Gabi
It's been two weeks since I started practicing with Alex again. And, to my surprise, it has been two amazingly productive, as well as unforgettable, weeks. He hasn't yelled at me anymore; has not raised his voice even once. He also hasn't been acting arrogant or stubborn. Furthermore, he acted like I was his equal, a champion too. He patiently pointed out what I did wrong and then showed me how I could do it right and improve my technique. I was literally amused by his calmness. He was like a completely different person.
There is something that hasn't changed. He tries not to look at me when I’m not in the pool. When he talks to me, he constantly changes the subject when I try to ask something personal like why he quit competing. He doesn't get angry anymore; he just blows me off by talking about different stuff. Although he’s told me a lot about his parents, especially that his mom is very kind and that he talks to her almost every day because she's so worried about him.
I don't ask why she's so worried when he doesn't talk to her for more than two days. I know that something bad happened; I can feel it in my gut. I just don't know what exactly. When I saw him having that panic attack, I knew he had probably been through a lot. No one starts to experience them for no reason. But I am too afraid to ask, although I know it is probably connected to the reason why he quit swimming.
I have to admit that I like the new Alex Meyers. He's definitely a lot better than the one I saw when we first met. He’s even started acting calmer to his other students during our general practice, or so I thought.
There were a couple of moments when I felt uncomfortable next to him, but not because of his temper. It's because of that vibe that comes from him. When I get out of the pool after our lesson, I can see him examining me from afar, but he always pulls his gaze away when I look at him.
He also does not come very close to me, at least not anymore. At first, he tried to show me how to position my feet correctly for the jump, and he touched my ankle when I didn't understand with words. And then it happened. Again, a slight electric current passed between us, just like when he helped me get up from the rock after apologizing.
I instantly felt aroused when he stroked my ankle, even though I barely understood what that meant. But if attraction is when you feel like you want more, that was definitely it—pure passion that I want to feel once more. And then more and more, until I've had enough. If I ever really have enough, because each time I look at Alex Meyers, something indescribable awakens in me. I have never experienced that in my entire life.
But after that day, Alex stopped coming closer than five feet away from me. He stopped not only touching me but also looking at me for more than five seconds. He always turns away as if he's ashamed of what happened between us. But I know that he feels it too, that indescribable lust that is so thick it could be cut by a knife when we're together.
But there’s no way I'll ever be able to tell him how I feel or make the first move.
I run to Alex's office as soon as my last lesson is over. When I don't have swimming practice at school during the day, we always do an extra hour to compensate. That's how I get three to four hours of training each day, even on weekends. We usually practice at school on weekends, even though we live next to each other and both have pools at home.
But the first time I suggested that we should practice at my place because my pool is half Olympic size, which is enough for practice, Alex refused, saying that it would be unprofessional. Yes, I got upset, and not because I have to spend time in traffic jams on my way to school and back, but because I lost my chance to train with Alex alone, which I really wanted to, I must confess.
It's not like we're not alone in the swimming pool at school, even though sometimes we're not, because other students practice. It's more because there are other people at school during our lesson, and I know for sure that Alex won't risk his reputation and kiss me when we can get caught. Not that I want to, but...
Who am I trying to fool? From the moment he apologized, the only thing I’ve wanted is to feel his lips on mine again. Those full light rose lips, those unshaven cheeks, that deep smell of wood and peppermint from his shaving gel...
I can feel the need between my legs, and I urge myself to stop thinking about him that way. He's my coach and a school staff member; it's forbidden to have a relationship between a teacher and a student, even if I'm of legal age.
I force myself to open the door to Alex's office. I do it without knocking because I'm too lost in my fantasies.
But what I see makes all of those dreams evaporate in a second. Meredith Taylor is sitting on Alex's desk wearing a top and a sweatshirt with a zipper that is entirely open. She's reaching her hand to Alex and probably was going to stroke him before I entered.
My legs start shaking, and I feel something inside me tear away.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't..." I say too quietly.
I see Meredith's smirk and Alex's shock, and that's when I decide to not say anything more and simply walk away.
"Gabi, stop," Alex shouts after me, but I do not stop. "Gabrielle!"
I feel tears in my eyes, but I force myself not to cry. I can't. I just can't let him see how badly I'm hurt because that would show that he means something to me.
I only wanted to tell him that I passed my math test earlier and we could start practice.
I didn't know that 'Miss United States', as we call her, would also be there.
I want to run, but I force myself to stay. Instead, I walk to the changing room to prepare for swimming.
Chapter Fifteen
Alex
"Gabrielle!" I yell once again, trying to stop her from running away. Even though I know it's in vain, she's not going to come back.
"Relax," says Meredith, and I look at her. "Nothing happened, right?" She winks at me as if it's funny. "Even if we had been kissing, school policy doesn't forbid a relationship between teachers."
I look lower at Meredith's open sweatshirt and almost invisible top, revealing her enormous breasts. This woman just came in a couple of minutes ago. How the hell had she managed to open her sweatshirt already?