No Turning Back (Full Circle) (5 page)

Chapter 4: 1
st
Day of Class

I use the rest of the weekend to recover, hang out with the girls on my hall, and make decisions about swimming. Gah, I could use some advice.

Piper: Hey girl!  Had ya on my mind!

Charley: You've got freakin' ESP!  Call me like yesterday!

Ten minutes later I hear “Hell on Heels” blaring on my phone.  I know exactly who it is, Piper. I miss her so bad.

"What's up, Charley?"

"So, let me just go ahead and tell ya.  I know this is the right place, but I don't know if I can keep my head on straight."

"Okay, so what's his name?"

"Joe, but the other problem is Cash."

"Charley, you know he loves you, no matter what you think is good for you."

"Whatever. Here's the bigger problem.  Everyone here plays a damn sport, and they know I use to swim.  What am I going to do?"  I'm a little bit on the panicking side.

"Girl, do what you want.  You love it, kick ass at it, and the problem no longer exists that you’re thinking about.  So go for it!"

"I just don't' know; there's this Red Tape thing I gotta go to tomorrow if I decide to do it.  I'm telling ya, if I decide to do this, I better not have a chance in
hell
of running into that piece of shit!"

"Damn, Charley, calm down.  You know he's off at some Division 1. You're good."

"K, well I guess I'm just going to weigh the pros and cons.  So, how's the beach?  I'm totally coming to see ya soon!"

"It's great, and ohmygah these guys are eye candy everywhere I turn.  My roommate’s pretty cool too; she's an Army brat.  She likes to have a good time, so far so good."

"Aight girl, thanks for the pep talk, but I guess I better figure out where I gotta be in the morning and what I'm going to wear."

"Char, why don't you wear your
look pretty, play dirty
camo racerback and your cut-offs?  Just be you, you ain’t gotta impress anybody."

"I heart you so much!  You know exactly what I should do and are my fashion conscience.  Love ya like a Choice Cherry Gold!"

We both laugh and then hang up. I take a look at my schedule... 8 a.m. Biology.  What was I thinkin'?  I get my books, iPad, and notebook and place them inside my bag. I take a look in the closet.
Where is that outfit?
  I swear Piper knows me better than myself sometimes.  I grab my phone, set my alarm, and decide to talk to Georgia across the hall.

"Hey, Charley, I'm about to go over Tori’s room. We’re gonna watch
Scandal
.  Wanna go?"

"Sure, but I got an 8 a.m. class.  What was I thinkin'?"

We are all chillin’ on Tori’s futon watching
Scandal
.

During the last commercial, Georgia brings up what I've been dreading. 

"So, Charley, did ya decide yet about the team?

"Y'all, I just don't know."
How do I tell them what happened? Or do I?

Tori turns to me with a devilish grin.  "Charley, there's this thing called Google.  I know you swim faster than a fish!"

"Yes, Tori, I know I'm a good swimmer, but I just don't know if that is what is in the plan for me here."

"How about you going to the Red Tape meeting with us tomorrow, meet Coach, and go from there.  Why are you so wishy washy?"

"Tori, some shit happened at home that I don't want to talk about or bring up.  If, and I mean
if
, I decide to go with y'all tomorrow, there are no guarantees I will decide to join the team. "

"So, you'll go?"

"Y'all aren't going to drop this are you?"
Damn Google!

"Hell no, you’re quick as hell, and we need someone on the backstroke leg of the 4x200 IM."

"Alright, I'll go, but no promises.  I guess I'm gonna head back to my room.   I'll see ya in the morning.  Anybody got Bio at 8?" 

They all look at me and laugh.

"I know, I'm a freakin' idiot!  I'll see ya at lunch for sure.  Night y'all."

As I walk back to my room, I realize that I'm freakin' doomed.  I love this sport, it's all I've known, but I just don't know if I can go back down that road again.  There is too much at stake. It doesn't matter how fast I can swim.  I can't run from what happened a year ago.

As I'm about to walk into my room, I notice a message from Crystal on the write board. 

-At Lucas’, BBT- (BBT code = be back tomorrow)

Well, at least I can figure all this out myself.  I grab my bath caddy, robe, and head to the shower.  Maybe I can clear my head.   I take my time shaving my legs, washing my hair, and thinking about my present situation.  All I’ve ever known is the pool. I've spent my entire life there. How can one stupid asshole change my life? What am I going to do tomorrow?

I finally talk myself into getting out of the shower and attempting to go to sleep.  I grab my phone, check my alarm, and close my eyes.  When I do, all I see is Dylan, my nightmare all wrapped up in one hot, tattooed, swimmer’s package.

At some point in the night I drift off to sleep.  I wake to the most annoying sound in the world, my alarm clock.  I swear that has got to be worse than nails on a chalkboard.  I hit the snooze button one more time.  I’m exhausted. 

Ten minutes later, I hop outta bed and grab the outfit that Piper advised me to wear.  I decide to leave my hair down today with a few loose curls.  I grab my bag with all my school stuff, a Choice Cherry Gold out of the fridge, and hurry to Hope Science Building. 

I slide into the lecture hall and take a seat on the right side of the room.  It’s old and musty smelling in here. Yuck!  How appealing to my senses at this time of morning.  Dr. Deal enters; he is a cute old man with a loud ass voice.  He calls the roll and then informs us that there is no need for it anymore because he has a photographic memory. 
Well Damn.
  And he does. 

He dismisses us right at 9 a.m.  I’m starved.  I sure hope my Kluft girls are already there waiting.  I sure don’t want to sit alone.  I walk in and notice Georgia and Tori eating at the same table from last night.  I guess we can call that our table.  I make my own waffle, grab an apple, a glass of milk, and walk their direction.

“How was that 8 a.m. Bio?”

“Alright, except I know I can’t skip ‘cause that professor has a photographic memory. I mean
really
?  How did I get so lucky?” 

“Well, it won’t be that bad ‘cause if you join the team we’ll be up anyways.”

I look at them both like I could kill them. 
Really?
  They are starting this already?

“Now look, I’m not makin’ promises.  I’ll go today but no guarantee.”

“Char, you’re gonna love Coach.  She’s a freakin’ hoot.  You never know what she’s gonna say.  Heck, she’s liable to call us one night needing a ride home ‘cause she’s had one too many,” Tori says with a mouth full of cereal.

“Y’all are kidding right?” 
Seriously, they have to be!

“Never know until you join our crazy team!”

We finish breakfast, and I head across campus.  I have Freshman Seminar.  I mean do they really think we are that stupid?  We need a class on how to survive in college. Ummmm, no we don’t.

I walk toward Good Hall and go in the room that sits outside the main part of the building.  This time I find the back row. Straight Southern Baptist all the way.  If I have to listen to this crap, I wanna have the best seat in the house.  I take out my phone to text Tessa.

Me: might need a favor.

Tessa:  Well hey to u 2

Me: Shut up! I might need my swim bag.

Tessa: WTH?  Ur j/k right?

Me: Not sure, meeting today, might, miss it

Tessa: Let me know & I will get it 2 u gotta go bf I get busted in class

Me: K Love u!

Tessa: Love u 2!

About the time I look up from my phone, I see him. Joe.  He walks into the room with so much swag and confidence it should be illegal.  His looks are beyond call the fire department hot ‘cause a fire has gotta be put out in a pair of Under Armour gym shorts and a Southern lacrosse t-shirt.  It is very evident that he just left the gym. Ohmygawh. That hair is soaked on the ends with sweat. Oh, what I wouldn’t give to be a little closer to him.  I think this class just got interesting!  To think, I was able to remove myself from that oh so hot situation this weekend, but I don’t know if I will be able to resist three a week scheduled occurrences.

As I am about to pick up my mouth off the desk, attractive I know, I hear that deep sexy voice.

“Hey, Miss C, anybody sitting here?”

Take a deep breath I keep telling myself.

“I don’t think so.  How are ya this mornin’?”  I say with my sweet Southern accent.

“Okay, if you don’t mind running about three miles before the crack of dawn.”

What I wouldn’t give to have seen that show this morning?!  I just might have to make note of that routine. Joe and his fine ass running across campus. Ummmhumm!

All of a sudden, the door closes, and I hear Dr. Cope, the professor say, “Welcome to Freshman Seminar.  Whatever you think this class is about, you are wrong.  This is not a class about learning the ins and outs of college.  It is a class to build relationships and figure out who you are now that Mommy and Daddy aren’t telling you what to do.”

That is definitely not how I thought this was going to go. Between Mr. I’m Sexy and I Know It and Dr. Cope, whom I think I’m going to get along with just fine, this morning is starting to look up.

While handing out the syllabus, Dr. Cope goes through her expectations and tells us all about herself, her kids, and her yellow lab named Sampson.  Time flies in this class. 

“Before I let you go, I want to explain how you are graded in this class.  It is pass/fail, which means you have one attempt at passing this class.  You have one project and one project only.  You homework is to read the syllabus, be prepared to start the project that is explained, and be able to complete the project with success.  That’s all for today; you’re dismissed.”

Well, I thought Dr. Cope and I were going to get along, but maybe not.  I’m going to have to check out this project. 
Pass/Fail?!  Really?
I begin to pack my belongings when I hear a laugh next to me.  What the hell is so funny?  I turn and look at Joe with an irritated glance.

“What?”

“Nothing, Charley.  You just look like you’re ready to haul ass outta here.  I mean it’s just a project.”

“Yeah, I know.  But pass/fail, really?  I just think one project is a little unfair.  She didn’t even explain it.”

“Oh, I see. You’re one of those people.  Gotta know every detail, and you’re freaking out about now, huh?” 
Well, shit.  How did he know that?

“I guess you could say that.” 

As we walk across the front lawn, Joe readjusts his backpack on his shoulder and gets quiet all of a sudden.  I mean is he nervous or something?

“Charley, I’m going to grab a bite to eat before my next class.  You want to go with me?”