Chapter 242 - Ocean – Coach's Orders

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Ocean

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Makai and I walked across the pool area to the coach's office. Thankfully, Coach Dickson was in there. He looked up immediately when we knocked.

"Hey boys, come on in." He was already on his feet and walking around his desk. "How are you doing, Ocean? Are you healing? Getting better? What all happened to you? And don't get me started on you, Makai. You missed a week of practice."

"Y..yeah, b..but I had Ben and Ryan tell you about it. I was with Ocean on his recovery trip." Makai was floundering at the coach's angry words.

"Having them tell me about it isn't enough. What the heck were you thinking? We have a competition coming up and my two top swimmers were out of commission. Well, one was out of commission, the other was just out." The coach was clearly very angry about Makai skipping practices. "If I didn't need your ass on this team, I'd cut you right here and now." I knew that he wouldn't cut Makai from the team, he was probably just worried about him being gone after everything that happened.

"I'm sorry, coach." Makai bowed his head in shame at the man that had just yelled at him. "But I really was with Ocean on his recovery retreat. We were making sure that he was better and able to come back today."

"Yeah?" Coach Dickson was obviously suspicious of his words. "And how did that go? Huh? Did you get lots of alone time together?" He glared at Makai, and I just laughed. I don't know why I laughed but I did. It was funny. I can't believe that the damn coach knew what we had done all week. "Can you testify to how healthy Ocean is now, Makai? How is his stamina?" Makai's face was a sheet of shock and horror while I still couldn't stop laughing.

"I..I don't want to answer those questions, coach." This was the first time that I had seen Makai so flustered that he couldn't talk. This was hilarious.

"No worries, coach. That wasn't the whole purpose of the trip. And I can assure you that I am healthy. And my stamina is intact." I decided to be corny then so I made double finger guns and shot them at him while I made a clicking noise in the side of my mouth. I swear I looked just like a stupid character in a cheap film. It was probably a poorly made porn film, given the topic of discussion that we were having at the moment.

"I did not need to know that." At that moment, the coach put his face in his hands and started to laugh. "I swear, you two are such a handful." The laughter continued but he was no longer holding his head. Instead, Coach Dickson had thrown his head back and was laughing long and loud.

"I would make another joke and say that's what she said, but I would rather think that I was bigger than that." This time Makai and the coach cracked up laughing. I was on a roll today. Hmm. Maybe I came out of the head injury as a funnier man than I had been before.

"Just stop. Please just stop, Ocean. I don't know how much more I can take." Okay, this was too good to pass up.

"Now, that's what she said."

"HA HA HA HA HA! I guess I walked into that one, didn't I?" He was laughing harder than he had been before. I probably should stop, he was turning red in the face. 

"Alright. Alright. I'm done for now." I assured him. I am sorry for making you laugh so hard."

"Thank you." Finally, the coach's laughter was dying down a little bit. I mean, I had stopped telling jokes so he should be able to calm down.

It took a few moments before the coach was able to take a deep breath and stop the laughter altogether. And when it did finally pass, he started his questioning again right away.

"Alright, let's move on now. Why are you boys here to see me?"

"We came to get our new locks. Since they were cut off of our lockers." Makai answered him in a calm tone. He wasn't laughing anymore either.

"Ah, yeah, you need those."

The coach reached behind him and picked up one of the locks but not both. That was weird, but okay.

"Here, Makai." He handed it over and didn't make a move to get mine.

"Uhm, Coach?" I held my hand out to him for my lock.

"Ocean, did you swim at all during your recovery week? Have you gotten into a pool once since you were injured?"

"U..uhm, n..no." I figure it was best not to lie to him right now.

"Uh huh. And you want to be back in my pool right now? Well, that is a big fat nope. You need to make sure that your doctor clears you to swim and that you train at home first. I am not going to let you back in this pool until I know for certain that you can handle the strain of swimming competitively. Do you understand me?"

"But Coach, I-."

"No buts, Ocean. This is my decision. This is your third head injury since September, and I am not putting you at risk before I know if you can handle it."

"I swear to you Coach, I can handle it. I can swim. Please, just let me swim with the team and I can prove it to you." I was begging him. I couldn't believe that I was being sent away again. This was the second time this year. I needed to 'get better' and be 'cleared by my doctor' or whatever else it was that he needed from me.

"Ocean, I saw you that day. I saw how badly you were hurt. I saw what happened to you. I saw what was done to you. I don't know why you two wanted it covered up and hushed over, but I know the truth. I know what Justin did to you, Ocean. How can you come to me just two weeks later and ask to be put back into the pool? This is insane."

"It looked worse than it was, I wasn't actually hurt that bad, Coach. I swear I wasn't. And Justin was sick. I..I probably shouldn't tell you this, Sir, but when they took Justin to the hospital they found out that he had a tumor in his brain. It was right where his impulse controls and emotions were controlled. H..he wasn't doing those things because he wanted to. It was the tumor. And according to the doctor, it had been slowly growing for years. I've met with Justin since it was removed, and he is a totally different person. He is better now, Sir. I promise you that. He also can't remember anything since before the incident."

"That's convenient for him, isn't it?" Coach didn't seem to be convinced or happy with what I had said to him. "I don't know if I am willing to forgive him as quickly as you two are. However, I understand what you're saying. But it doesn't change my decision. You're going to get a doctor's clearance and swim at home. Or go to your boyfriend's house. I hear that he has a pool."

"It's his pool too." Makai whispered under his breath, but it was obviously louder than he had planned since both me, and the coach could hear it.

"Come again?"

"Oh, come on Coach, are we starting the 'that's what she said' jokes again?" Makai laughed at him.

"No, we're not. What do you mean by your pool is Ocean's pool? Are you two living together or something?"

"Uh..uh..uhm, w..w..well-." I was stuttering and unable to answer him. However, he figured it out.

"SERIOUSLY?" He bellowed at us. "After everything that happened?"

"Well, to be fair, we've been living together since Thanksgiving, so the most recent events had no bearing on them at all."

"I cannot believe you two. I seriously cannot believe you two. How could you do this? How could you live together like this? You're still in high school for crying out loud."

"Well, to be fair, our parents approve." I wanted to let him know that this wasn't as bad as it could be.

"And we're engaged." Makai added.

"MAKAI!" I snapped at him. I can't believe he just said that.

"What? I thought that it would make him feel better about the situation. I mean, we're getting married over the summer, aren't we?"

"He did not need to know that." I growled at him.

"Well, I guess Makai is right. If you're going to get married, living together is normal. Even if you are doing things a little fast for my liking. And congrats on the engagement. Invite me to the wedding, I will buy you both a brain for your gifts." He was laughing again. Apparently, the coach thought this was all very funny.

"Thanks."

"Now go, both of you. Makai, get ready for practice. Ocean, go to the library and study. There is a pop quiz today on what we learned last week."

"Oh, well then I am glad I did all my missing work." I laughed. "And I will get the doctor's approval right away, Coach. I will be swimming as soon as I can."

"Yeah, yeah, just go. Get out of here. You guys gave me a headache." His words were not nice, but he was smiling and his voice was calm.. So I knew that he was just joking with us.