Something Just Like This || [ON HOLD]

5 April 2017 | 👙

THE BLEACHERS ARE unusually empty Wednesday morning, the only sounds filling the swimming centre the splashes coming from early morning swimmers trying to get in a workout before their day starts. The familiar sounds of arms slapping against the water and lifeguards pitter pattering along the tiled pool deck blend into background noise, and I'm so focused on dissecting the complicated proof in front of me that I snap my head up when the sound of a loud bang echoes throughout the swimming centre.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

I recognize the golden-haired boy standing just rows in front of me immediately, his iconic blue zip-up confirming his identity.

"It's okay," I say as he continues his climb upward, boots hitting the metal steps more gently now.

Realizing I've been staring at his face, studying his sculpted cheekbones and the shade of his brown eyes, I offer a quick smile before tearing my gaze away from the friendly smile grazing his own face. God, his smile makes it feel like we're old friends who go way back, like there's some sort of secret between us. That's how genuine it comes across. So different than my own. The girl whose favourite accessory is her resting bitch face. At least, that's how it comes across according to my friends.

Which is why I'm surprised when a shadow is cast over my notes, and I look up to find A standing next to me. "I've seen you here three days in a row now," he says, smiling again so that I can see his white teeth.

"Yeah," I agree, laying my pencil flat across the page in front of me. "I feel most people who come here everyday come here to swim," I add, basking in the strangeness of our situation.

"I'd love to be in the water right now," A tells me, "but I can't until the doctor takes this silly thing off."

My eyes drift to the cast on his arm, patterned by notes and signatures of all colours, though predominantly black. "That's a good idea," I agree. Then, not wanting to sound uninterested, I ask, "Are you on the swim team?"

Blondie shakes his head. "No. But I have my lifeguard certification, so you could say I sort of like the sport."

"Yeah, really," I agree, laughing quietly. "As soon as I could swim without a floatie, I had my dad pull me out of lessons."

"Yeah?" A asks, cocking an eyebrow.

I nod. "Not because I didn't like swimming or anything. I just didn't enjoy the lessons as much as goofing off with my friends and pretending to be water Pokémon." I feel my cheeks heat up after realizing what I just said.

But my recollection of my youth makes A laugh. "How can lifeguarding beat that?"

"Good question. I'd much rather be a staryu."

"I'd choose gyarados," A says, his beautiful smile returning.

I smile, picturing a large snake-like thing that lives in the water with a cheesy grin across its face.

"Anyways," A says, bringing me back to reality, "I didn't mean to interrupt your studying." Adjusting the strap on his cross-body bag, he takes another step up the bleachers. "I'll see you around."

"Bye," I say, offering the friendly stranger one last smile.

As I turn back to my work, I can't help but wonder if we will see each other again.