CPOV
I stretch out in my bed, wearing only my boxer shorts. I have my eyes covered as I cannot get the images of Anastasia out of my head. She's my beautiful little Firecracker and I must figure out a way to claim her as my own.
Fuck!
How in the hell did this happen to me? When did I start to have 'feelings' for her? Is there anything I can do to stop this?
It's fucking bad enough that she drives me insane when I'm near her, now I'm fucking dreaming about her. She's laying on top of my naked body and fuck if it isn't the best feeling in the world. It feels so damn real! I can't escape my little Firecracker, nor do I wish to!
***One Week Laters Baby***
I jump out of bed with a new-found determination. I will take what is rightfully mine. Somehow I know that Anastasia and I are meant to be together and I will stop at nothing to make her see that she and I are meant to be.
The first thing I have to do is get closer to her and the obvious way to do that is by trying out for the 8-boat. As if I, Christian Grey need to 'try out' for anything. Once I put my mind to it, I can do anything I fucking want!
I see Coach Bowness heading towards her office and I rush to speak to her while she continues her fast pace.
"Hi Coach," I say as I keep up with her long strides. "I was wondering if I could speak to you for a moment, if you have the time?" I ask in my most polite and humble voice.
"What's this about Grey?" Coach asks without stopping.
"I wanted to try out for the 8-boat." I say and Coach stops dead in her tracks.
She looks at me and says, "My office, now!"
I sit across from Coach's desk and she gazes at me with a studios look, she's questioning my motives. I can tell.
"So tell me Christian, why do you want to join the 8-boat? What made you change your mind about joining or rather trying out for the 8-boat?" She asks knowing full well what I'm up to.
You can't pull one over on Coach. She's not to be trifled with.
"Well, I think it would be good for me." I say trying to convince Coach that my motives are innocent.
Coach crosses her arms and says, "This is not a given you know? You quit this team and you chose to row in a single. You left us without a stroke seat. How can I be sure you won't pull that crap again Grey? I am responsible for this team and every member of the team. I need team-players, not a diva!"
"You have my word Coach." I say looking her straight in the eye, shoulders square. I will not be turned down. I will try out and make the 8-boat.
"I see," She says as a sly smile spreads across her pretty face. "Which one of my girls are you going after? Who is it Grey? Carolyn? Holly? Mallory? Please don't say Bree, that girl is nothing but trouble. Even for you!"
I'm about to speak when she stops me.
"Never mind, I'm sure I don't want to know. The only thing I will say is this. If you try out and if you make the team, I expect 110 percent from you and that's in rowing, not in screwing all the girls on the team! Are we clear?" She states as she stands letting me know that my time with her is up.
"Yes Coach, crystal clear." I say as I smile and shake her hand.
Well, operation light my up my Firecracker is well on its way!
Any person that attempts to obstruct me from my goal, which in this case is laying my claim on the Firecracker will rue the day they were born!
***Charles River***
APOV
"Ok everyone, let's get lined up!" Team Captain Tik yells out. "Check out the board to see what boat you're assigned to today and let's welcome Christian back to the team as well."
I turn to see Christian wearing a uni and oh Sweet Mother of God, the man looks incredible! He's rocking his uni and I cannot help but gaze down at his 'package'...the man is obviously blessed. He's wearing a long sleeve compression shirt under his uni but you can see very well just how defined and sculpted his upper body is.
I look to the assignment board and I notice that Noah and I are on the same boat and of course Noah is stroke! I cannot help but beam at him as we take our positions.
There are two other 8-boats that we will be racing against. I believe that Coach Bowness is trying to figure out who will be the lead 8-boat and who will be the number two 8-boat, the remaining team will be parlayed to doubles, quads and a few singles. I'm a little nervous but Noah reaches over and squeezes my knee.
"Relax Ana, we got this." He says as he grabs his oar.
"Ok team, ready positions." I say as I hear my heartbeat.
I'm suddenly nervous as I take a peek across from me and see Christian in the 8-boat with Stacie as his cox. We wait for the whistle and we're off!
Stacie's boat takes the lead over us but we know what we're doing, we have our strategy. We keep our strokes far below their pace and I can see that they are going all out. I remain calm and pick up the stroke rate once we reach the halfway point.
We are going steady with a power 10 stroke rate and I notice we are catching up to them as one of their rowers *caught a crab. I decide to make the winning move and call out to a power 20 stroke rate. We catch up to them but then I notice their rower that *caught the crab jumps out of the boat, therefore making their boat lighter which is what they needed since the lost an oar.
We are racing head to head, I can feel them right next to us and I can hear Stacie's calls. I focus and keep calm while Noah manages a great stroke rate for the team to follow. We reach the finish line and my team falls back in exhaustion. I notice team captain Tik, Jamini and Wattle lean over the boat and vomit. My poor team, they gave it their all and from the looks of the 8-boat that Stacie was coxing, the must have won.
Their team is just as exhausted but I can hear their cheers of delight and I notice the crew lifting Stacie up and throwing her in the water for their victory show.
Shit! I completely forgot about that! My team would have thrown me in the water had we won! How would I have handled that! I look at their team and they are as happy as can be. I catch Christian staring at me, he looks concerned but I look away and go back to my team.
"Hey guys, we gave it our all and remember this was just a practice. Nothing is set in stone. You all did great." I say as they all try to catch their breath. Rowing is a wonderful sport but when you race, you give it your all. You row so hard and so fast that at times you think you're going to pass out.
Rowing is not a sport to be taken lightly and neither is a loss, even if it is just a practice.
I approach Noah. He's laying down on the dock face up and I can tell he is upset. He really should be because we had no business losing that race, especially since their team was short one rower.
Noah knows that just as well as I do, but I won't say that to the team. No need to kick them when they're down. I mean we did just get our asses handed to us.
"Dammit Ana, that was awful!" Noah shouts.
"I know Noah, but keep your voice down. We don't want to bring the team down. We just need more practice, that's all." I say as I sit next to him while he's still trying to catch his breath.
"Did you see Christian at stroke seat? He was amazing, I saw him out of the corner of my eye. He can really keep the team in unison." Noah says.
"He hangs at the catch and he over thinks things. You're the number one stroke Noah, don't let him get in your head." I say as I give him a kiss.
Coach Bowness comes to the dock and says, "Well done everyone! Very well done everyone! We've done some evaluating and we are going to mix things up a bit. Before you leave practice today, check out the board and see what your assignment will be for tomorrow. That's it for today. Get the boats ready for tomorrow and set up the equipment for an early practice."
Everyone rushes to see what changes have been made but I stay with Noah and make sure he's ok. Noah will occasionally throw up after a race. It's a common thing that happens in rowing, the first time I saw him vomit I was completely freaked out. Now, it's just business as usual.
"Noah, are you ok? Can I get you anything?" I ask as I twirl my fingers in his hair.
"No baby, I'm fine. I think I'm just going to head back to the dorm and crash for a bit, I'm exhausted. They have ergs in the gym and I want to practice for a bit before the day is over."
"Ok," I say as I give him a kiss and with that I see him walk away, slightly dejected and it breaks my heart. He takes this competition so seriously, even though it's only practice.
I am so grateful that I have fairly good coxing skills because I have been able to improve Noah's rowing technique. He doesn't have the natural ability to row but he does have the passion. That combined with my ability to analyze where he needs improvement is what makes him the excellent rower he is today.
Team Captain Tik on the other hand, is a natural rower. Tik's skills are something that were already there, practice only enhances Tik's abilities. That's what makes the difference between a rower who practices hard to improve himself like Noah does or a natural rower like Tik whose skills come naturally and with practice makes Tik an elite rower.
I walk away lost in my thoughts and then I remember that I should check the board to see what changes have been made within the 8-boats.
I look for my name and I see the change in line ups. The first thing I notice is that Noah's name is not next to mine. The name I see, the person that will be in front of me in the stroke seat is Christian.
"So it looks like we'll be on the same boat for the next race." I'm started and jump to turn and see Christian standing right in front of me.
"It would appear so," I say calmly though I can hear my heart racing as I feel that pulling sensation when he is near me.
"Are you ok Firecracker? You look a little pale." He says as he edges closer to me.
"Yes, I'm uh...I'm fine. I'm just sort of nervous about the race tomorrow." I say quietly.
CPOV
"So you seem to believe that we will win the race tomorrow?" I say with a smirk.
"Well, I hope we do as I don't like to lose like I did today. You were great by the way." She says as her soft pouty bottom lip trembles.
"Thanks Firecracker, you guys did really well." I say even though we beat them hands down and we were still short one person!
"We did terrible but thanks for saying that." She says as she smiles at me and I get lost in her mesmerizing baby blues.
Does she feel it? Does she full the pulling sensation that is occurring between us. There is no denying it on my part but the Firecracker is so hard to read.
Frustrating little thing that she is, she's driving me insane and she doesn't even realize it!
Fuck!
She turns to walk away. I don't want her to leave me...ever.
"You're welcome Firecracker, I'll see you tomorrow?" I say hopefully like I'm asking a question in which I'm desperate for her reply to be in the positive.
She turns around before she leaves and says, "Try and stop me."
Her smile melts my almost non-existent cold heart.
My God Ana, what you do to me and you've not the slightest clue!
A/N
Have I told you all how much I love and appreciate your reviews? Well I'm telling you now! I love you all and I thank you so much!
Thank you to my lovely missreadingfool who helped co-write her dialogue between herself as "Coach Angie Bowness" and Christian Grey.
Hey! Do you like hot looking cowboys?
Well, picture this...Christian in tight jeans, a tight form-fitting t-shirt, cowboy boots and the pièce de résistance...leather chaps!
If that sort of thing gets your 'juices flowing', well do I have a story for you! Try reading Secrets of the Heart » by Author BabyGurl2012. I've not seen a "Cowboy Christian" type story as of yet. Check it out!
*Catching a crab is one of the worst, and most embarrassing, things that can happen while rowing. The term "catching crabs" refers to sticking an oar in the water and not being able to release it. When the oar fails to come out of the water, all of the forward momentum of the boat is focused on the offending oar, rigger, and oarsman behind it. If someone catches a crab, it looks as if the oar had hit a crab swimming in the water, stopping the oar dead in the water. Crabs are almost always devastating to the boat's speed and may even cause a small boat to flip.
I'm sorry so many of you are having a difficult time finding me on Facebook. I've updated my profile page here on the Fan Fiction Website and the link to my Facebook page is now on display. Just message me to let me know that you are a follower of either Meet At Graduation or Hanging At The Catch so I may accept your friend request.
Keep Reading, Keep Reviewing and Keep Smiling! :D
Rosie