Katlyn Duncan - Darkest Dawn

CHAPTER FOUR

Bri

“Come on ladies, hustle!” Coach Kendra called across the natatorium.

Bri pulled herself from the pool and onto the slick tile floor, unable to hide the grin on her face. She’d kicked Chloe’s butt in that last relay and both of them knew it. The obvious anger on Chloe’s face when she surfaced and saw Bri already halfway out of the pool was perfect. Bri wished she had a camera.

“Yay, Bri!” Max called from the top of the bleachers. She had books and notebooks spread across her lap. Max didn’t like being home in the afternoon. Her parents worked third shift at the hospital so she had to be silent while they slept.

“I didn’t realize hustle meant walking like frickin’ zombies!” Coach Kendra clapped her hand against the clipboard permanently attached to her other hand.

The twelve girls who made up the swim team picked up their pace until they huddled around Coach. Her beady brown eyes captured each of them in her gaze before she spoke. She looked the part of a female high school gym teacher with her too long and unflattering shorts and shirt big enough to swallow any sense of her figure. Even with her tough-as-nails exterior she was a great coach. They’d won most meets since she became coach at the beginning of the year after her parents had passed away, leaving their home to her.

Her eyes touched each of the girls as she spoke. “All of your times were below last season. You need to treat every single second you’re here as if you’re in a race. Do you understand me?”

“Yes, Coach,” the girls chorused.

“Now do it again. Group together and I want two hundred and four hundred yard freestyle relays.”

Chloe snorted and Coach narrowed her gaze. “Another two hundred for you.”

Chloe rolled her eyes. They’d had this battle before and Chloe never won.

Coach lifted her whistle to her lips and blew. The shrill sound echoed off the walls and the girls partnered off.

Bri nudged Gina, a mousy freshman. She had the best backstroke on the team. As captain, Bri had taken Gina under her wing. “I’ll go first,” Bri said, giving Gina a break after the last relay.

Gina heaved a sigh of relief into her towel.

Bri took her place at the block and dropped her hands down close to her feet. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, letting the air out slowly through her slick lips. She opened her eyes and focused on the water below. It rippled and moved over itself as if it were alive and waiting for her.

Coach blew the whistle and Bri dove into the water, her body slicing through it. She pumped her legs and arms until she resurfaced, her arms lifting over her head as she took in her first breath. Her eyes focused on the line painted at the bottom of the pool, ensuring she was right above it. Seconds before she hit the other side of the pool, she flipped her body around and pushed off the wall. She focused on the line and her breathing again, tunneling her vision in counting laps. She could hear the other swimmers but didn’t dare look to see how far away they were in relation her. Swimming was the only thing that cleared her mind. Nothing mattered when she was in the water.

On the way back from her first lap something caught her eye at the bottom of the pool. She lost her pace and her stroke slowed for a second as she squinted her eyes to get a better look. Something red ebbed and flowed at the bottom of the pool. A body shot past her and she snapped out of her trance. She clenched her jaw and picked up her pace, knowing she’d lost precious seconds by letting herself get distracted. She kicked her legs and moved her arms faster until she reached the side of the pool. She couldn’t help search for it on her final lap. As she sped down the lane whatever she’d seen was gone. She pushed on until she touched the side of the pool where Gina stood ready on the block. The girl dove into the water.

Chloe preened from the next lane, having finished her laps before Bri.

Bri jumped out of the pool. “Have fun on your next set.” She didn’t look back at Chloe, her mind still on what she might have seen.

Bri made her way to the bleachers and wrapped a towel around herself. Her heart still pounded hard in her chest as she thought about how she’d messed up. She watched Gina, mentally critiquing her form. Coach never moved from her spot yet Bri felt her stare. She was going to hear about her screw-up soon enough.

Gina was the first to finish in her group, even though Bri had slowed them down. She smiled at choosing the girl. Coach might not be as hard on her since they’d won. Bri headed to the side of the pool to join her team. The girls huddled together, cheering for Chloe. Even though Chloe had earned those extra laps with her mouth, they still were a team. Since they were always in competition, Bri was rarely able to watch Chloe. Chloe’s form was very good, even though Bri hated to admit it. One thing she loved about the sport was that most of the time it was individual. A place where Bri shined.

Chloe lifted herself from the pool and made her way over to the group. Her chest heaved as she caught her breath. They all turned to Coach for their next instruction.

“That was pitiful. Same time Monday.” Coach unnecessarily blared her whistle in their faces and headed toward the locker room. “Shower up.”

Just as Bri heaved a relieved breath, Coach’s voice bounced off the high ceilings. “Brianna, in my office.”

Chloe snorted on her way past Bri.

Bri clenched her jaw.

In instances where Chloe annoyed the crap out of her, she tried to remember the days when they weren’t at odds. They had been friends up until their freshman year when they both got onto the swim team. Chloe’s overly competitive nature had split them up and Chloe had veered off, making her own set of friends who were higher in ranks than Bri and Max.

Max bounded down from the bleachers. “What happened out there? I saw you slow down. You okay?”

Bri nodded and pulled her hair free from the cap. She twisted her fingers around the strap of her goggles. “I thought I saw something.” She shook her head.

“Well you definitely gave Chloe more fuel.”

I shrugged. “There’s always Monday.”

They entered the locker room.

“I’ll wait for you by the lockers, okay?” Max headed down the narrow hall.

Max knew the locker room always freaked Bri out. For some reason Bri was reminded of horror movies when she went in there alone. The tall ceilings and dim lighting threw shadows in every corner. To the right were the showers. A dozen stalls, capable of hiding anyone from wandering eyes. The perfect spot for a serial killer. Up ahead were rows of lockers and benches. She didn’t expect Max to wait outside of the shower cubby—she wasn’t five.

To the left were two storage closets and Coach’s office. She knew Coach stayed late and was thankful for small favors on those occasions when Max had other club commitments.

Bri opened the door to the office.

Coach was at her desk. Her hands were on her lap. “What happened just now?”

Bri bit her lip, unable to come up with any excuse other than the truth. “I thought—”

Coach cut her off. “I know you girls are distracted. Boys. Dances. College. And whatever else.” She leaned back in her chair, locking her eyes with Bri’s. “Boys will always be around. School dances will be forgotten. College is important, though. And I understand you have a single mother who’ll probably help with your college fees. But you’re good enough to get a full ride to any reputable college with a swim program. You’ll just have to work harder.”

Bri tightened the towel over her chest.

Coach pointed at the wall. “You have to be a leader for these girls and I think you are doing a good job, but there’s more potential in you. And if you are willing, I’d like to offer you some extra time to get you there.”