the same thing.

"I'm still nervous."

"Okay Maya time to start. First thing, jump into the pool and show me freestyle," Coach said.

Lucas got up and whispered into my ear, "Don't be."

"Thanks," I said.

He leaned down a gave me a quick side hug.

"Good luck."

As Lucas made his way over to the bleachers I took my position on the block.

When Coach blew her whistle I jumped in and I swam as fast as I could. I made sure that I kept moving my head from side to side when I needed to breathe.
I finally touched the wall and swam back over to the deep end so I could tread water.

"Good job Maya just a couple more seconds," Coach said.

"Okay."

After what seemed like forever coach finally blew the whistle.

The next part was the floating.

I remembered what Lucas told me about thinking that you are as light as a feather. I kept repeating light as a feather in my head.

Finally Coach blew the final whistle and I climbed out of the pool.

Lucas ran over to me and my arms wrapped around his neck. He picked me up, not even minding that he was getting wet from my bathing suit.

He put me down I couldn't stop smiling. I finally passed the swimming test .

The one person who I would never ask for help from, helped me pass the test.

-

"So how does it feel to have finally passed the test?" Lucas asked.

"Good. I don't have to repeat freshman year now so everything is good," I replied.

"Yeah it's too bad you didn't take that test in middle school, because you could have joined the swim team," Lucas joked.

"Funny," I hit him playfully on the arm, "I don't think I will be stepping back into a pool for a while."

"Don't be too quick to judge," Lucas laughed.

Lucas stood up and went over to the diving board.

"I remember the first time that I ever jumped into the pool at our school."

"Awww look at Lucas getting all sappy."

"Shut up."

I felt like pushing him into the pool. He talked about liking the pool so much that I figured why not push him in.

Lucas didn't see me get up and come up behind him, until my shoe squeaked.

Lucas turned around, "Don't you dare."

"Too late," I said.

I pushed on his back causing him to him fall in, but he grabbed my hand at the last second.

We both fell right into the pool. When Lucas came up he flipped his hair out of his eyes and he made sure to get water into my face.

I laughed, "Someone just can't stay out of the water."

"Look who is talking," Lucas noted.

"Touché."

"Just you wait."

I rolled onto my back and Lucas disappeared under the water. He came back up out of the water and lifted me up.

We did this for a couple minutes and then we just took turns dunking each other under the water.

"I have never had this much fun swimming before," I laughed, trying to dunk Chase under the water.

"That's because I'm a fun guy," Lucas said, getting out from under my arm and throwing me towards the deep end of the pool.

-

There is probably a part two to this chapter.