Bigger Boys & Stolen Sweethearts - Alex Turner

18. Golden Trunks

  For someone who has never lived around a considerably large or natural body of water I will self proclaim that I am a fairly good swimmer. I'm not one of those fellas that turn into fish and swim like lightning but I'm good enough that when the swimming gala comes around every year I get signed up for a good amount of events.

  The school would load us all into buses and and drive us to a nearby pool where all the houses would compete for house champion and all. Basic school sporting shite. Probably the only time I willingly involved myself in a school event, or even school in general. I participated in a bit of basketball in the summer but only really cause it gave me summat to do and I weren't that bad at it. Okay honestly I'm pretty fucking good at basketball I just like to be humble.

  I didn't think Arabella would show up the day of the swimming gala so I was surprised to see her rock up smoothly on her motorbike like every other day. I strolled up to her, swimming trunks under me sports uniform and my bag over my shoulder, packed and ready to head off.

  "You swimming today?" she asked me as I approached her throne.

  I nodded, "believe it or not."

  "See there's no reason that'll stop you from gelling your hair," she teased, cocking an eyebrow at me.

  I let out a chuckle and scratched the back of my neck. "What about you? You swimming?" I asked, looking her up and down. It was the first time I'd seen her dressed in the school's sports attire - it was green centred much like the formal uniform. She had a grey hooded sweatshirt over the top of it. I hid a smile to myself when I realised it was mine.

  Arabella rolled her eyes, "I wouldn't be caught dead," she said. This was also one of the only occasions where she wasn't wearing her motorcycle boots.

  "See you're a little thief as well," I smirked. She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "Hoodie looks good on ya."

  Arabella broke half a smile and rolled her eyes and began walking off as everyone in the parking lot was called to the buses.

  I hadn't had my mind off what Arabella had said at the reservoir since she said it. I knew she didn't want me to look at her different but it was so hard not to. I constantly wanted to ask her how things were, if there was anything I could do to help. I just wanted to comfort her but she made it seem as though it wasn't what she wanted. I couldn't help but pick up on every moment when she would look sad or lost in thought and wanted nothing more than to know what she was thinking. Every moment she fell silent, every moment that sexy confidence would falter.

  She was smoking in batches. Sometimes she didn't want any at all like the idea sickened her. Others she would smoke maybe two in a row like it was helping her de-stress.

  She let me sit beside her on the bus ride, we shared headphones. She listened to her music at the third to loudest setting.

  Her finger poked into my left knee, "your legs are white as fuck," she said.

  I chuckled, "Aight no need to bully me. There's not much sun 'ere."

  She compared our leg colours and arched an eyebrow, "ghost," she smirked at me.

  "Oi lovebirds," Matt said, his head popping his head up from behind our seats. Arabella and I looked over our shoulders at him, both collectively raising our eyebrows. "Either of you want a gobstopper?"

  "Yes please," Arabella smiled and held out her hand. She placed it in her mouth and held it in her cheek, looking like a hamster hiding a wad of food.

  "What about you?" Matt asked me.

  "Yeah mate I'll have one," I nodded and took one of the small balls as he handed it to me. It was tradition for everyone to bring assortments of sweets and crisps to swimming galas. That's what made it so good. And we weren't told off for being on our phones.