Chapter 274 - Ocean – Tournament Part 10

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Ocean

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If I were to say that I expected our school to dominate the tournament, I would sound conceited. If I were to say that I knew that the piece of shit that used to be part of Makai's life was no match for me, I could sound like an arrogant asshole. If I were to say that everything was going according to plan, I would be lying.

I was so nervous when we came here. I just knew that there was going to be someone better than me. I knew that there was going to be someone that made me feel inadequate and like I wasn't good enough. That had been my legitimate fear the entire last month or so leading up to this tournament.

I did not, however, think that there was going to be someone that would put me on the edge of rage and make me channel all of those emotions into my swimming. I did not expect that I would be doing my personal best every single time. Or that the same feelings would be felt by our entire team. The fact that we had all banded together to prove to that douchebag that he was not at all what he thought he was. That was something else that I had never thought was possible at all. But it still happened, nonetheless.

We all did our best on Friday and Saturday. We were in the lead. Even our girls' team came in first place during their run. That was an amazing improvement from the last competition that we were all at. This was awesome, amazing, stupendous and every other positive thing in the world.

And the true icing on the cake. The one thing that was making this the best weekend of my entire life, was that Trent, that slimy fucking asshole, was whining about having lost to me. That was like the cherry on the sundae, the whole purpose that I had when I started to swim on Saturday, all of it.

Literally, by the end of the day Saturday Sandy Shorts, oh I mean Trent, could be heard and seen whining to his coach about how he was not in first place. He had this whole complex about thinking he was better than us all, but he was nothing compared to me and Makai. It was just hilarious, and it was something that we all talked about that night at the celebratory dinner.

When Sunday came around, I had no reason to think that this winning streak of ours wouldn't continue. I had every ounce of confidence in our team by that time and I just knew that we were going to be able to make it all the way to the top.

The team semifinals came up first, we had to narrow it down to the top ten teams. Of course, Ben, Ryan, Makai and myself all did what we set out to do. We came in first place and secured that spot in the finals. It was amazing and wonderful.

When it was time for the ladies to do their thing, they weren't going to let anyone or anything stand in their way. With all the rest of us, including the coach, screaming and cheering for all of them, they came in first place. Cassie, Alexis, Katie and Whitney made us proud. They too had a spot in the top ten. And to make things even better, the girls' team from Sandy Shorts' school didn't qualify. They placed twelfth and their journey was over. That was the start of us eliminating them all.

Following the team semifinals, we went straight into the team finals. It was time for the four of us to put Trent and the others in their place. To be fair, I didn't really have anything against the rest of the school. They were probably even good people. I just didn't like them. They sided with that douche canoe and that was more than enough for me to hate them all, no matter what they were like. They were going to be forever hated by me until they renounced that asshole and admit their mistake.

Yeah, OK, I might be a little over the top here, but I don't care. They will be treated like criminals associated with he-who-must-not-be-named or some shit like that. I don't care. They are guilty by association just because they go to the same school as that lunatic. That was their burden to deal with for life.

Moving on from that, it was time for us to start the next heat. The ten teams of men lined up in their respective lanes. Thankfully, the officials put our team and Sandy Shorts' on opposite ends so that we didn't need to deal with each other. The signal started and it was time to race. This was a one and done segment. There were no three heats to determine the top. This time, it was one race to determine the winner from those that had consistently finished in the top.

The race was high stakes and heart pounding, but I was still excited about it. I watched on in excitement as Ben and then Ryan made their runs. I was tensed and ready to go as I watched Makai racing toward me in the water. And the moment that I flew forward and dove into the water, I knew that this was the moment that I had been waiting for. This was what my whole swimming career was meant for. And when I stopped at the end of the pool and turned to see that I was there before everyone else, I felt this massive bubble explode inside of my chest.

That bubble was pure joy and excitement. We had won. We have put an end to Trent's team. They had finished in third place, and I could see the anger and resentment on Trent's face as he turned to look at me across the pool. He was pissed off, but there was nothing that he could do about it now. We have annihilated him. And the sound of the cheers coming from the crowd as well as my team were enough to prove to everyone around us that we were the favorites today.

It took a long time before the excitement died down enough for the ladies to take their turn. The entire area around the pool was a massive celebration for us. A lot of other schools came up to us and congratulated us. They didn't want Sandy Shorts' team to win either. They had heard the way that he was talking to us all weekend and they didn't like it at all.

Finally, though, it was time for the girls to see who the winning team was. The ten teams lined up for their one and done match as well. The girls looked serious and I could tell that this was going to be the match of the century for all of them. It was amazing with all that tension in the air.

The signal sounded and the ladies all started to go at once. They were swimming their hardest and moving as fast as they could. Still, none of them were moving as fast as Katie. She was the first in the water and was making her way to the end of the pool before the others. Next was Alexis who did the same thing. Whitney went third, and finally Cassie finished up for our team.

By the time that Cassie even brought her head up out of the water, the whole place was screaming for her. She had finished first. They had won. Our ladies team won first just like our men's team had. This was an historic event in my opinion.

Now it was time for the individual races. Me against Makai, Trent, and seven other men. It was the last race I would be swimming here today. It was the last time that I was going to be able to prove to Trent that he was nothing compared to me. It was my last chance to put him in his place. And when Makai and I took first and second, with him being just a tenth of a second behind me, that was exactly what we did. Trent of course finished in third but that wasn't the spot he wanted, and so his screaming could already be heard from across the pool.

"No! No! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! I AM SUPPOSED TO BE FIRST! I AM THE BEST SWIMMER IN THIS COMPETITION! ME! NO ONE ELSE BUT ME! ME! ME! ME! ME! ME! ME! ME! ME!" He was screaming so much that the cheering had stopped and half the venue was just staring at him.

"Come on now, son, calm down." The man that had been making the announcement called out to him. "You finished where you did and that is it. Please take your seat so that the ladies can have their turn now."

"NO! THIS IS BULLSHIT!"

"Mr. Sands, please take your seat." The announcer spoke a little firmly now. I could tell that things were going to get heated and that people were about to see what a big cry baby he was.

"Serious, Makai, I can't believe you were ever with that whiny twat." Ben laughed as he looked at the scene that was unfolding before us.

"Yeah, he looks like someone put something sour up his hoo-ha." Ryan joined in on the make fun of Trent band wagon.

"Yeah, someone needs to just give him Vagisil for that problem and just move on." I didn't want to be left out, and apparently mine was the one that made the rest of my team fall apart into gales of laughter. Laughter that was easily heard by the big baby across the pool.