This is the 4th full chapter in the story. Hopefully you have read the first few chapters and the prolog.
Chapter Four - Swim Season Gets Underway
In wake of my victory at homecoming, my presence around school shifted from near obscurity to the limelight over night. I still felt like the same old me, but I certainly was not as much of a loner as I had been in previous years. I was getting invited out to all kinds of events. Girls were giving me their numbers and guys that would never have given me the time of day before were trying to be chummy with me.
About a month after homecoming, the swim season started. Although I had been swimming on my own three times a week to stay in shape, the transition to daily practices after school really kicked my ass.
The rumors at the start of school that Summer clued me in on proved accurate; she and I were elected by the team to be the captains. Coach threw his support behind us, and we were amped up and ready for an amazing year. All this didn't make me any less exhausted in the early practice sessions.
When our first meet rolled around I was super psyched. By tradition, the swim team always wore our deck suits around school the day of our meet. The suits were our equivalent of a team jersey since we couldn't exactly spend the day walking around school in speedos. Although I am sure the guys in school wouldn't mind seeing the girls in their skintight racing suits all day.
When the last bell rang at three o'clock, I made my way to the looker room and got changed into my racing suit. Coach had me gather up the rest of the guys, and we handed out the event list and the relay team assignments.
"Gentlemen. This sport isn't about wearing pads and banging into each other like neanderthals. This sport isn't about rolling around on a sweaty mat with another dude. This sport is about one thing and one thing only. Speed." The guys gave a triumphant 'ho-rah.' "We are the faster team today. We are the stronger team today. We are the better team today." I paused. "They just don't know it yet." The guys gave another 'ho-rah.' "Let's go out there and prove we have what it takes to win the championship this year. I know we can do it," I said as I looked at each of their faces. "I have faith in us as a team and in each of you as individuals to give your very best. Can I get a 'ho-rah'?"
"HO-RAH!" The guys chanted.
"Give me a ho-rah!" I called back.
"HO-RAH!" The guys chanted back louder.
"Let's go show 'em what we're made of," I finished.
We didn't just win the meet that day. We destroyed them. Three school records fell on the men's side and two more on the women's side. Every person on the team set a personal best in each of their events including myself. I managed two individual first places and two more first places for the relay teams I was on.
After the meet the whole team gathered on the deck in celebration.
"I told the guys team this before the meet," I said to the whole team. "I told them that we had what it takes to win the championship this year. I said we were better, stronger, and faster than they were. I told them we just had to prove it." I paused looking around at my teammates. "We proved it." The team cheered. "Ladies, you proved it too. You proved you are better, stronger, and faster than their other team too." Everyone cheered again. I then put my hand out to the middle of the group and spoke quietly so only the team could hear. "I am proud to be called your captain this year, and I am more proud to be called your teammate." I paused. "But neither of those feelings compare to the pride that I feel to be called your friend." I paused while I surveyed the faces of my teammates. "This season is ours. Can I get a 'ho-rah'?" The team gave a boisterous cheer, and we broke and everyone headed for the locker room.
"Great speech," I heard a familiar voice quietly say from behind me.
"Ashley?" I said in disbelief as I turned around. "What are you doing here?"
"First meet of the season for your senior year," she said bluntly. "I wouldn't have missed it for anything, plus I had some company for the trip."
"Smith!" I heard my coach call my name out. "There is someone I would like you to meet." Ashley smiled as she took a step to the side. My high school coach was standing next to the head coach of State's college swim team.
"Coach McGuinness," I said extending my hand. "You are a man that needs no introduction."
"Son," he said in that grandfatherly tone only an old man with grey hair can pull off. "I don't usually do this, but since I like what I see I want to get my claws on you before someone else does." I held my breath unsure of what he was going to say. "I've had my eye on you, and I want you on my team. So, I am going to offer you a conditional scholarship to State if you want it."
"I don't know what to say," I said in disbelief.
"The conditions are, first, that you make districts in February." That shouldn't be hard I thought, since I had already made the district qualifying time with my race today and had gone to districts the past two years. "Second, you need to get into the school on academics. This ain't football son, so no free-rides for jocks on my team." I nodded. "Coach here says that shouldn't be a problem and that you're a pretty bright kid." I nodded again. So far I was holding a solid 3.6 according to my midterm grade reports. "Lastly, you don't do anything to disappoint me."
"I didn't think I had the times to qualify for the State team," I said sheepishly. Which was true. I was good, but we were also in a small district, and my competition wasn't that great. I hadn't made the state meet, and I doubted I would this season.
"It's not just about speed, kid," Coach McGuinness said. "It's about heart too. That little speech of yours at the end of the meet, and the amount of energy and enthusiasm you showed for your team on the deck during the race shows real heart." He paused. "That is something you can't teach. You can't train someone to have a heart. I can train you to be faster. I can teach you a better stroke. I can whip your ass into the best shape it's ever been in." His words carried the weight of wisdom someone only gets with age. "But I can't give you heart." For emphasis he pushed his finger into my chest. "This is what makes you special kid."
I stood on the deck in disbelief. Coach McGuinness laughed, as he and my coach walked away.
"Congrats, kiddo," Ashley said as she wrapped her arms around me. It still hadn't sunk in yet, so I stood still in disbelief.
"Is that who I think it is?" Summer asked walking up to us. I just nodded.
"What was all that about?" Jenn asked, coming down from the bleachers with Sarah.
"Coach McGuinness from State just offered Steve a full-ride scholarship," Ashley explained.
"Holy shit!" Summer exclaimed.
Sarah and Jenn jumped with glee and gave me a hug, and then each kissed me on the cheek obviously more excited over the news than I was, since my brain hadn't had a chance to catch up to all that State's coach had said.
"Oh my God, I am so sorry," I said snapping out of my daze. "Ashley, this is Jenn and Sarah, two friends of mine." I then turned to Summer. "And this is Summer, the girls' team captain." I paused as each girl smiled. "This is Ashley my cousin, well, not really a cousin by blood. Her uncle is my stepdad," I explained.
"Oh, you're the cousin he worked with over the summer," Jenn said as the light when off in her head.
"The one and only," Ashley said with a smile.
As we all made small talk Coach McGuinness came over to say good buy to Ashley and me.
"I will see you first thing Monday morning coach," Ashley said as the old man walked away. He simple waved his hand in the air without turning around and continued on his way.
"So now what?" I asked.
"I was going to ask you that question," Ashley said. "I am free all weekend and figured I would stick around and hang out with you," she paused, "if you don't mind."
"Not at all," Sarah said before I could say anything.
"We'd love the company," Jenn said.
"Well, right now I need a shower," I stated. "I need to get in there before the janitor locks me out, or worse, locks me in."
I made a mad dash into the locker room, took a quick shower and made sure to get as much of the pool smell off me as I could, and threw on the clothes I had packed. I had a pair of faded jeans, a button down shirt, and a black peacoat. was All the items were Ashley's picks for an outfit that was comfortable, casual, and classy. I had already planned on a dinner date with Jenn and Sarah, so having Ashley along would only add to the pleasant evening.
"Alright ladies," I said as I exited into the hallway. "Let's eat. I'm starving."
The one downside to my Jeep was that it was only a two seater. This meant that on a group outing such as this I rarely did any driving. It also made group dates nearly impossible.
"I am going to ride with Ashley," Jenn said. "It appears we have lots to talk about." She had that mischievous twinkle in her eye that meant she was up to no good.
"You didn't tell us that you learned all your sexual tricks and that your summer makeover was from you cousin," Sarah said rather bluntly. I instinctively swallowed as if I was in trouble. "And, you also didn't tell us she was so hot," she continued with a twinkle in her eye too. I chuckled. Ashley looked curious.
I told Ashley to follow me to Jenn's house. Once there, I dropped my bag off inside and gave the girls a moment to freshen up. Ashley already knew about my exploits with Sarah and Jenn. Each week, we would get together either in pairs or as a threesome. We also had built quite a collection of naughty videos and pictures on Jenn's computer. Some of them I had already shared with Ashley. I could only imagine that, since the cat was out of the bag, Jenn and Ashley had told each other a lot about our sexual forays together.
"So what's the plan?" Jenn asked.
"Well, Doug said he and the twins were up for meeting us somewhere," I explained. "I am supposed to call Ben and let him know what we we're up to as well." Ben was one of the guys on the swim team and probably the closest thing to being my co-captain. He was a senior, about 6'4" tall, and built like a rocket. He was lean, mean, and fast. He was a sprinter while I was more of an endurance racer. Even though we weighed about the same, the height difference between us made me look like a barrel while he looked like a telephone pole when we stood next to each other. We were both damn good at what we did.
The group of us all met at a local chain restaurant for dinner. We had a grand time and everyone got along great. Ashley fit in like she had been friends with everyone for years. Ben, who was a newcomer to my circle, and Liz, the unattached twin, seemed to hit things off with a nuclear spark. Even if they didn't realize it, the rest of us knew the two of them would be getting to know each other a lot more in the coming days.
