Bette?

Bette spun around to see Erin standing by the door to the pool holding out an extra pair of goggles, You ready?

Oh coming.

As the two walked across the pool deck, Bette looked up at the big clock that hung on the deep end wall.
5:45
This much stress this early could not possibly be a good thing, Bette thought grumpily to herself as she stared at the clock and then at the gray sky she could see through the pool windows. Suddenly she felt eyes moving up and down her body, she had gotten that feeling time after time when her boyfriends or any other guy had been checking her out. She felt her heart leap up into her throat and she turned to face Erin, who she found starin at her build with a look of analytical interest. Bette felt her heart slowly resume is place in her chest.

You look like you would be good at backstroke. Whats your favorite stroke?

And so began the 75 minutes of *****. First Erin stood on the deck and watched and made corrections as Bette did ten lengths of every stroke. Then she jumped in with Bette and told her to swim behind her, doing whatever stroke she did and trying to keep up with her.
At 7:00 Erin finally called an end to their morning workout. Bette climbed out of the pool with aching arms and wobbly legs.

Ok, we only have 25 minutes before the homeroom bell, so we are going to have to shower and get changed really fast. With that Erin walked away toward the locker room door.

Shower. Bette suddenly remembered the showers she had seen in the locker room. There were four metal pillars in one big tile room, each with about eight shower heads on it. Oh, *****, thought Bette, how the ***** am I supposed to shower in the same room as her and not react. *****, *****, *****. Ok, I just wont look at her I can handle that, Bette told herself with a grimace of trepidation as she walked toward the locker room.

When she walked into the steam filled shower room with her soap etc. in tow she saw Erin standing naked, with her back toward Bette under one of the shower heads. Bette walked over to and turned on a shower that was positioned so that she would be facing the wall while shower. She stepped under the hot water and peeled the suit off of her exhausted frame.

Erin had heard Bette turn on her shower, looked over, and noticed that her legs were still quaking slightly.

Hey, Bette, she called, Are you okay?

What? Oh yea, Im fine, just a little tired.

Erin was now walking toward Bette looking concerned. Are you sure, youre shaking, she said as she gently laid a hand on Bettes shoulder.

At this Bette began to tremble even more, she looked down at the ground, afraid that if she looked at Erin she would be able to see how Bette felt, and mumbled that she was fine.

Bette, look at me, I want to know if you are really ok, and I cant tell whether or not you are lying of you wont look at me. Erins soft voice was full of pleading and sounded more than slightly worried.

Bette took a deep breathe and leaned back against the metal column. She tried to calm her shaking legs then looked straight into Erins beautiful blue eyes, Really, Im just tired, I promise I will be fine in a few minutes. I wouldnt lie to you. The warmth and concern that Bette saw in those eyes allowed her to relax and soon her legs had stopped shaking. When Erin saw that Bette really was okay she smiled weakly at her and walked back over to finish her own shower.

While they were changing Erin told her that she was sure that, if they continued to practice in the mornings, Bette would be able to make the team when tryouts were held in three weeks. She also said that Bette had an excellent backstroke and this praise eased the burning of her limbs, but only slightly.

TBC