Chapter 4 - Ocean - Losing

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Ocean

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Every single class I went to that new guy was in. It was almost like he was following me for some reason. I couldn't get rid of him. And to make matters worse, my entire team was already welcoming him with open arms.

I don't know why I didn't like the guy at all. There was just something about him that pissed me off. Maybe it was his smug face that just seemed to make all the girls in school fall for him. Maybe it was the fact that he was just a little taller than me.

Or maybe it was the fact that he seemed to be glaring at me in every single class. What the hell was his problem? Every time I turned to look at him he was looking at me like there was some sort of problem. He seriously needed to stop doing that.

At lunch he even invaded my table and sat right next to me. That was the spot that was usually reserved for Brittney. Who the hell did he think he was? He forced my girlfriend to sit on his other side so that he was next to her instead of me. Was he already trying to steal her away from me?

If he tried I would punch him right in his smug bastardly face.

Then, as soon as class was over he seemed to follow behind me like a little puppy. Did he need me to show him where the bathroom was? Well, that stupid dog could just piss himself for all I cared.

He didn't stop following me though, even after I got to my locker. And why didn't he stop following me? Because his locker was just three down from mine. Sure it was, because what more could be done to ruin my day?

After I haphazardly shoved my shit into the locker I hurried off for the locker room. Makai of course grabbed a bag from his locker and followed after me.

"Looks like I was right about you." He called out to me as he chased me down the hall.

"Right about what?" I asked him with an annoyed tone of voice.

"That you're a swimmer too. I'm usually right about people when I first meet them."

"We haven't met each other." I pointed that out to him.

"Well, to be fair, I've introduced myself. And I have been trying to get you to talk to me all day." He laughed. "You're the star swimmer around here right? That's what I heard from the others."

"I do alright." I was trying to be modest.

"More than alright if the rumors are to be believed. Come on, why won't you slow down so we can talk?" He sounded like he was laughing despite the words he was saying. That was infuriating.

"Because I'm in a hurry, that's why. Why are you even following me?"

"Because we're going to the same place. So why don't we walk together?" Oh my God, he was annoying.

"Seriously, are you saying you're trying to get on my good side?" I stopped so I could glare at him and snap at him.

"Well, I wasn't trying to get on your good side, I thought we could be friends. You know I moved from clear across the country, right?" He was giving me that nonchalant grin of his that made all the girls swoon, but it had no effect on me. "I don't know anyone and I thought befriending the swim team would be the best option for me."

"Yeah, well, I'm not interested in being friends with guys who are trying to steal my girl." I made certain he knew how angry I was as I gave him the meanest look I could muster.

"Hahaha." For some reason he was laughing at me.

"What the hell do you find so funny?"

"You, man. I ain't trying to steal no one's girl. I just got here, I don't even know who is who let alone who I want among them. All I want is to ease into life here smoothly."

"Yeah, sure you do. Just keep your eyes and hands off my girl."

"You don't need to worry about that. I won't try to steal her away from you." I swear he winked then and it made me see red.

I did my best to ignore him as I stormed into the locker room. I continued to ignore him while I changed into my speedo. Of course, Makai was at the locker next to me as I was changing but I paid him no mind.

He moved right along with me as I went over to the pool, but I still ignored him. I was first up for the two hundred meter breaststroke practice. But Coach made me do a double take by saying he was going to have me swim alongside the new guy.

Seriously, what the hell was going on here?

I didn't care, I would just do my best and win like I always did. I readied myself and jumped as soon as I heard the whistle.

Again, there was that sensation of being home. It was like the water was washing away all of my anger, all of my frustration. I just wanted to swim and forget about everything else. Lap after lap I pushed myself to move as fast as I could while ignoring wherever Makai was at.

When it was all over and I came up for a breath I saw something that I had never seen before. Makai finished before me.

"Oh my God, we have a new golden boy." Justin, one of the team sourpuses said when everyone was congratulating Makai.

"Congrats man, no one can ever beat Ocean, but you did it so easily." David was all praise for the smug bastard.

"Ocean?" Makai looked at me like he thought my name was funny.

"Yeah, he usually leaves all of us in his dust but you beat him like it was nothing." Ryan, my best friend, was acting like Makai was a god.

"I wouldn't say it was nothing. I barely beat him by a second or so. It was definitely very close."

I couldn't believe what was happening to me. It was literally like my world was imploding or something.. Someone, please help me.