Bancroft High School boasts of an Olympic sized pool located on the first floor and west side of the building. The pool deck consists of white concrete with thick navy blue stripes painted along the front, and both edges of the pool, indicating depth and where you're not allowed to dive. Since Bancroft High's mascot is a Kraken, the motif done up in gold and navy blue, the backstroke flags suspended over both sides of the pool each boast of an alternating pattern of navy blue and gold, and the diving blocks on the far side of the pool are of a simple navy blue and white design. With nondescript light grey walls and the entire left side of the pool room dominated by windows that allow sunlight to pour in on the off chance that it isn't the typical overcast day in the Pacific Northwest, the biggest attraction in the room probably has to be the giant Kraken mural painted behind the diving blocks with a close second being all the school records and championship flags dominating the entire right wall.
It's currently 3:00pm and Bancroft High's entire swim team is spread out on the pool deck waiting for Coach Martin to tell us our warmup and give us the okay to get in.
"Do you think he's ever had a zit?"
"God, I hope so. Just looking at him is really starting to bring my ego down."
At the moment, Coach Martin is standing next to the locker room entrance which is located near the left front of the room speaking with Aristotle. The Vidal sibling about to try out for the team who is currently and possibly unknowingly killing the confidence of every single swimmer on Bancroft High's swim team, all suited up in his black speedo with a pair of mirrored goggles tucked into the side and dangling from his right hip.
Just as I'm wondering if Aristotle's siblings are going to show up to watch him tryout, I spot them seated on the long set of bleachers located in front of the left wall. They aren't super far away, but they also aren't exactly close to where I'm standing—at least not close enough that I can lose myself in Delia's hypnotizing eye color, the eye color that she shares with both of her brothers. The rest of the random group of siblings and parents of swimmers are seated much closer, allowing Delia and Cas their own private bubble of space.
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Battle Over Liberty
AdventureBasil St. James is a junior in high school when the Statue of Liberty mysteriously disappears one fateful September night. All he knows is school, swimming, and trying to figure out what college he wants to go to. So of course, he doesn't really dwe...
