My Missing Tune

Part 1

Morgan:

One, two, three, four, five, breath. Repeat. Steady. Breathe. One, two, three, wall. I breach the surface and breathe in until my heart stops beating so fast. My apple watch says that the 100 breast I just finished had in fact gained ten seconds more than at the beginning of my practice.

Great. Just dandy.

I rest my elbows on the muddy grass edge of the lake. I pull my goggles over my cap, then lean my head on my arms, catching my breath.

I have probably been swimming for an hour-ish but I am already tired. I should go for at least another half hour minimum ...Oh who am I kidding, the semester just started, I don't need to go into full beast mode until at least a couple of weeks later.

I push up with my arms to get myself out of the water. It was nice out today, probably around the high sixties. I would swim here in any weather, but if I see snow, that's a different story.

I shake the water off my body before walking through the muddy path to my towel. As I dry myself off, I glance around at the trees, realizing I had never noticed how full they looked.

It's April so I guess it's only going to get greener around here. Here, being twenty minutes off of the campus grounds of Eurydice University.

I just started my junior year on a full-ride swim scholarship. I couldn't live without constantly being in the water, but sometimes practicing day and night is absolute hell, so when my friends and I went on a two-day hike from campus out into the patched woods, we came across this little hidden gem.

And I have personally named it...you know I actually haven't given a name to this place yet. All I know is that it is mine.

Mars:

I need a freaking break.

I have been trying to decide what little final touch I need to add to my painting, but nothing is coming to me. I mean I added all the little highlights on the trees, but the canvas looks too...too green. I don't know.

I dip my paintbrush into the dirty blue colored water cup, but instead of doing a little swirl, I just leave it in the water and stand up.

I walk in front of the open window, breathing in the floral smell of spring. Maybe I just need some air.

The lake. Great idea.

I shut the window, and the the room instantly feels more sticky. Yup, the lake it is.

I seal the paints I was using and toss them into a tote. I add my water bottle, current read, and a granola bar because you can never be too hungry. Then I grab the painting itself and shut my apartment door on the way out.

The bike ride takes longer than usual, but it is my fault for stopping and taking close-up shots of every little blimp of color I saw on the path.

The lake comes into view and it looks so still and clear today that I am sort of tempted to curl up into a ball and jump right into it. But I find a dry patch of grass and throw my tote on the ground, and sit down cross-legged. I set my painting down and carefully sort my paints in rainbow order on the ground.

I walk over to the water and dip my cup into it—"What are you doing?"

A stern voice breaks through the rustle of the leaves, startling me.

I drop my cup into the water and whip my head around.

It's a girl.

She has long, dark brown hair that's curling at the edges, clearly wet. She's wearing a cool-toned speedo swimsuit, and goggles hang around her neck. She definitely was not just walking through the woods. She must have been doing laps.

Her nervous laugh follows the words, "Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." I stand up, glancing back at the now sunken mason jar. I can hear her getting closer.

"It's okay, I just didn't think anyone was here."

"No, no, I get it. I thought the same thing." Her eyes are sort of grayish up close, and freckles line her cheeks. She sort of reminds me of a toffee and sea salt dark chocolate bar. 

"Thanks? I have never been compared to a dessert before, but that one sounds intriguing."

What? I didn't say that out loud right?

"Yes, you did..."

My hand flies up to my mouth, and I mumble through it "Sorry. Sometimes my mouth just wanders along with my mind." She smiles softly, "It's all good. I mean everyone does that sometimes I guess."

She extends her hand, "My name's Morgan."

I take her hand and shake it lightly, "Mars." She nods her head, "Cool name. Is it short for anything?"

"Yeah, Margaux, but not only did my dad want my name to be spelled differently, but he also wanted me to have a unique nickname. It's cheesy right?"

She shakes her head, "My friends call me Mor, so I guess it goes the same way." She looks behind me, to where my cup is most likely lost.

"Did you dr... were you doing something in the water before I scared you?"

"No! Well, I was filling up my cup with water to paint, but I think I dropped it into the lake."

She rushes over to the lake and looks into the blue, "Oh sorry, what did it look like?" But I shake my hands off, "It's okay, I have more at my apartment!"

Then there's a splash and she is under the water. "Okay, there she goes" I mumble to myself.

It only takes two minutes until she pops up out of the water with my jar, now overflowing with water. And she's smiling as she pushes her goggles up over her head.

I reach out to help her out of the water, taking her hand for the second time in ten minutes.

My face is beaming, as she pushes her small strands of hair behind her ear and hands me the cup back. I don't want to stop staring at her.

"Thank you."

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Okay, I can tell now that I am going to be obsessing over these two for a while. :) There are going to be so cute and in my mind relatable.