Cody
I can't believe I just said all those things with a camera in my face, on a live stream. A live stream that would be visited now or later by a lot of people I knew. Including probably my parents.
I must've looked stupid as heck too, with my big red head and babbling, yet at the same time unable to get words out. But it was still easier than saying it with Mason standing in front of me. I'm sure I would've tripped over my words even more then.
"Did you drink something?" Coach Carta shoved a water bottle in my hand. He'd already turned to Britt, asking her the same question before I could answer.
The coach was a little short with me. I'm not sure if he approved of my speech. He didn't straight up say he thought it was bad, but it was a distraction and I knew he hated distractions. Then again, it would've been an even bigger distraction not to have tried to talk to Mace.
Noel assured me he'd make 'the smurf' watch the live stream if I had the balls to confess on camera. He also promised they'd be in time to watch the whole meet. There was no way I could check if he kept his word, but I couldn't help but glance at the audience every few seconds to see if Mace was there anyway.
"Could you stop your fiddling already? You're making me nervous." Britt pulled my cap and goggles, which I'd unconsciously been toying with, out of my hands.
"Sorry," I told Britt, and she shook her head and sighed.
"Cap me then? So you'll have something useful to do with your hands?"
"Yeah."
She and I were the only ones left still waiting for our first heat. Benjamin and Dylan had gone earlier, and they'd also looked happy to leave because of my fiddling.
It was almost time for me to head to my lane for the 100m freestyle, but there was no Mace in sight. I pulled Britt's cap on her head.
"Do you think Mason will make it here in time?" I asked her and the coach. "He never missed one of my bigger meets."
"For all our sakes, Lord, I hope so," Britt replied with a slight smile, patting her cap to check if I put it on well. "Either you end up dating this guy or we'll all be driven nuts before the end of the day."
Coach Carta dragged a hand up his forehead. He then grabbed me by the shoulders and looked right into my eyes. "Listen to me son: after that speech of yours? Mason would be crazy not to rush to you immediately. But even if he doesn't, even if he's not here for the meet, you can do it. You can win with or without Mason here. Got it? It's on you. Get on the blocks."
"...Yes coach."
The coach gave me only last firm pat on the back, Britt gave me a thumbs up, and then I started walking to my lane.
It was usually a lot quieter in my head. In general, but also right before diving into the water. I knew the competition was tough. I knew the time I wanted, which would qualify me for nationals. Taking the next step and doing what I gruesomely trained for: that's where my thoughts usually stopped. Now they were filled over the brim with Mason and how much I wanted him here.
I looked at the audience again, and saw my parents somewhere in the center. They waved when they saw me looking and I smiled at them. I saw Zoey and Yue a few rows down as well.
Yue explained what Mace thought was going on in the van, how he thought I was avoiding him because I'd found out the truth. And now he was not going make it to the meet because of some stupid misunderstanding. I wish I could just wait for him, but most of the guys next to me were already on their block.
I couldn't stall. I had to step on mine too.
"Cody!"
I automatically turned to where my name was being called.
"Cody!"
A very loud and very familiar whistling came from the stands, and there he was.
There Mace was, standing at the front of the audience, yelling my name, grinning, waving, whistling. He'd made it, and everything was right in the world again. Time seemed to slow down while my heart sped up. Noise drowned out. He was all I could see.
And then there was an angry red vein in my face.
"Cody what do you think you're doing son? Get on the block!" Coach Carta yelled. He pushed me forward, and only now I noticed the irritated looks from the other guys and the clerk. I shot them a quick, apologetic smile before stepping on my starting block.
I couldn't help glance at Mace one more time though. He was still grinning from ear to ear at me, even while Noel was forcing him down in a seat. I smiled back, and everything was as it should be.
I got into position.
"On your mark."
The start shot sounded and I was flying, gliding, hands slicing through the water with each stroke. I was in a rush, not even only to arrive at the end first but also reach Mace. And before I knew it, I did.
First.
In a blur of applause, euphoria and most of all: Mace giving me standing ovation, I lifted myself out of the water. Dylan and Benjamin, who had finished their heat, and Britt, were also cheering at the side of the pool as I quickly asked my time.
I was slightly less happy to see coach Carta waving me over. I'm sure he wanted to talk times and improvements right away. Have a thirty minute rant if I was unlucky. That was thirty minutes longer that I couldn't talk to Mason.
I reluctantly went over to the coach and told him my time, which he noted down. He peered at me from over his reading glasses. From his expression it was hard to tell whether he was happy or not, until he finally spoke up.
"You did well kid," he said. "We're dipping below that 50 seconds mark which you need to qualify."
"But...?" I asked, pleading to the coach in silence to let me go, even though I knew he must have something to say about my stroke. My eyes kept gliding towards Mace, who was standing at the front of the stands pushed up against the bars. He looked just as eager to talk to me, but knew he wasn't allowed to come on deck.
"I'm expecting you to do even better in the finals," coach Carta said. "I've noticed--"
I finally tore my eyes off of Mace when the coach suddenly stopped talking. He had crossed his arms in front of his chest, and I realized he was annoyed because I didn't look at him. Wasn't really listening either.
"Sorry coach."
The coach's brows scrunched, but then his eyes ever so slightly softened. I almost started to think I'd imagined it, but then he ruffled my hair. "Oh you little-- Go on then. Go get the guy. But I'm expecting you back as soon as possible."
"Thank you coach!"
I only paused at our waiting area to throw a towel over my shoulders. I didn't wait for Dylan, Benjamin or Britt to catch up to me. I walked as fast as I could, amazingly enough only tripping over my own feet once.
Mason's eyes came alive when he saw me. Zoey, Yue and Noel were with him though, and I was also quite aware of my parents' presence in the crowd. They were in for a shocker, but it would work out. I had faith in them. Maybe they low-key knew about me and Mace, because especially mothers seemed to sense these things.
The last few steps towards Mason, my stomach filled with butterflies. I'd given my speech on camera in front of all these people like Noel dared me to. I knew what I wanted to say. But I didn't know how to start saying it now that I was right in front of him, and had his eyes on me. Not to mention lots of other onlookers did too. I felt my cheeks heat up.
"Um, hi," came out of my mouth.
"Hi," Mason replied. He was no longer smiling broadly or cheering, suddenly didn't seem to know how to act either.
"Oh for fuck's sake start talking already! We're all about to burst here!" Zoey called out loudly after a few painfully silent seconds.
"Yeah, I want to hear I was right," Noel added, elbowing Mace, "So who's the master matchmaker smurf? Also, a thank you for getting you here in time wouldn't be too misplaced, would it?"
"Not now!" Zoey and Yue snapped in chorus.
Mace was blushing, not returning fire at Noel with some witty comeback like usual. Shy Mason. That wasn't a sight I saw a lot.
"So, you did really well," he said, shuffling his feet.
"I only swam so fast so I could get to you faster," I admitted truthfully, and Mace's cheeks became even redder.
I wanted to step closer to him, but it was really weird with Zoey, Yue and Noel staring at us with broad grins. I glanced at them, and Yue promptly cleared her throat and took out her phone to stare at instead. Zoey followed her example, and even Noel, who often ignored social rules, winked at me and then made a show of casually looking the other way.
"I was never dating Zoey," Mace blurted, making me turn back to him. "I lied because I was just scared of losing you." He bit his lip. "I'm sorry."
I shook my head. I wasn't entirely blameless either. "And I didn't want to shut you out. I just couldn't handle the thought of you dating someone else. I'm sorry too."
"God, get a room already!" Noel, who's patience and willingness to behave was apparently up, remarked. He was quickly shushed by Yue again.
"Don't you want to go stuff your mouth with some food in the cafeteria?" Zoey sweetly asked, ushering Noel away from us. "Before I stuff it with your feet?"
I watched them go, and then Mason stepped close to me. Closer than usual. It felt different too. Something in the way he looked at me, the intensity of it, made me feel a little lightheaded.
"I'll definitely be there every meet from now on Codybear," he said softly. "And when you go to the Olympics. And after that, too."
His hands brushed against mine, making my skin tingle all the way to my spine in a pleasant way. His lips found mine too.
I faintly heard what I think were Britt, Dylan and Benjamin whoop and clap in the background, but I didn't care who was watching anymore.
Kissing Mace felt warmer than being wrapped in a fluffy towel after the cold water. It felt good. Very good. Maybe too good, because I had to pull back to slip the towel from my shoulders and casually tie it around my waist. Before things would get too awkward.
"So," I said, unable to keep myself from smiling ear to ear. "When two guys go on a holiday together and sleep in one bed again, does that make them gay?"
Mason grinned too, making the dimples I loved so much show. "No," he replied. "But when we sleep in one bed... Trust me, it will definitely be gay. Extremely gay."
And then he kissed me again.
fin.
And there's the happy end. Yay. c: Thanks for reading!