I raised my head from the floor and felt dizzy for a while before I heard gasps coming from the crowd that had gathered around us.
"She is bleeding," a student screamed from the crowd.
"Are you okay?" Lily asked as she rushed to my side.
"I think so," I replied. "Mr rude is at it again!" I thought.
"You are bleeding from your nose," Lily looked horrified before a frown settled on her face. "Did Rex plan this?" She asked.
Before I could answer, the coach passed me a tissue and I quickly used it to wipe my bleeding nose. Lily helped me out before helping me get up from the floor. The coach asked her to take me away, so I could sit.
"Mabel," the coach barked. "What the heck was that?" He continued angrily.
"I'm sorry, Mr Tayler. My shoe lace was undone which resulted to my fall," Mabel explained.
"What where you doing in the middle of the basketball court at that moment?" Mr Tayler probed further, using the same harsh tone.
Mabel spoke meekly with her head bowed, "I'm sorry, Mr Tayler. I went to grab my water and then on my way back, I accidentally fell. I didn't know she would be on the mat then." Mabel's eyes where glistening with tears.
Mr Tayler looked at her and felt helpless. He calmly said, "you shouldn't be apologizing to me but to her instead."
Mabel walked up to me. "I'm really sorry," she said sincerely.
"Alright," I nodded.
Mr Tayler shouted, "now that everything is sorted out, who is next."
I scrambled up to my feet. "Mr Tayler, can I go again?"
"No, you need to rest," he said matter of factly.
"Please, Mr Tayler. I'm okay," I pleaded.
He looked at me for a while before nodding, "okay."
I smiled as I walked back to the padded mat. As I started my mild run to boost my momentum, I had already made up my mind on not going with something simple anymore. I dived into a cartwheel, a triple aerial backflip and landed with an aerial sideflip. At the end, everywhere was dead pin silent except for my ragged breathing.
Mr Tayler was the first to find his voice. "Wow, bravo! That was exceptionally brilliant!"
A thunderous applause reverberated round the basketball court. Mr Tayler walked to me and patted my shoulders twice. I turned towards Mr rude and threw him a cocky smile before my attention drifted back to the cheerleaders that had gathered around me. The shock on that stinky face of his was priceless.
"Welcome to the team," the cheerleader's captain said, stretching out her hand.
My insides were bubbling with excitement the moment I heard that and I quickly took her outstretched hand.
At the end of the tryouts, I ranked first amongst the top five. Mabel was actually good, she ranked fourth.
The cheerleaders captain handed me the white and red uniform saying, "you will have to teach us some of that move."
"Sure," I beamed at her happily.
Lily dragged me to sit with them. "Congratulations, Syd. I'm so happy."
I nodded while gulping a mouth full of water. After doing those big moves, I was really thirsty.
Lily whispered, "I don't know why but I saw Rex taking away Mabel's cheerleading uniform and giving it to the girl that ranked sixth. After that, Mabel looked at you with hateful eyes. I think you should stay clear of her. She spells danger."
"I knew Mr rude had a hand in this. I actually saw him talking to Mabel earlier before I started my routine. Maybe his plan didn't work out the way he had expected that is why he took the uniform away from her," I concluded.
The basketball tryout began shortly. Those who could successfully put the ball into the loop from a measured distance was made to play against the main basketball players. While the game was going on, I noticed Mr rude played like a pro. Well, if he wasn't, he wouldn't be the team's captain. At the end, few students where successfully picked by Mr Tayler to officially join the basketball team.
When the tryouts officially came to an end, we went back to the girls changing room to change into our swimwear before walking to the natatorium. The swimwear was a long sleeve turtleneck jumpsuit short. It was designed in such a way that both male and female students won't feel uncomfortable when seen together in them.
The natatorium was huge and had lots of space to accommodate all students. The swimming pool was so large. Pool buoys divided it into ten segments so that the same number of students can swim at the same time. I saw the renowned Coach Harris instructing some junior coaches.
My eyes wandered around more and landed on Mr rude piercing ones. He had the same look I couldn't read earlier and I found it strange. Alex must have said something to him because he punched him on the arm and Jude burst out laughing. I seized the opportunity to find a place to hide away from his strange looks.
"Where are you going?" Lily asked me and I flinched. Momentarily, I had forgotten that Lily was standing beside me.
"I want to get away from him," I secretly pointed at Mr rude.
Lily smiled cheekily. "You know you can't leave."
What was the meaning of that smile? I didn't bother asking. "I'm not leaving. I'm just going to hide behind that wall," I explained.
"You look good in your swimsuit. I guess that's why Rex was staring at you or should I say ogling at you," she winked.
Is she crazy? What kind of dumb guessing is that? Mr rude can't ogle at me, he hates me. I quickly rolled my eyes at Lily and robotically walked off.
The new students were asked to swim first in order to access them. We stood in line and on the sound of the whistle, we dived into the water. I did the butterfly stroke, breaststroke and mostly backstroke before coming out of the water.
Coach Harris walked up to me and asked, "What is your name girl?"
"Sydney...Raymond," I shuttered a little. This was a big time Coach speaking to me!
"You got the technique and speed. With a little more practice, I'm seeing you in the olympics. That is if you are willing to take it that far," he said, placing a hand on my shoulder.
I couldn't believe my ears. Of course, I would gladly dive into that opportunity. Who wouldn't!
"Of course coach, I'm more than willing," I readily agreed.
"I'm glad you are. When I see potential, I know right away."
I grinned like a fool till coach Harris walked away. Lily who had been standing beside me all this while smiled on seeing my gobsmack expression.
"I told you so," she said. "But Syd, is there anything you can't do?" Lily asked in amazement.
I rolled my eyes at her and she burst out laughing. "Let me get you a towel," Lily said walking away.
Few minutes later, I was wrapped in a fuzzy towel while watching the other's taking turns lapping around in the pool. Lily wasn't that good at swimming but at least she could stay afloat on water. The swimming lesson soon came to an end and the students began shuffling out.
Lily volunteered to keep back the towels we used. I was standing alone near the pool while thinking of what coach Harris said to me. If I could be like Bella Reek one day, that would surely be a dream come true.
Still engrossed in my thoughts, I saw Mabel walking towards me with a sly smirk and evil glint in her eyes. Why was she coming towards me? I backed away a little trying to avoid her hitting me but maybe I was wrong because she just passed by. I dropped my guard down and within that fleeting second, she pushed me into the pool and fell along with me.
I tried swimming out of the water but Mabel's weight was on top mine making the task impossible. What was Mabel trying to do? I struggled and at the same time taking in mouthfuls of water from the pool. My hands where getting tired and Mabel was still on top me. Is this the end for me?
Mabel finally got out of the pool but it was already too late for me. I had drank too much of the pool water and my hands were already too weak to assist me.
"Help, she is drowning," I heard someone shouting.
Before everything went pitch black, I felt someone lifting me out of the swimming pool.