Sharks and Minnows

One more chance.

This is my final opportunity to qualify for the Olympic trials.

Sure, I’m sure I’ll become a better swimmer in college, and I can try for the trials again in four years. But you only live once, and I am going to give this my all.

Two days before the meet, Coach drives the seven of us in a van to Cincinnati. Only Levi has qualified for Omaha, so technically he doesn’t need to race, but he needs the practice and experience in long course. That’s part of the reason we’re leaving early—to get some practice time in the big pool.

I check Twitter during the ride. Several swimming accounts are saying things like, Last chance weekend for the #OlympicTrials! If you or your swimmer gets a cut, tweet us!

Sitting next to me, Levi peeks at my phone, sees what I’m looking at, and whispers in my ear, “Deep breaths.”

Coach takes us out for Italian the night before the meet so we can salad and carbo load. At the restaurant, Levi stretches an arm around the back of my chair, keeping me close. We’ve been seriously dating for about a month now, and everything about it feels right. Part of me wishes we’d started seeing each other years ago, but the other half is glad we waited until we were older and mature enough to handle the responsibility, to ensure our friendship stayed strong.

Susannah is ridiculously excited we’re finally together. She keeps squealing and clapping her hands, which is getting on Coach Josh’s last nerve. Rolling his eyes, he rips a breadstick in two, demonstrating what he thinks of his swimmers dating. I don’t care though. My muscles feel great, I’m eating ravioli, and my boyfriend is rubbing my thigh under the table. It doesn’t get much better than this.

Back at the hotel, Coach pulls me aside to sit down on a sofa in the bustling lobby. I figure he’s going to give me a lecture about swimcest, but it turns out he wants to discuss the meet.

“Maggie,” he says. “We need to talk about tomorrow.” Coach claps his hands together, then unclasps them nervously. “Listen, I entered you in the prelims for 400 and 800 freestyle.”

“What?” I say. I never swim that far in races. I’m no sprinter, but I wouldn’t say I’m a distance specialist either.

So that’s why it’s surprising when Coach says, “I think you are maturing into a distance specialist.”

“What?”

“Your 200 free is getting better and better, especially in long course. I want to stretch it out even more. Let’s try it.”

“Why’d you wait until now to tell me?”

“You overanalyze things. I wanted to throw you in the pool tomorrow morning and see how it goes. No thinking.”

“But won’t this wear me out for 200 back and free?”

“Maybe, but I think you’ll have a better chance in a longer race than in either of those. So how about it?”

I’ve been with Coach Josh ten years. I trust him with my life. “All right.”

He smiles. “Good. Now off to bed with you.” He points over his shoulder at the hotel bar. “I’m gonna try to catch some of the Braves game.”

I ride the elevator to my room. When I get there I find Levi sitting on the floor outside the door, one hand buried in his long hair while the other is holding a loved, worn copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

He started the series over again.

I slide to the carpet beside him, pecking his cheek. He turns his mouth to meet mine and we share sweet, soft kisses.

“What did Coach want?”

I wave a hand. “I’m out of the pool. I don’t want to talk swimming tonight. I just want to spend time with you.”

“Hot tub, then?” he asks with a tempting smile.

We change into swimsuits and meet Susannah and Jason down at the hotel pool. Swimmers from all over the country are here, and of course they are hogging the hot tub. While Jason starts a noisy cannonball contest, Levi and I stretch out on a lounge chair, curling up under an extra-large beach towel to sneak kisses. We spend a lot of time doing this lately. We love lying on the trampoline in his backyard, kissing through sunsets and cuddling under twinkling stars.

His fingers brush the waistband of my bikini bottoms, making me feel naughty. I’m glad I bought those condoms at the Quick Pick, even if it was the most embarrassing moment in the history of the entire universe.

I lean close to Levi’s ear. “You would not believe what happened to me,” I say, recounting how I ran into Dad while buying them. I end the tale with, “And then Dad basically said, ‘Condoms on me!’”

Levi, of course, dies laughing at my story. I tickle his stomach in retaliation.

“Stop, stop!” he cries, grabbing my hands.

“For a price. One kiss.”

He pecks my mouth, and I stop wrestling him, and our touches turn gentle, then more heated. My fingertips draw circles on his chest. He stares into my eyes, a tiny smile on his mouth. Ever since we got together, we’ve been taking it slow, working our way back to where we were before. Last night we got a bit crazy and went skinny-dipping in Normandy Lake. He made me feel so good, it was probably illegal.

We haven’t slept together yet—but I’m ready. I want to show him with my mind and heart and body how much I love him.

“Want to go to your room?” I whisper, my intent clear.

His expression grows heated, full of love and passion, but he shakes his head. “Let’s wait until after the meet.”

“You’re sure?”

Levi cuddles me close. “I’m very happy right now.”

“Me too.”

At least until Coach Josh shows up on the pool deck and orders us all to bed.

As Susannah and I are getting ready for sleep, putting on pajamas, brushing our teeth, and washing faces, she asks me yet again if I’ve slept with Levi.

“No.”

“Are you going to tell me when you do?”

“No.”

“C’mon!” she whines. “I’ll tell you when I do it with Jason.”

Shocked, I accidentally drop my toothbrush. It clangs into the sink. “You’re gonna do it with Jason? That’s swimcest!”

She smirks. “Look who’s talking.”

“Are you guys going to start dating?”

Susannah shrugs. “I’d be into it if he is. He’s pretty hot, right?”

“Yup.”

“I have an idea! I’ll tell him I need to sleep in his room tonight because you and Levi want alone time.”

I inhale sharply, loving the idea of spending the night with Levi. But I don’t want it to interfere with my race tomorrow. On the other hand, being in his arms helps me sleep better.

“Okay,” I say with a smile, as my heart begins to race.

Susannah checks her reflection in the mirror, then opens the hotel room door. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!”

A minute later, a knock sounds on the door. With a deep breath, I open it to reveal a barefoot Levi in track pants and a soft gray T-shirt.

“Hi.”

“Hi,” I reply quietly.

“Susannah sent me over. She said something about you wanting to be alone with me?” he flirts.

I give him a teasing smile. “I need another lesson.”

“Oh yeah?” He steps into the room, dead bolting the door behind him, and in less time than it takes to swim a fifty-meter sprint, he has our pajamas off and strewn across the carpet. He lays me back on the bed, his hands depressing the pillow on either side of me as he kisses my lips. The minty taste of toothpaste fills my mouth. His weight presses between my legs, and in no time at all he has me panting. Panting, and wanting more.

“Are you sure you don’t want to do it tonight?” I whisper.

His eyes meet mine. “I’d love to, but I don’t want you to have any regrets tomorrow during the meet. It’s too important.”

“I won’t regret it, I promise, it’s just…”

“It’s just what?” he asks sweetly.

I weave a hand through his blond hair, taking him all in. “I want it to be good for you.”

His eyebrows furrow. “You’re worried about that?”

“Yeah, I mean, you’ve been with other girls.”

He kisses me deeply. “You’re the best kisser I’ve ever had. The best hugger. The best hand holder. The best everything. It’s because of you—because we’re right for each other.”

I sigh deeply, nuzzling my face in his throat. “So you’ll teach me what to do, right?”

“Mags, I think it’s gonna be the other way around…”

“I have no idea what I’m doing. What could I possibly teach you?”

“I don’t know, but,” he takes a deep breath, “you taught me how to love.”

I caress up and down his back. “I love you too.”

“Do you have those condoms you bought at the store?”

I take a sharp breath. “In my bag.”

He finds the protection and brings one to the bed. “I want you to know I’m clean, okay?”

I nod, happy to know it, and glad we’re going into this with no secrets. No regrets.

Just love and passion and friendship.

• • •

The next morning, I am amped up. My body feels great, and my stress is gone. This meet is mine.

At the pool, “Spring Spotlight” banners hang from the rafters, where clusters of chatting swimmers make predictions for today. Music blares from the speakers. The water is a gleaming pearl blue. The facility smells fresh, and the air feels charged with energy, like right before a lightning storm.

I take deep, steadying breaths in the shower, and out on the pool deck, I make sure to stretch all my limbs really well. Levi even makes time to massage the shoulder that gives me problems, his thumb expertly working that annoying spot. I lean my head back to stare up at him.

“Thank you,” I say, and he dips over and kisses me upside down, Spider-Man style. After last night, I feel closer to him than ever before, and I love that my best friend was my first. It wasn’t flawless—it took us a bit to find the right angle and our rhythm, but in the end it was perfect.

I run into Roxy at the practice lanes. “Good luck!” I call to her. She gives me a head nod but otherwise ignores me. And I’m happy with that. I won’t bother her, and she won’t bother me. Today is between me and the water.

The prelims for 200 free and back go okay. I get placed in the A final for 200 free and B final for 200 back, which kind of sucks. I always thought 200 back was my best event, but maybe Coach is right. Maybe I’m evolving. Not that I won’t continue to swim my butt off in that race, but I’m open to new options. Like 400 free. For an event I’ve never done in long course, I do great in the prelims thanks to my endurance and get put into the A final. To qualify for the trials, I need a 4:17.99.

While waiting on the finals later in the day, Levi and I hover near the pool with Jason and Susannah, cheering on our teammates. Levi stands right behind me, pressing his chest to my back, kissing the top of my head.

“I was thinking,” he whispers in my ear. “Later we should play sharks and minnows. I’ll be the minnow this time, and you’ll be the big, mean shark that comes after me. And when you catch me, you can—”

“Maggie, you’re on!” Coach calls. It’s time to warm up for the 400 free final. Levi gives me a good luck hug.

After a few laps in the warm up pool, I step up to the blocks, adjusting the straps of my suit and tightening my goggles one last time. I shake my arms out and slap my muscles. The announcer says, “On your mark.”

One last deep breath.

The buzzer sounds and I fly off the blocks.

People are cheering as I pull myself along on top of the water. Out of the corner of my eye, I see other swimmers accelerating. But Coach’s voice is clear in my mind: you’ll catch them on the back end. Stay steady. In the second half of the race, I go after it, working to close the gap. I focus on keeping my elbows high to maintain a smooth, steady stroke. Kick, kick, kick. On the final fifty, I try to improve a little, kicking harder with my legs while keeping the same tempo with my arms. I twirl around to face the scoreboard. Third place! My time is 4:15.89! Two seconds faster than I needed!

“Oh my God!” I scream, slapping the water. I did it!

It was such a fast heat two other girls also get Olympic trial cuts. The announcer shouts over the loudspeaker that we’re going to Omaha. Tears roll down my cheeks. All my hard work, years upon years in the pool, led to me having awesome endurance. It led me to this moment.

In June, I will be going to the biggest meet of my life!

Coach Josh gives me a big hug, and then I rush for my boyfriend. He lifts me up into his arms, spins me in a circle (which is probably an unsanctioned activity), and kisses me in front of a cheering crowd. Everything is great until Jason runs up and smacks me on the butt with a kickboard.

When I call Mom and Dad, they scream congratulations over and over, which is pretty funny considering they are catering a library fund-raiser tonight. It’s fun to imagine the librarians shushing them.

Then Levi and I sit in the stands to watch the rest of the finals and cheer for New Wave. My heart won’t stop racing. My smile feels permanently glued to my face. I can’t sit still. I did it!

Levi peeks at the time on his phone. It’s 6:30 p.m. “Looks like we won’t make it back in time for prom.”

I lean against his side, resting my cheek against his shoulder. “That’s okay. This is better than some dance.”

“You’re damn right it is,” he says. “But I still want you to have your prom.”

He tugs me up out of my seat, leads me into the hallway, and disappears into the guys’ locker room. He comes out a moment later with a small cooler and a shopping bag. From it he pulls a wireless speaker, which, after a flick of his thumb on his phone, begins to play a slow classical song. He also fishes out a candle, lights it, and places it on the ground. The cooler reveals a plastic box containing a white orchid corsage decorated with bright blue pearls. This he gently slips onto my wrist.

“I love it,” I tell him, and he steals a quick kiss. Still in our suits and sweats, he pulls me into his arms and starts slow dancing with me.

Everything is perfect.

I’m with my best friend.