doing pretty well at that so far. Usually he liked to get these miles in quietly, thinking about the papers have to write that week or about Jenny or just enjoying the silence underwater. But he’d right now, all the things that usually helped him relax into a rhythm were annoying him and he really want to think about Jenny. didn’t The tile markers beneath him changed pattern and he stretched his arms longer for the coming flip turn. The scar along the back of his neck pulled taut and Thomas felt his side twinge, but he curled his body tight and pounced off the wall again. taught Jenny how to do that He’d when they were both freshmen. Of course, that was the year that neither of them had a clue what they were doing on the swim team when they signed up. only faked his way through He’d teaching her because he wanted her to think that he had some experience. Not that he was thinking about her right now. That was just a fact about flip turns. When they were fourteen and total strangers and the only ones in the slow lane because everyone else could outpace them by a lap, he, Thomas, had taught her, Jenny, how to flip turn. That was all. The coach had been forgetting about them down in their own lane and eventually started they’d giving each other sets to stay busy. gonna beat your said, flicking water at him over her shoulder. She was “I’m time,” she’d chubby, her hair was pulled into a swim cap, and her eyes were covered by dark swim goggles. Cute smile though, he thought, even with braces. She was the first girl really talked to since he’d elementary school. he said. As far as early teenagerhood went, he too had yet to develop, and the “Probably,” swimsuit his mom had bought him was cutting into his stomach and he bothered with a hadn’t cap since he kept his hair buzzed.
doing pretty well at that so far. Usually he liked to get these miles in quietly, thinking about the papers he’d have to write that week or about Jenny or just enjoying the silence underwater. But right now, all the things that usually helped him relax into a rhythm were annoying him and he really didn’t want to think about Jenny. The tile markers beneath him changed pattern and he stretched his arms longer for the coming flip turn. The scar along the back of his neck pulled taut and Thomas felt his side twinge, but he curled his body tight and pounced off the wall again. He’d taught Jenny how to do that when they were both freshmen. Of course, that was the year that neither of them had a clue what they were doing on the swim team when they signed up. He’d only faked his way through teaching her because he wanted her to think that he had some experience. Not that he was thinking about her right now. That was just a fact about flip turns. When they were fourteen and total strangers and the only ones in the slow lane because everyone else could outpace them by a lap, he, Thomas, had taught her, Jenny, how to flip turn. That was all. The coach had been forgetting about them down in their own lane and they’d eventually started giving each other sets to stay busy. “I’m gonna beat your time,” she’d said, flicking water at him over her shoulder. She was chubby, her hair was pulled into a swim cap, and her eyes were covered by dark swim goggles. Cute smile though, he thought, even with braces. She was the first girl he’d really talked to since elementary school. “Probably,” he said. As far as early teenagerhood went, he too had yet to develop, and the swimsuit his mom had bought him was cutting into his stomach and he hadn’t bothered with a cap since he kept his hair buzzed.