DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. All rights to The 100 creators.
Chapter 9
Mermaid
Rowen loved the smell of chlorine. She's been surrounded by the scent since she started lessons at the age of four and has become familiar with all its variations.
Yes, there are different varieties of chlorine smells, and the one in her training pool was by far the best.
Her coach, Sandra, was listing off the workouts to the small group of five elites. She was the youngest, the eldest being fifteen. This group was developed five months ago, the bunch being picked from the levels swim team and put together to compete all across America.
She was aiming for gold in her 200 meters distance swim with their up-coming competition but today was stamina workouts, which she truly disliked.
"Okay ladies, curl ups on the pool edge. Get those abs working." The coach instructed, sending them off into the pool.
150 curl ups later, the real work began and Rowen got to work on the fifty assigned laps with no rest. Stamina work, once again, was not her favourite.
She was paddling through her lane, the other girls working in their own as she set their own paces and prepared for the lengthy period. Her strokes became mechanical, the breaststroke being the simplest to fall into and hardly get correction on with the technical aspect of it.
"Keep on breathing, ladies." She could hear as her head tilted for her to gasp in some air before she went back under again.
They were thirty laps in and she was able to see the ripple of water from two of the others go farther behind as they became lazy with their strokes. She was keeping up with fifteen-year-old Katia, and ten year old Olivia.
"Last twenty!" The voice rang out through the pool, giving Rowen her second wind.
She powered through her last laps and finished second to Katia, Olivia coming in 2.3 seconds after her hand reached the pool wall.
"Nice work, ladies. You really powered through. Go get some water." Sandra allowed the girls to get out while she waited for the last two to complete their four laps.
"That was painful." Katia said as she pulled off her cap and shook out her wet ponytail.
"I think I swallowed half of that pool during my twentieth lap." Rowen said, still feeling the sting in her nose from the water she snorted.
"My legs are still numb." Olivia added, taking her water bottle and chugging the chilled liquid. It was a normal thing for the three to complain after a swim they didn't want to do, especially since they finished together and suffered for the same length of time.
Olivia's comment made Katia laugh. "I hope we're finished for today."
"We probably have to do some diving." Rowen said, nodding to the board that one of the assistant coaches was uncovering. It was a low board, but it still forced them to practice their arrow like bodies when hitting the water.
"Great, more water for you to snort." Rowen stuck her tongue out at Olivia but still laughed, peeling off her cap from her wet head.
"Ten minutes left!" The coach called while nine year old Phoebe and eleven year old Yanika joined the group, still out of breath from the swim.
"You guys keep getting faster." Yanika said, taking Rowen's water and taking a sip from it.
"You're welcome." Rowen said sarcastically as she took back the bottle. "And you guys were fine. You just went too hard at the start and killed your energy near the end."
"Either way, Coach won't be using us as her anchor anytime soon." Phoebe said sadly, sitting on the ground and slumping forward.
"You'll be fine. It took me until I was fifteen to get this good. You guys are really young and already part of an elite team. That has to count for something." Katia said, patting the girl's head and walking towards the pool.
The other four took the last bit of their break before going to the board where they were diving, as suspected by Rowen.
"I want to see limited splash. With little resistance means greater speed, and with greater speed means a position as our first leg or anchor. We're taking home gold for the relay girls, I can feel it this time."
"Who's anchoring?" Katia asked, placing her cap back on.
"That is to be determined next practice. I have a pretty solid idea of your positions for the 5x200, but I want to make sure we are placing you all appropriately."
"Are we still doing 200m individual races?" Rowen asked, feeling excitement for her category and the idea of being fast enough to win.
"Yes we are. Phoebe you're in the eight to ten year old category. Yanika and Olivia, you guys are in the eleven to fourteen category, and Katia you are in the fifteen to seventeen category."
"What about me?" Sandra looked to the capped blonde and smiled, knowing she had to speak with her and her mother before announcing anything.
"If either of your moms can swing by today after practice I can inform you then. Everyone on the board."
The girls practiced their diving, parents beginning to enter the pool and watch from the stands. Rowen smiled like a mad man when she saw Lexa come in early, feeling extra special with her mama coming in to watch.
They took twenty minutes of diving, ending in a light swim and then stretch before being dismissed.
"Mama, coach Sandra wants to ask you something." Rowen said when she pulled her towel around herself and walked her mother towards the pool.
"Lexa, how are you?" The coach asked, extending her hand to the other woman.
"I'm good, how about you, Sandra?"
"Just fine. Rowen has been improving drastically lately. This is a very gifted girl in the water. Now I could easily place her in the eight to ten category, guaranteeing a gold win this weekend, but I would like to push her a little bit more." Rowen was a bouncy mess of joy and Lexa was proud as ever. "If I place her in the eleven - fourteen category she's got to really try to keep up with some of the other teams. But I think she can do it."
"Really think so?" Rowen asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement and some water that was still dripping from her face.
"For sure. Now I needed to run this by your mom because there is a little bit more paper work to complete for this upcoming event. Does that sound alright with you, Lexa?"
"Of course. My mermaid, you're going to be so great." The brunette placed a kiss on the chlorine scented head before sending her off to change with the others. "Thank you so much for that, we needed some good news."
"How's the rest of your family?"
"They're alright. Clarke and I are trying to workout our schedule to be there with Row on Saturday."
"You both can't make it this time?" Sandra knew both women always went to the competitions along with the five other kids.
"Willow is going through some things right now. We don't want to overwhelm her with the crowds." Lexa explained.
"I understand. If you don't mind my asking, is she alright health wise?" The woman remembered the twelve year old to be relatively healthy and content, making her ask the question.
"I don't mind. She's fine physically. Mentally she's becoming overwhelmed. That actually reminds me, how does one go about finding a sport for their child who's never shown interest in physical activity?"
"That's a good question. I guess we all have a secret ability. Some are very coordinated, others are swift. Rowen for instance is head strong and driven, and her body seems built to endure the pressures of swimming. If this is Willow we're talking about I'd suggest you head over to the community gym. Ask for Raven Reyes. She's a coach for some of the teenage activities and can give your daughter a quick test trail at a few things. We usually send kids who don't seem prepared to swim to her and she helps direct them to something else. Here's her contact info." Sandra took a moment to jot down the address, phone number, and Raven's name before handing it off to the brunette along with the extra forms for Rowen.
"Thanks for this. We can really see the difference in our children who participate in physical activities."
"What do your eldest do?"
"Jude boxes, and Soph plays volleyball during the school season. She starts practices next week. Last week were tryouts."
"Is Indie still flipping around?" The coach can remember the small girl bouncing around during an enforced workout session outdoors a while back.
"She's getting sillier. Clarke wants to get her into some gymnastic lessons by next year. Hopefully she won't break here neck." This earned a laugh from Sandra as girls began to flood from the change room with still wet hair but clothed in their team sweats.
"Does mommy have dinner ready?" The blonde asked as she approached the pair.
"She texted saying she was getting it started when you guys were out of the pool. Come on, peanut. You still need to rinse out that chlorine ridden head of yours. Bye, Sandra."
"Bye Lexa, bye Rowen. Great work today." The mother and daughter duo left, Lexa's arm slung over Rowen's shoulder as she led her to the car.
"Thank you for coming to watch me for the last bit of practice, Mama."
"Of course, Peanut. You looked awesome." Lexa said, opening the door for Rowen to get in the back.
"You really think so?" The little girl asked, strapping herself into her seat.
"Without a doubt. You were the best mermaid there." This earned a giggle from the blonde. "Hey, you know mom and I really both wanted to see you swim this weekend." The mother said, feeling bad for having either her or Clarke miss.
"Yeah. But Willow gets scared, I can tell. I'm happy you are trying to make her happy again." Rowen chewed her lip before adding, "Sometimes she cries at night. I don't know what to say or do but she seems to be really sad. But since you and mommy are tucking her in and helping her go to bed she doesn't cry anymore."
"I'm sorry she cried before, Row. But you know how whenever you or Fin or Ind get hurt and mom and I sit with you and make sure the injury doesn't hurt anymore before we leave?"
"Yeah."
"Well that's the same with Willow. She isn't physically hurt but a lot of things are making her scared and sad and it's mommy's and my job to fix it before leaving her alone again."
"You and mommy are the best mommies in the world."
"Really?" Lexa asked, glancing at the girl through her rear-view mirror.
"Really. You love us a lot. That makes you really good mommies."
"Well thanks, Peanut. But you know you kids are pretty amazing yourselves."
"Even when we make messes and talk too loudly?" The blonde asked.
"In the moment mom and I may not like those things but we love you all even more because you aren't perfect and you make messes and noise."
"That's confusing." Rowen said, cocking her eyebrow, which made Lexa laugh.
"You'll understand when you're a mom one day." The cop pulled into the drive-way and parked the car. The two got out and headed for the house, Rowen running upstairs to quickly shower before dinner while Lexa entered the kitchen. When she got there she found Clarke standing at the stove, with Willow in the small nook fast asleep.
"She needed more rest. I know you wanted her to stay up but she was exhausted, Lex." Lexa quickly silenced her wife with a kiss.
"It's fine. She's coping." Clarke sighed at her wife's words and leant her forehead against Lexa's.
"I love you." The blonde said after a moment of absolute silence between them.
"I love you too."
Okay, here's chapter 9. I will be in Cuba for the next two weeks, so there won't be an update during that time. I have some more Clexa ideas floating in my mind so I hope to create those while I'm away.
Thanks for all of the wonderful reviews. You are all so kind.
-Valentina
