Amnesiac swimmer

Chapter 4: James Miller

- Snowfall -

01:43 ━━━━●───── 03:50

After 'Marie' met the coach, he sent us to the locker room to change while he talked with her. We barely got through the door, and Liam stopped everyone. Liam and I have been friends since he moved to our town and joined the swimming club. It's been two years now. He is the youngest of our group.

"Alright, I'm going to wait here: so I can show her around."

"Oh, don't worry, Demonia already knows the way. "

We start walking again and I turn to look at Silver. I notice only now but he gave her a weird nickname. 

"Why do you call 'Marie' Demonia?" I ask.

I look at him, he's shaking. 

"Did you see her stare? Or when she's mad? James, she lives with you, you see what I mean."

Now they look at me. Silver is right. 'Marie' is even more intimidating when she's mad.

"Well ... yeah, she is."

" I'm sure you guys are exaggerating," laugh Liam.

Liam can be friends with anyone. He adapts to people he meets but still stays the same. I know it sounds weird but that's how he can be friends with us and the rest of the school at the same time. He will be 'Marie' first friend.

" No, Liam, 'Marie' can be scary, I assure you."

"Rebecca, what do you think? She's next to you in class, right?"

Rebecca shrugs her shoulders and enters a cabin. Liam smiles and enters the next one. We change, put our bags in the locker, and join the pool. The coach is already there, without 'Marie'. He writes the beginning of today's training on the board and greets us. The rest of the club arrived.

"Today, I'm testing a potential new member so I'm going to take line 6, Alright?"

We nodded. He claps his hand, happy, and turns to the board. I feel like we're going to suffer today: he's too happy for 'normal' training. 

"Cool, today we start with a 200m freestyle, then the same with a pool boy."

He looks far behind us and smiles. 'Marie' is here. He sent us to our line with a menace of a 400m butterfly if we don't start quickly. I go in line 4 with Max and Liam. Silver and Rebecca are in line three. While I take my materials, I watch the coach and 'Marie'. My friend sighs.

"James, she's going to be fine, says Max. It's just a test."

"Liam, what's the test? I forgot."

"I don't know, why do you ask me?" He says.

"You are the last one who passed it. I assumed you would remember."  Respond Silver.

"It's a 100m medley," says Max." Does she know how to swim butterfly?"

We looked at each other. I didn't check. I'm an idiot. We look at the coach and 'Marie' talking. She counts four with her finger and he approves. At least she knows the four strokes but does she know how to swim them? If she swam before her accident she might remember how to. At the hospital, I told her that our body never forgets, but will her body remember after three months without swimming and memory loss?

The coach looks at us. We're the only ones out of the water. The rest of the club has already started their 200m.

"Crap, he spotted us," says Max. "Come on, Reb!"

He pushes her into the water and jumps right after. Liam laughs and dives into the pool. Antoine is still staring at us. Silver sighs and turns, he walks to the wall.

"Let's go, James, I'm sure she learned it before coming here."

On those words, he dives into the water. I know "Marie" learned it but swimming butterfly after three months...maybe am I overeating? It's not like she's gonna drown or run out of air... actually, she can. Before leaving France, she suddenly couldn't talk or breathe when she had to say goodbye to Doctor Vidal. He said it was due to the stress. I don't think she's stressed right now ... oh my god I can't read this girl! Why is it so complicated-?

"James!"

"Ah- Antoi- I mean- yes, coach?"

" In the water, now! Let me deal with 'Marie'."

I don't want to swim the 400m butterfly so I dive into the water immediately. I don't understand why I'm so stressed. I make my turn, push the wall, and finish my first 50m. I didn't hear anyone dive in the pool-nevermind. I look to my right and see 'Marie' sliding out of a cloud of bubbles. She reaches the surface and starts the butterfly. She knows how to swim it. I must slow down to keep my eyes on her without getting neck pain. Turn and backstroke. She knows how to swim it too, incredible. Liam passes me and stops at the wall. He stops me.

"She's doing good."

"Yeah, look at this breaststroke. It's not as good as Silver's but it's better than mine."

He nods his head.

"So, are you feeling a little relieved?"

We look at 'Marie' coming back in the crawl. Her hand touches the wall and Liam disappears back in the water. Oh right, the coach! Before he turned to look at me, I went back swimming. Now he's going to tell her about the club and who is who. Maybe he's going to let her finish the training with us. And- who grabbed my feet?

"James."

"Max, don't surprise me like that."

"Thank you, Max. James, I need to talk to you."

My best friend leaves as I get out of the water. We walk away from the pool so his papers doesn't get wet. He looks at me.

"Don't worry she passed."

I sigh.

"Usually, I would put her in Haddie's group so she could get better with people of her level and have some challenges, like you. But I don't think it would fit her. From what I've seen and what you've told me, 'Marie' will be fine in line 6."

" With Liam?"

"Yes, Line 6 with Liam. I'm not putting her with you because if you are going to babysit her during training, I don't see the point in keeping you two in the club."

"I'm fine with it even though I don't understand how you came to this conclusion."

"She wants her memories, you want good results as a swimmer. It doesn't go together. But Liam wants to make new friends and Max wants challenges. So you go with Max, and Liam with her, alright?"

I nod my head. He smiles and puts his paper away. I look around but I don't see 'Marie'. I ask the coach and he smiles. He did something I can sense it.

"I sent her back, I gave her your keys, which were in your bag," he laughs.