"Swimmers, step up please."
And her goggles were snapped on, her extra-special silicone cap was tugged once for good luck. She had made sure her right foot was tugging at the edge of the block and her left foot behind, poised to jump off. And now she leaned forward, ready to become the next Jennie Fletcher, ready to place her arms hurriedly on the block.
"Swimmers, take your mark."
She immediately leans down, gripping her fingers on the edge of our block. Her heart starts beating faster and faster.
This is it. she thinks. But little does she know that she is right, that this is the last time she will ever participate in a race.
BEEP! The buzzer sounds, signaling the start of the 50 meter freestyle race.
And Lily springs off the block, her arms forming a streamline and her body forming the most envious arch. She lands at the first pair of flags and does her three fly kicks before breaking the silent, crystal blue surface water. Already she can hear people shouting in glee, she can hear coachs shouting instructions through their clipboards.
She reachs with her arms, pulling the water behind her and edging only herself. And she kicks deftly, making the current drift in the way of following swimmers. Her arms reach one after another as she reaches the second pair of flags, ready to flip and make her way to the finish line.
She does a somersault at the wall, and slams the wall with her feet, already making her way back again. And she breathes faster before putting her head paralell to the floor again. Her heart pumps wildly, threatening to burst through her fly suit and a cramp starting to itch at her abs.
Finally, she hears the long-awaiting screams, the screams that tell her she is first. But she doesn't stop yet and instead goes faster and faster until her sweaty palms slam into the Omaha sign.
And so she waits for the other swimmers to finish as she glances furtively and her time.
29.74.
Her full lips burst into a smile and she pulls off her cap in celebration, letting her red hair soak and shimmer in the chlorine. And finally she takes a breath of relief, shaking hands with the upset-looking swimmer in the lane next to her.
This is where she wanted to be for the rest of her life.
--
Again, this is in correspondence to Something Great.
By the way, I was wondering if I should keep this drabble-fic just about what Lily wanted to be when she grew up or finish what she wanted to be when she grew up and then start writing different drabbles in this fic. Please let me know what you think!
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it, and please R&R!