Chapter Four – The Duel

"You sure you got everything?" Wyatt said as Wyatt drove Chris up to the gym in his car.
"Think so…you can park in Lot B. I'll get out here." Chris said opening the door.
"Good luck!" Wyatt yelled after Chris. As Chris got out, he pulled his duffle over his shoulder as he walked up in his blue and white. Chris ran into the Gym, his ears were smacked with the sounds of hundreds of voices talking, and people yelling in the background. He saw Bianca, Ariel, and Jesse all talking to each other. He walked over to them. As he was about to get up, he felt someone grab his butt.
"Hey!" Chris said turning around, he saw a blonde girl with straight curly hair, and deep blue eyes.
"Hello Christopher." She said.
"Hey Cassie." Chris said with a sigh.
"I just wanted to wish you luck today."
"Oh thank you." Chris said he turned around and eyed Bianca. She saw him and smiled.
"Christopher!" Cassie snapped. Chris turned around all though half looking at Bianca.
"Why are you looking at her?"
"Umm cause I am suppose to go meet with the team."

"Alright. But don't forget that-"
"Cassie, You're a nice girl-"
"I could be nicer." She said getting closer.
"But it's just I am not interested."
"What!"
"I am sorry."
"Are you saying that you don't like me? Are you saying that you don't love me?"
"I like you, just not like the way you want me too. I am sorry." Chris turned and walked.
"Christopher!" She yelled, "I made for you! NOT HER!"

Chris sighed and walked up to his friends. "Hey guys."
"Hey!" Jesse and Ariel said, Ariel was stretching her arms. Bianca walked up and gave him a hug. "Hello Christopher." She looked right back at Cassie with a "He's Mine" Look. Cassie had fury in her eyes and walked back up to the stands. She walked up five steps and sat with her friends.
"Claire, Lusia, Ivy, that boy is mine! And that fucking slut is not getting him!"
"Cass you need to relax!" Luisa said
"NO LUSIA I WON'T!"

"Girl look try talking to him again after the meet." Ivy replied.
"Besides you should try that new outfit you bought." Claire said, "You don't spend $200 on something that sexy, especially for him."

"Yeah, but he's mine. And If I have to eliminate her from the picture I will." Cassie said looking at Bianca and how she had her arm around his shoulders.

Chris saw Wyatt walking in, and Chris then heard word of them to head off into locker room. Wyatt looked around for a place to sit, he looked around and saw to his amazement Paige sitting in the stands waving at him. She was not her elder robes but in white shirt and jeans. Wyatt walked around of freshman girls who were goggling at him and he walked up the stands to his aunt.
"I am surprised to see you here!" Wyatt said
"Hey sweetie! Piper would haunt me forever if she think I would miss something as important as this." Paige replied.
"What happened to your elder robes? And where did you get those clothes?"

"Well I took the morning off and went through my old stuff in the attic."

"You took the morning off? How?"

"Ummm….just did."

"Uh huh…well I am glad you're here. Why didn't you come with us this morning?"

"Cause I had one last issue to deal with."

"OH rock on."

Chris sat in the locker room, with the swim team. All dressed in their swim suits. Bianca watched as Chris bended over and put his things from the floor into this locker.
"My, my, isn't that the ass crafted by god." She said to herself. He stood up, and was talking to Travis. He turned and Bianca dropped her jaw, looking at his Speedo. "Chris-Oh my god!" She said dropping her jaw, "I would have never-uh….wow." She said with a smile.
"What?" Ariel said coming up to her.
"Oh my god!" Bianca said turning around, "What um-a-Nothing!"

Ariel stopped and looked at Bianca. "Why are you in the boy's locker room?"
"Um…No reason. Why you in here?"
"Uh, cause Coach sent me here looking for you. Are you checking someone out?" She looked pass Bianca and over her shoulder. Ariel gasped.
"Chris!" She said, "You like Chris?"
"GIRLS!" Said Coach Jake, a tall man with brown hair, rather young. "Get out here!"

"Halliwell, Orlando, Meyers, Yolen, and Charles, out here now!" With that, the boys exited the locker room and took their places on the team bench. Chris sat looking at Bianca, as she was looking at the coach. "Damn." Chris said looking at her, "I wish I could ride that."

"Who Summers?" Jesse asked him.
"What! Bianca…no." Chris replied.
"Uh huh. Whatever dude." Jesse replied.

"Ladies and Gentlemen." Said the Announcer, "Welcome to Hyde School High's first Varsity, Junior Varsity Swim meet of the year, today it is Hyde against Hilltop. We expect a good clean game from everyone." With that, the referee's took there spots and directed the first group, Varsity girls were first in the meet. Bianca was in lane 9, the one right next to boy's bench, and Bianca looked nervous, and put her swimming cap on. She looked at Chris, and winked at him. She smiled and kneeled down.

"Did you see that?" Cassie said, "She winked at him!"
"Girl it's just a wink!" Lusia replied.
"I don't care. It's a declaration of War, that boy is mine!"

"Go get em girl." Ivy replied.
Luisa bit her lip.

"Girls ready?" The Ref yelled, he raised his arm and looked around for a second or two, and then blew the whistle and shot his arm down. The girls jumped into the water. Bianca looked like a fish; she swam through the water like a hot knife on butter. At 15 seconds she had it the 25 M wall and already on her way back. She swam faster, using her butterfly stroke. Chris watched her. "GO B!" He yelled. Water rushed passed her ears, she heard nothing except the water. She hit the wall again and then propelled herself back using her backstroke. She smiled, at her time, only 58 seconds and she had gone 75 seconds. She was hoping to make state this year….she would do anything for it. Then she hit the wall for the 3rd time and launched forward in freestyle. A girl in the next lane was advancing on her and fast, Bianca pushed her arms, the strain in her legs began to push against her legs. Faster she pulled herself, and she was less than 10 feet from the wall….5…..smack! She hit the wall and the buzzer sounded it, she looked up at saw the girl next to her, she didn't know if she won or not.

"Slow motion camera!"

Bianca sighed and pulled herself out of the water. Chris watched as she put her palms up and lifted herself, chest facing out towards the pool. Chris lost his breath as the water ran down her chest and stomach…he was lost in how amazing Bianca looked. "Wow." He said. Bianca pulled her swimming cap off and waited. Then the ref cam over and told all the girls to stand.

"In third place, Junior Kayla Jameson, Hilltop. In second place, Junior Bianca Summers, and in first place-"Bianca dropped her head in disappointment. She breathed in hard.

Cassie smiled in victory. "The bitch lost, who knew?"

Chris heard what Cassie said and looked up towards the bleachers and saw her sitting only a few rows behind him. He looked at her, and mouthed "Fuck You." To her, and walked off.
"What he say?" Ivy asked

"Love you." Cassie replied with a smile.

Chris ran over and put his arm around Bianca. "Are you okay?"
"I'll be better dude. I just need to practice."
"It's the first meet of the year, you'll get the rest of the wins."
"Rest isn't enough…I want them all. I need to sit down dude." Bianca walked away, the Ref gave her the silver, but she took it and walked back to the bench.

Cassie looked defeated again. "He's not supposed to be with her! He's mine! NOT HER'S!" With that she got up. "Come on girls, lets go." She and her friends left the meet.
"BOYS up next!" The ref yelled out.

Chris took his spot, line 6. He looked up and didn't see Wyatt or Leo. He sighed. "Where is he?" he asked.
Wyatt and Paige saw Chris at lane 6, "GO CHRIS!" Wyatt yelled. Paige gave a yelp.

Chris heard his name and saw Wyatt and Paige, he smiled.
"Caps on!" The ref yelled. Chris pulled his cap from his side and pulled it on his head. Chris knelled down and took his position. He closed his eyes and spoke in whispers. "Breast, Butterfly, Back, and Free. Breast, Butterfly, Back and Free. Breast, Butterfly-" The whistle blew. Chris jumped into the water. He pulled all his power into arms and pushed through the water. He hit the wall, he saw and heard no one around him, He flipped under water and did his butterfly back towards the other end. Faster he rode, he could hear the mild yells from Wyatt, Aunt Paige, and a few of his friends but nothing solid. He hit the wall again, 1 min 09 seconds, he threw himself back with his feet and backstroke. Faster and faster he wind; this was his signature move, his legs were meant for this. He gained the lead in the backstroke, then his freestyle, he dived into the water and launched again. He rushed towards the wall. Faster he went.

"Go." Bianca said watching him, "Go, Go bab-" she stopped herself and shut up.

He then pushed one final time and hit the black circle on the wall of the pool and then looked up at the clock 2 minutes, 01 second, he broke his record by 3 seconds. He pulled himself out of the water as Bianca did.

Bianca watched Chris as he pulled himself out. His abs were hard, and the line on his navel was nothing but ecstasy. She dropped her mouth and then she looked at his Speedo, "he is a god…a true god."
"Who is?" Ariel asked

Bianca was quiet.

Chris sat on the edges and then layed down, he was exhausted, those were the fastest two minutes of his life. He was then motioned to stand up, he did. And the ref read the results of the swim.

"In third place, Junior, James Yolen, Hyde High. In second place, Junior, Jesse Orlando, Hyde high. In First place-"

"Come on, Chris." Wyatt said, holding his hands together.
"-Sophomore, Chris Halliwell, Hyde High."
Bianca stood up and cheered, Wyatt yelled "HELL YA! That's my bro!" And ran down to the floor.

The rest of the meet went by well, Hyde High won over Hilltop by 14 points and Chris finally met up with Wyatt and Paige.

"Good job dude!" Wyatt said rubbing Chris hair as he walked out of the locker room in his jacket and warm-ups.
"Thanks. Aunt Paige!" He said with a smile.
"Great job sweaty!" She said giving him a smile, "Wanna go get a burger with us?" Wyatt asked Paige.
"Sure, why not!" Paige replied.

Chris looked over at Bianca who was hugging her new boyfriend, Derek. In jealousy and anger he turned away.