Head Above Water

3. The Meeting

I can’t do this. Yes you can, it won’t be that bad. No way can I do this for a whole year. It’s only for nine months during school, not the whole year. You can survive nine months. Why did I ever agree to be on the school team? Because your coach said the extra training would be good and because you don’t want to have to take regular PE with Mrs. Beefy, that awful gym teacher. 

My mind fought a hopeless battle with itself as I struggled to wake up at 4am. That last thought had given me the final push I needed and I forced my eyes open. Outside it was still pitch dark and in my room the only illumination came from my pet salamander, Sal’s habitat. Original name, I know, but I was in 3rd grade when I got him. He was a Fire-Bellied Newt and had been the class pet. I don’t remember why my teacher offered him to me at the end of the year, but I had begged my mom and she actually agreed.

The automatic timer on Sal’s light had just switched on and I had the thought that he and I would be waking up at the same time. I snorted as I realized I was waking up to go to swim practice. Maybe I should tell Jilly to start calling me newt instead of mermaid. Then I’d be like the girl in Aliens though and that didn’t end so well, so maybe not.

I pulled on my swimsuit and threw a warm-up suit over that, then shuffled into a pair of flip-flops. In my groggy state and because of the lack of light, I smacked my shoulder against the doorframe on the way out of my room. “Fricking A!” I cried out as quietly as I could so I wouldn’t wake my mom. That would probably hurt more when I actually woke up.

After swiping my swim bag and backpack from the living room, I grabbed my lunch bag from the fridge and headed out of the house. It was super cold outside, even though the summer was barely over. I hate dawn. It’s dark, cold and creepy. No normal human being should be awake at this hour.

I ate a banana and granola bar as I walked the short mile to school. By the time I finished I was fully awake and began to actually enjoy how quiet everything was this early. It made me feel like I was the only person awake right now and the world belonged to only me for this short time. A slight mist hung in the air diffusing the yellow light from the street lamps.

When I reached the school there was a barely-there glow beginning to light the sky. It was still dark, but instead of being pitch black, the sky near the horizon was a deep navy blue. I headed through the school’s front gates, traversed the quad and circled round to the pool behind the gymnasium. A dozen or so students were there huddled together, looking like the last thing they ever wanted to do was to jump in that pool. I didn’t blame them. Even a heated pool was still way colder than body temperature. 

I set my bags down on the metal benches by the perimeter fence and pulled on my swim cap and goggles. After kicking off my flip-flops, I walked over to join the group and the coach began roll call. When I answered after my name was called, the coach assessed me for a moment before continuing. What was that look about?

“Alright, I’m Coach Hawthorn. Welcome to the swim team, yada yada yada, get in the pool.” He barked.

I snorted quietly at the coach’s no-nonsense attitude, thinking he fit the stereotypical athletic coach personality to a tee. As I started to pull off my warm-up suit, Coach Hawthorn called me over, “Stewart!”

“Yeah?” I asked, jogging over to him.

“You’ll be doing 50 meters more than the others on each set,” he informed me.

“Excuse me?” I stuttered.

“If I have everyone else do a hundred, you do 150. If they’re doing four 50s, you do five. Got it?”

“Why?” I whined.

“Because I’ve talked to your coach, and I’ve seen your times. You’re gonna be the best swimmer on this team, and that means you’re gonna work even harder than everyone else.”