Date: Sun, 05 Oct 2003 22:51:59 +0000
From: Asharia Stone <liljademoon@msn.com>
Subject: Dealing With It

This story is fiction and the results of my deranged mind.
It is not intended to resemble anyone else's work or any
person that is real.  I apologize if it does.  If you are
not of legal age or this type of material is banned in your
area, leave.  Easy as that.  All criticism is welcome, but
be nice.  If you like it, please let me know so I can
continue. Enjoy.


1
Zane

It had been three weeks into the school year when the
posting for swim team tryouts was placed on the bulletin
board in the main hallway.  I stood there, staring at it,
wondering if I should, if I could, even think of trying out.
I knew I was a good swimmer.  Swimming was my life, my
passion.  It was one of the few things I excelled at.  As
much as the thought of swimming for a team thrilled me, the
fear of ridicule was greater.  I had been living in this
town for over a month and had yet to make even one friend.
Not to say I didn't talk to anyone, I had acquaintances,
people I nodded to as I walked the hallways, but no one to
talk with.  Most of the student body laughed as I walked
past.  I was the new guy, the outsider, even more than those
who were truly outside.  Being new sucked and being alone
all the time only made it worse.
I was so lost in thought that I didn't notice that someone
was beside me until a soft, husky voice asked, "Are you
planning on trying out?"
I spun around so fast I tripped over my own feet and fell.
I could hear my companion chuckle quietly, as if trying to
keep me from hearing it.
"First time I've even had a cute guy fall at my feet."  As I
stared at the person in front of me, I couldn't believe that
all the guys weren't constantly falling at her feet for a
chance at being the center of her attention.  My eyes
travelled from her feet to the top of her head, cataloguing
every detail about her.  Her feet were small, legs smooth
and well shaped flaring into wide hips before her body
curved back into the smallish waist, breast  were definitely
more than a handful, shoulders small and rounded.  Her face
was impish, mischievous and full of life.  She had full
lips, high cheek bones and grey almond shaped eyes.  Long,
curly black hair complement caramel coloured skin.  She was
extremely beautiful, and she did nothing for me.  I sighed
quietly, yeah I was definitely gay.
"Are you okay?" she asked, offering me a hand up.  As I
stood I realized something I hadn't noticed.  She was tiny.
At 5'10" I'm not a giant, but she barely came to my
shoulder.  "Didn't mean to startle you."
"S'okay, should have been paying attention anyway.  And
yeah, I'm thinking about trying out. Heard the school's
supposed to have one of the best teams."
"Yeah, it does.  Oh, I'm Ciana, by the way."
"Zane."
"I know," she smiled at me without explaining.
"How?" I asked.  I didn't anyone here really knew my name.
Those who knew who I was knew my by sight, not by name.
"You're the only new junior, all the rest are freshmen.
Believe it or not, but the whole junior class knows who you
are." Ciana stated.  Everyone in my grade knew who I was?
Somehow that sounded a bit farfetched to me.  "Only thing
is, most are too snobbish to even think to welcome you.
I've tried to a couple times, but you were either gone
before I got to you or I'd be waylaid by someone."
"I'm sorry, I don't mean to be rude, but why would you want
to talk to me?" I exclaimed.  I had been snubbed and shunned
for three weeks and before me stood someone who supposedly
had been trying to talk to me.  I didn't really believe it.
"Well, for one because I'm part of the Welcoming Committee
and two `cause I'm a nice person.  My brother says our
mother must have dropped me on my head as a baby, but she
denies it."  Ciana smiled as she said this, showing perfect
white teeth.  "Anyhow, you seem like a nice guy, can't a
girl just stop and say hi?"
"Maybe your mother did drop you on your head, `cause I'm not
a nice guy," I responded, smiling as well.
Ciana laughed before continuing.  "Well, are you going to
try out?"  She had returned to the original topic.
"Not sure," I admitted.  "I'm kinda nervous about it.  Don't
really know if I have what it takes."
"Nervous is understandable.  Should see me before tryouts,
recitals or anything in front of people.  But anyone who
tries out makes the team.  Coach Henderson doesn't cut
unless you do something really stupid.  You may not get to
compete in the meets, but you'll still be on the team."  She
told me, all joking gone from her face. "I gotta be going, I
have my own tryouts."
I stood there thinking about what she had told me as she
walked away.  Everyone that comes out makes the team.  It
sounded fanciful but I remembered hearing something about
that when I applied to the school.  Steeling myself, I
decided to go for it; I had nothing to lose after all.
The pool was located in the basement of the school.  A
generous alumnus had donated the money to build it several
years ago and now the school made use of it nearly everyday
for the gyms classes and swim teams.  I made my way down,
not quite sure what I would find since I had never actually
ventured into the bowels of the school before.  The
comforting smell of chlorine hit me before I even saw the
door mark "pool."  Inside were around fifty students
laughing and talking, all still dressed in street clothes.
Looking at them I wondered if we would be swimming today or
not.  I moved to where a couple of guys were standing, all
silent and waited for the coach.  I wasn't waiting long when
a large man exited the office.
"All right, today is the sign up and trials.  Which means
sign up, grab a suit, you're on the swim team!" he said,
addressing the group of kids standing in front of him.  "For
those newcomers, all you've heard is true.  If you sign up,
you're on the team.  I only cut those who do something
stupid and dangerous, or let their grades slip below a C+.
Suit are located in the locker rooms, grab them and a
locker.  First practice is tomorrow morning at six thirty
sharp.  Be here ready to swim."  With that the coach turned
and walked back into the office, leaving the student who
knew him laughing and the rest bewildered.
I followed the returning team members into the locker room
at a distance, still not sure if I was ready for this.
Inside the room were around thirty teenage guys joking and
just fucking around.  Speedos were being thrown across the
room to those who shouted out sizes and lockers were being
claimed at an alarming rate.
"Size?" A voice asked beside me.  I looked over to see a
blonde haired god standing before me.  I know that sounds a
bit cliche but he was gorgeous.  He was a little taller than
me with the sleek, slim body of someone who runs and swims
instead of weightlifting.  Electric blue eyes stared out
from behind rimless glasses and shaggy blonde bangs.  "What
size?" He repeated.
"Um, medium I guess," I replied, still in a daze.  Guess I
was joining the swim team after all.  Two swim suits were
placed in my hands before he moved on and I was left staring
at his backside as he walked away. And it was a nice
backside too.
When everyone had their suits, he turned around and
addressed the crowd.  "I'm one of the assistant coaches, my
name is Alex Mendun.  You will actually deal more with me
than with Coach Henderson.  I'll let you know I'm strict but
fair.  Don't fuck up and you'll swim in a meet at least once
this year.  Got it? Good.  Be here ready to swim tomorrow
morning six thirty."  And with that I was an official member
of the swim team.