"Hi everyone. I'd like to introduce the newest member of our team. This is Paige McCullers. Under no circumstances will I tolerate any kind of initiation or bullying. Now, suit up and let's hit the decks," yelled coach, squeezing Paige's shoulder gently.
"Thanks coach," Paige said, staring wide-eyed at her new team mates.
"Show 'em what you're made of kid."
Paige walked quickly into a change room stall and began to undress. She could hear some of the girls whispering on the other side of the door about something. Hearing her name uttered a few times made her even more nervous and hesitant than before.
For weeks her parents had been trying to convince her to join a school team or club. She hadn't made many friends since coming to Rosewood High. The only extracurricular activity she had was occasionally writing and editing for the school paper but it didn't take up much of her time nor did it make her any more socially inept.
As she stepped out of the stall, Paige wrapped her own arms tightly around herself. She felt self-conscious about her body. She was slim and felt weak-looking compared to the athleticism of many of the other girls. She kept her eyes on the ground for the most part, not ready to make eye contact with a room full of girls in bathing suits whom she didn't know.
"You dropped your goggles," she heard a voice say from behind her. Slowly, embarassed, she turned around and faced a girl with a dark-complexion, long and wavy chestnut coloured hair and the most beautiful brown eyes she had ever seen. Paige's breath and voice got caught in her throat as she reached out to take her goggles from the girl's hand. Their fingertips brushed as Paige's hand shook wildly; so wildly that she fumbled the object in her hands and dropped it onto the tiled floor.
The girl chuckled as they both bent at the same time to pick up Paige's goggles. Paige forced what she felt was an awkward smile in return for the girl's flawless half-grin. "Nervous, huh? You'll be fine. I'm always like that before I get in the water too and then I'm fine. I'm Emily by the way. Welcome to the team."
Paige nodded and picked up her goggles. She stayed crouched while Emily walked away and through the doors into the swimming area. "Emily. Pleasure to meet you Emily," Paige said to herself, her head filled with a flurry of thoughts, feelings and pictures.
As she stood up, Paige could feel her heart beating a mile a minute. Her palms felt sweaty, her chest felt tight and her arms felt slightly numb. She felt as though if she tried to speak, her voice would tremble just as much as the rest of her body was.
"You okay McCullers?" coach said, holding the door open for Paige.
Paige nodded, swallowing hard as she watched Emily gracefully dive into the pool. She watched as each of her curves cut through the water, couldn't take her eyes off her strong arms, long legs and perfectly shaped behind. When she caught herself staring, she looked quickly away and focused her eyes on the Sharks team logo plastered on the wall. Just admiring a fellow teammates form, Paige.
"Get in there, newbie. There's nothing better for your stage fright than getting a little wet," said Emily as she climbed up and out of the water, droplets falling from the tips of her hair and onto Paige's feet.
Paige cleared her throat and pushed past Emily to get in line for practice. She needed to get this girl out of her head and her head into the game.