Blur The Lines

16. ashton

"Your probably all wondering why I've called this emergency meeting" Coach Higgins calls from his spot below the rows of seats we're all scattered across. He's wearing his usual grey zip up tracksuit that he practically lives in and his clipboard is tucked under his left arm tightly, a trick I've noticed he does so he can still agressively talk with his hands.

Of course I'm fucking not, although I make sure to copy the looks of confusion that my other teammates possess. I haven't seen nor spoken to Carson since Micah told us what happened, although his ex revealed to us that she's already seen him so he should be home within the next day or so. Kingsley reached out to Georgia Sherwood this morning to ask if she'd seen Carson. Georgia and Grey dated for around a year, on and off, before eventually splitting up due to distance since the college Georgia decided to go to was a good three hours out of Hillside. They split on good terms though and have been friends ever since, although every time something happens Grey will always pay her a visit, which I will never understand coz he don't even wanna get back with the girl.

"I regret to inform you all that Carson Grey will no longer be joining us for the swim meet against Hartfield University next week" Coach starts, although he doesn't sound the slightest bit regretful.

I clench my jaw and look around at my teammates reactions, some look surprised whilst other's just look confused. Zachary Remington, a junior who joined the swim team around the same time as me, cautiously raised a hand, a heavy frown settled on his features.

"Yes, Remington?" Coach sighs.

"I was just wondering, since Grey's out, who's gonna swim the 200?"

Carson's speciality is the 200 freestyle, he has an incredible time of one minute and thirty seven seconds. He's like a machine in the water, sometimes I genuinely think that kid is part fucking fish or something because he moves so incredibly fast and you would never expect it. When the guys from the other colleges see him head for one of the middle lanes, they're always surprised and looking round at their coaches in confusion. Always makes it that little bit sweeter when Grey fucking rocks their shit.

I stick to the 100 freestyle and the 400 freestyle relay at the end, those are my two events during the meets and it's been that way since I began competitive swimming. I know coach isn't gonna ask me to step in for Carson but I am genuinely curious on who he's gonna choose because they have to be good, Hartfield University are training their best swimmers to take on Grey so if someone who's not on the same level as him takes his place, it's gonna be a walk in the fucking park for Hartfield.

"Good question" Coach replys, I can detect a slight edge to his words and I come to realise it's probably because he knows he's fucked it for not letting Carson swim. "Williams, you will take Grey's place. I need you to stay after today's practice and come back every morning this week at five sharp for two hours to get you ready"

Louis Williams nods in understanding, it's not much of a surprise that coach has asked Louis to take Carson's place since their technique is pretty similiar. Louis transferred from Columbia University half way through his freshman year, and to no surprise he was already on Columbia's divison one swim team, so he simply joined our one the minute he stepped foot into California. As soon as I watched him in the water, I could tell he was going to be a great addition to our team. Even though I'm only a freshman and have been swimming with these guys for around six months, I've been competitive swimming for a much longer time so I know a good dynamic between a team when I see one.