Kyle takes a deep breathe in, then out. He stares at the pool in front of him. He can feel the water calling out to him, telling him to jump in. It's pulling him and he can't resist it.
"Ok....GO!"he hears his coach finally yell.
He jumps in and the minute he's in the water, his body starts to swim freestyle. Quickly, but smoothly. Gracefully, beautifully.
His coach smiles and chuckles. "I picked a good one."
Even though Coach has already seen Kyle swim before, he still amazes him with his swimming.
"He moves like a fish. It's almost like he was made for the water."
"That's my best friend."Leah smiles. "Go Kyle!"
"No wonder you could never beat him, Oliver."Carson says, watching Kyle in awe. "That kid's amazing."
Carson couldn't really see how talented he was back at the lake since he hadn't really gone in. He knew Kyle was talented, but he was really something else. He moves in sync with the water.
"I know."Oliver replies. Watching him, too. No matter how many times he sees him swimming, he will never really get over how amazing he is at this. Sometimes he wonders if he should even be doing.
'I'm not very good at this any way. Why bother? Maybe I'm made for something else.'
But he knows that's not true because he doesn't really care how bad he. He loves the water. He loves how he can escape from the world temporarily. From his father's high expectations as a swimmer and son. From the world's expectations because of who his father is.
Everybody expects something from me. Even Dahlia. She wants me to be a good person and never lose sight of what I want. To fight for it. 'But how can I do that when I don't even know what I want?'
The only person who's never asked anything from him was Kyle. He didn't ask him to make sure he would be a good competitor. And when he saw him freaking out over his mom, he didn't tell him to be strong and that he should get over it. Instead, he comforted him. Told him it was okay. And he had never realized how much he needed someone to tell him that. That it was okay to be happy. And that she loved him and would want him to move on.
Back in middle school, something similar had happened. Kyle had found Oliver crying just before a competition. Oliver had been crying because he couldn't take the stress. It was around the time when he had just lost his mom. His father was being way too strict on him. And Dahlia couldn't help, even when she tried. Her and Father would just get into fights that resulted in Oliver crying even more.
"You can't keep pushing him! He's a kid. He's thirteen fucking years old!"she would yell at him.
"He is old enough! I do this for him! So he can learn to be strong and ready for the world!"he would yell back at her.
"He doesn't need to be strong! He needs his father to comfort him. Not abuse him!"
"How dare you speak to me that way?!"
"I will not respect you until you learn to respect your children. If not, so help me I will take him with me when I move out."
"He is my son! You do not have the right to take him!"
"I will fight for him. Even if I have to use all of my money and every single connection I have."
And she kept good on her promise. She did fight for him. She didn't win, of course. After all, Mike was the father. And there was no evidence that could be used against him. Everybody thought Dahlia was just a liar.
She cleared up her name, but it took a while.
Kyle had comforted him back then, too. He found it strange and didn't understand why he would help someone he was competing against. But he was grateful.
And Kyle was so utterly beautiful, no one could deny it. His eyes were a beautiful, velvety green. His hair had looked so smooth and his curls bounced and framed his face perfectly. His fair skin looked silky and smooth and warm. When the sunlight hit him, it just magnified how beautiful he was. Oliver had thought he was an angel sent by God.
"Hey, Oliver? It's your turn."Carson says, snapping Oliver out of the daze he was in. Oliver nods and walks over to the pool, ready to jump in. To forgot all the painful memories that just came to the surface.
"And...wait! Oliver!"
Oliver doesn't even wait for the coach to finish. He just really needs to get to the water.
Kyle watches him. 'There's something wrong.'
"Hey is Oliver okay?"Kyle asks Carson.
Carson shakes his head no. "I think he was remembering some...things that were best left forgotten."
Kyle watched as Oliver swam through the water. The way his body moved was the way Kyle could tell he was stressed. And anxious. It looked stiff and he was struggling to push his body though the water.
"When he gets out, me and you are going to tell him he did well. And we are gonna make him feel better, ok?"Kyle says to Carson, smiling.
Carson smiles and puts a hand to his forehead. "Aye-aye, captain."
Kyle laughs and spots Leah glaring at him. Her eyes look like daggers.
"Be right back."Kyle says to Carson and he nods.
Kyle walks over to Leah who has her arms crossed. Her light brown eyes are full of anger and annoyance.
"I assume that's Carson."she says.
"Yeah. He's really nice, Leah."
"Hm."
"Please give them a chance. Oliver has been through...stuff. He needs a chance, too. Please."Kyle pleads.
Leah looks at him and grins. "You look like a begging little puppy. Adorable."
"Agh. Leave me alone."Kyle pouts, crossing his arms.
Kyle sees Oliver climbing out of the pool. He turns to Carson and Carson looks back. They both nod and make their way to him.
"Good job, man. You did amazing."Carson says, laughing and clapping.
"Yeah you were fast and smooth. Good job!"Kyle smiles.
Oliver smiles weakly, seeing what they're doing. "Thanks guys."
"You did well, I guess."Leah says, coming up from behind them.
Kyle turns around to look at her, smiling widely.
"Leah?"Oliver asks.
"That's me."
"Oh so you're Leah. Figured. Since Kyle is always with you."Carson says.
"Mhm."
"Yay! We can all be friends!"Kyle says happily, looking back and forth between the three of them.
"Of course!"Carson exclaims.
"Alright. You both did good."the coach says, as he walks up to them.
"Thank you, Coach."Kyle and Oliver say simultaneously.
They look at each other at the same time and Kyle laughs.
Oliver blushes, but chuckles, too.
"Alright boys give me another lap."the coach laughs.
"Yes, sir."they both say and walk over to the water.
They look at each other before jumping in.
"May the best swimmer win."Kyle says, pulling his goggles into his face.
"Right back at ya."he smiles and also pulls on his goggles.
His painful memories are gone and now all he can think about is that beautiful boy's smile.
'Kyle Avery you will be my salvation....and my downfall.'