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Leena came to consciousness slowly and early the next
morning. It was still dark outside her window while she lay curled under the
covers adapting to the room. The brightness of her alarm clock display and
the sound of Tianna snoring softly in her sleep.
*what should i do with myself till class?* leena thought. She reviewed the
e-mail she recieved about school facilities: gym, library - she scrolled
through them in her head. Indoor and outdoor pools... *yes* she thought *a
morning swim to wake the body*
Leena extracted herself from the covers and pulled a swimsuit out of her
drawer. After braiding her hair she dressed in the 2 piece racer-back speedo
and covered it with shorts and a tank-top packing her gym bag with a towel
and hair brush she headed to the door.
Leena glanced back at the still sleeping tiger. Time was when Leena couldn't
open her eyes in the morning without instantly feeling the reasuring warmth
of the feline tounge on her face indicating it was time to wake. Tianna was
aging and Leena thought it best to let her sleep and slid quietly out the
door picking up her shoes on the way.
Leena arrived at the pools a few minutes later and nodded to the lifeguard in
his office as she entered the indoor deck. Leena looked out the expanse of
windows to watch the suns first rays peek out over the horizon.
Leena turned at the sound of a person swimming in the pool behind her.
*guess i'm not the only early riser* she thought as she started to shed her
clothes.
She recognized the boy in the lane three down from her and tried to remember
his name. *he was at my party the other day... he gave me the tiger... what
was his name... Tony? Tommy? Terry... that's it... terry...*
Leena poised on the platform and launched off smoothly entering the water and
settling into a steady front stroke. A few laps later Leena became aware of a
swimmer in the lane next to her, and they were gaining on her. Leena pushed a
little harder to hit the wall before the other did and surfaced to look at
her impromtu compeditor, it was Terry.
Terry looked at her and smiled. "Now how bout a real race?"
Leena smiled softly. "Never could turn down a challenge."
Terry smiled again. "Four lengths any style."
"you're on."
"ready?" Terry asked. Leena nodded. "1, 2, 3, GO!!"
Leena and Terry swam together. Two lengths saw the pair neck and neck. At the
beginning of the third length Terry began pulling ahead. Leena saw him hit
the wall at the end of the third length. She went into the last turn hard and
pushed off with all her strength, staying under as long as she could. Leena
surfaced and swam focusing on the finish, she didn't look up till she hit the
wall and saw Terry just reaching the finish.
Leena closed her eyes and took a deep breath, she had won. What a great way
to start a new day.
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