Land and Sea
Wow, three posts in one day. I am an idiot. But I need to post this now.
Ok, so here's that story I have to write for Creative Writing. Anyone who wants to, please read it and leave comments. I want to fix it up a bit before I present it. It's unbeta'd, so please forgive any grammar issues. And also please point them out so I can fix them.
Title: Land And Sea (this is subject to change if someone can give me something better. And that shouldn't be hard
Word Count: 2,333
Summary: Carrie is a ballerina. Jason is a swimmer. They have nothing in common. Until they find out Jason is Carrie's brother's swimming instructor. (I'm trying desperately not to make it too cliché. The summary isn't helping, but I promise it's better than the summary suggests
“Can we stop for fries?”
“Jake I said no. You’re going to swimming lessons, you can’t eat right before it. You’ll get a cramp and sink and die.”
“That’s not true, it’s just a myth.”
“Not to Mom.”
“I won’t tell her if you don’t.”
“And I won’t tell her you’re trying to con me into something you know she said ‘no’ to. Just put your ipod on and leave me alone.”
Jake responded by sticking his tongue out at his sister, who rolled her eyes at him through her rearview mirror. As soon as the headphones were securely in his ears, Carrie switched from the radio to a CD. Once the classical music began to flow through the speakers, she instantly relaxed. In her head she danced the ballet routine she’d been practicing for months now.
And glissade, saut de chat, prepare pirouette, fouetté, fouetté, land pas de bourrée.
In her mind she didn’t have the same flaws that were always appearing in class. Her wrists curved beautifully instead of bending at an awkward angle. She didn’t lose her balance on the fouettés. Her imagination made her a little taller even; she was rather short for a dancer, standing only 5’5. She was every bit the beautiful ballerina that she had dreamed of since she was a child.
When she pulled up to the YMCA, Carrie was tempted to just dump her brother off outside and not even get out of the car. But the little snitch would run back to Mom and complain and she wouldn’t get the pointe shoes she so desperately needed. So with a sigh, she pulled into an empty parking space and shut the car off, the music breaking just as the crescendo was building.
“What time is this class over again?” Carrie asked, climbing out of the car.
“5:30.”
“Your class is only an hour long?”
“Not everyone is a freak like you who can go for three hours at a time.”
“I’m not a freak, I’m dedicated,” Carrie shot back, putting her keys in her purse. They walked inside, “I guess I’ll just stick around then. By the time I go somewhere I’ll have to just turn around and come back.”
“Oh what a sacrifice you make for me,” Jake mumbled.
“I heard that. Where did you get that mouth?”
“I was born with it.”
“Smart ass.”
Jake pointed to a door that read ‘Boys Locker Room’, “I have to go change. You can go wait at the pool, my instructor should be there. Just follow the smell of chlorine.”
Carrie gave a short, annoyed wave before turning away and continuing down the hall. Jake wasn’t kidding when he said to follow the smell, she felt like she was already in a pool by the time she was 100 feet away. When she pushed the door open the stench nearly knocked her over. Wasn’t it a bad sign if you could smell the chlorine? Didn’t that mean there was too much? Carrie figured it was a precaution for when kids peed in the pool.
There were only a few people in the water when she walked closer. A few kids about Jake’s age, probably other students in his class, were stretching out their legs at the side of the pool, a boy with dark hair was swimming methodically in the middle lane, an older gentleman was doing the breaststroke on the far side of the pool, and a loud trio of girls were jumping off the diving board and causing a general racket. Carrie carefully found a dry spot on the bleachers that overlooked the pool (it was harder than it sounded), and proceeded to extend her feet out to the row in front of her and stretch out her hamstrings.
The old man changed to a backstroke just as Jake walked in, now clad in his swimsuit, a towel around his shoulders. This he tossed to Carrie, landing it on her head as she ducked it down to deepen the stretch. She fought the urge to throw it in the pool, and instead placed it in the puddle next to her.
The dark haired boy swam over to the kids congregating on the side of the pool. “Everyone in the water. Do a few laps freestyle to warm up.”
Carrie was surprised Jake didn’t cannonball and try to splash her. Maybe he didn’t want to look like an idiot in front of his instructor. Which he was. The teacher hoisted himself out of the pool, water dripping from his hair and suit. He shook his head as he padded across the tile to a pen next to the bleachers that held an assortment of pool toys and aides. Carrie couldn’t stop looking at him. He must have sensed this for he looked up at her.
“Hey,” he said, pushing some netting out of his way.
“Hi,” she replied, smiling a little in an embarrassed way.
“Here to swim?”
“No, I’m waiting for my brother,” she pointed to Jake, who was swimming rather well next to a few other boys.
“Ah. Ok.”
This was one of those awkward moments where the polite conversation was over, but neither party knew how to excuse themselves.
“Well, I have to go teach now.”
That would work.
“Yeah, of course. I’ll um, just sit here and watch then.”
He selected a red lifeguard tube and returned to the pool.
Carrie could tell he was a good teacher. Anyone who could hold Jake’s attention must know what he’s doing. Her normally impatient, pushy brother was attentive and clearly very dedicated. Other swimmers stopped or slowed down when they were tired, but Jake kept going. He won every race he was set in.
The dark haired boy was an excellent swimmer. He looked so at home in the water. The last time she swam was when she was nine, at the town pool with some friends. She used to press her legs together and pretend she was a mermaid. She could never kick hard enough to tread water. One time the lifeguard swam over, thinking she was drowning. Some mermaid. This boy was graceful and strong, every movement as fluid as the water that passed him. His arms propelled him forward as he demonstrated the proper technique for a butterfly. Carrie never knew that swimming could be so beautiful. It was like watching Coppélia, with him as the inventor that brought his doll to life. His strokes were a dance, and she couldn’t keep her eyes away. Before she knew it, the class had ended.
As Jake and the other students went to the locker rooms to change (Jake moaning about his soaking wet towel), the instructor pushed himself from the pool and returned the red tube. He nodded at Carrie as he passed.
“You’re very good,” Carrie said, just as he was walking away.
He stopped abruptly, “Um, thank you,” he said, turning back around to look at her.
“I mean um, my brother. I’ve never seen him so into something.”
“He’s a natural, it has nothing to do with me.”
“Well you’re a natural too, you look amazing. Um, I mean, when you swim.”
She blushed. He smiled.
“I’m Jason.”
“Carrie.”
He offered his wet hand and she shook it.
“Do you swim?”
Carrie shook her head, “No. I dance.”
“Oh really?”
“Yeah. Ballet. Swimming is my brother’s thing.”
“I’ve never seen you here before.”
“My mom’s away at a conference. I have to chauffer Jake around till she comes back.”
“You should take class while you’re here.”
“Oh no way, I can’t swim for anything.”
“Sure you can, it’s like riding a bike.”
Carrie just smiled and shook her head.
Jason grabbed a towel hanging off the edge of the pen, “So how long have you been dancing?” he asked as he ran the towel over his hair.
“Since I was three.”
“Wow,” Jason said, clearly impressed, “So it’s your passion huh?”
“If by passion you mean something I love to do, something I can’t imagine not doing? Then yeah. Is swimming yours?”
“By your definition. I wouldn’t be teaching it otherwise.”
“That’s great. That’s really-”
“Ew Carrie, are you hitting on Mr. H?”
Carrie buried her face in her palm, “Jake you are such a…” she trailed off, not wanting to curse her brother out in front of a stranger.
Jason chuckled, “Well this has been… awkward.”
“Yeah. That’s a good word for it,” Carrie agreed, her face red.
“I have to go um…”
“Yeah, us too. Come on Jake.”
She steered her brother away with a forceful hand on the shoulder.
“You are so nasty,” Jake said just as the door swung shut behind them. As soon as they were gone, Jason turned around and dove back into the pool.
Carrie hated running errands. It was day four of her mother’s conference, she was due home in three days, and Carrie wasn’t sure she was going to make it. Grocery shopping, trips to the bank, driving Jake to school before going to her own classes then picking him up again, it was making her nuts. She didn’t have time to practice before her ballet classes, which means she wasn’t getting any better, her homework was piling up on her, and her already short temper with her brother was being severely tested.
She walked briskly down the street, trying to get to the CVS before it closed so she could get markers and tape and poster boards for Jake’s project that was due tomorrow that he’d only just remembered. He refused to walk to get it, and if she drove, she’d have to stop at the bank (again) to get money for gas. Which she’d have to do soon anyway, but she was willing to put it off until tomorrow so that she could spend the night locked in her room practicing.
Her head was bent low to fight back the wind she was creating. She stared at her feet as she walked, feeling the ache in her shins. She wasn’t a runner, her muscles were formed differently, and she didn’t use these that much. She slowed down a little; if Jake didn’t get his stuff right away it was his own fault, not hers. She looked up to judge how much further she had to go, and promptly bumped into someone. The person must have had some momentum going because it knocked her backwards against a lamppost.
“Oh God, I’m sorry,” she said quickly. The other person fell to the ground.
“No no, it’s ok, it was me. I wasn’t watching where I was going,” he said head bent down, clearly embarrassed.
Carrie offered an arm to help the man up. He looked up.
It was Jake’s swimming instructor. The one she’d met a few days ago.
“Hi,” she said. She could see him trying to place her in his mind. Maybe he didn’t recognize her.
“Oh hi!” he replied with that voice that sounded confident, but clearly meant ‘I have no clue who you are’. He took her arm and she pulled him to his feet.
“Carrie,” she offered, trying to jog his memory. She also had an ulterior motive, hoping that he would in turn repeat his name, and she wouldn’t look like a fool.
“Oh right, Jake’s sister. How are you?”
Plan backfired.
“I’m alright. Getting some things for Jake right now, he’s got a project due.”
“Oh ok. I’m actually heading to do some swimming.”
He was fidgeting and looked a bit anxious. He kept biting his lip.
“You okay?” she asked, pointing to his arm, which looked scratched, probably from where he fell.
“What? Oh wow,” he said, just noticing it, “Yeah, it’ll be fine. The chlorine will clean it out.”
She reached out her hand to see how deep the cut was, and he pulled his arm away quickly.
“I should go. I don’t want to hold you up.”
“Uh, yeah,” she said, taken slightly aback.
“Sorry I bumped into you. I’m kinda klutzy when I’m not in water. It’s weird.”
“No no, I understand. It seems like every time I finish a routine, I trip on something. Usually my own two feet.”
He laughed at that, just a slight chuckle, probably just to be polite, but it made Carrie feel good. He seemed tense.
“I’ll see you later then,” she said.
He started to walk away, and just as he crossed the street, his name sprang to her mind.
“Jason!” she called out. He stopped and turned back around.
She paused, not really having anything to say. She was just so proud of herself for remembering his name that she felt the need to say it.
“Um, when’s a good time to go take lessons?”
Even from across the street, she could see him smile.
“I’m there every day. Just stop by and we’ll talk.”
She waved as he turned back around and started off. She watched his back until he turned down another street, out of her sight. Finally, she continued her walk to CVS, her mind on what she could possibly have been thinking. She hated swimming, had zero interest in taking lessons of any sort, and had little to no free time even when her mother was home. She was an idiot for getting herself into this. She could have said anything in the world, but she had to say ‘Hey, when can I take swimming lessons?’ Moron. She could have stayed silent and not shouted his name just because she’d remembered it. That would have avoided the whole predicament. She rolled her eyes at herself as she walked past the automatic doors into the store. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. Maybe she would just take one class, and that would be that. She hadn’t signed anything yet. The only thing she’d agreed to was to go talk to him. That was something she could do. She’d deal with the rest once it came.
Ok, so here's that story I have to write for Creative Writing. Anyone who wants to, please read it and leave comments. I want to fix it up a bit before I present it. It's unbeta'd, so please forgive any grammar issues. And also please point them out so I can fix them.
Title: Land And Sea (this is subject to change if someone can give me something better. And that shouldn't be hard
Word Count: 2,333
Summary: Carrie is a ballerina. Jason is a swimmer. They have nothing in common. Until they find out Jason is Carrie's brother's swimming instructor. (I'm trying desperately not to make it too cliché. The summary isn't helping, but I promise it's better than the summary suggests
“Can we stop for fries?”
“Jake I said no. You’re going to swimming lessons, you can’t eat right before it. You’ll get a cramp and sink and die.”
“That’s not true, it’s just a myth.”
“Not to Mom.”
“I won’t tell her if you don’t.”
“And I won’t tell her you’re trying to con me into something you know she said ‘no’ to. Just put your ipod on and leave me alone.”
Jake responded by sticking his tongue out at his sister, who rolled her eyes at him through her rearview mirror. As soon as the headphones were securely in his ears, Carrie switched from the radio to a CD. Once the classical music began to flow through the speakers, she instantly relaxed. In her head she danced the ballet routine she’d been practicing for months now.
And glissade, saut de chat, prepare pirouette, fouetté, fouetté, land pas de bourrée.
In her mind she didn’t have the same flaws that were always appearing in class. Her wrists curved beautifully instead of bending at an awkward angle. She didn’t lose her balance on the fouettés. Her imagination made her a little taller even; she was rather short for a dancer, standing only 5’5. She was every bit the beautiful ballerina that she had dreamed of since she was a child.
When she pulled up to the YMCA, Carrie was tempted to just dump her brother off outside and not even get out of the car. But the little snitch would run back to Mom and complain and she wouldn’t get the pointe shoes she so desperately needed. So with a sigh, she pulled into an empty parking space and shut the car off, the music breaking just as the crescendo was building.
“What time is this class over again?” Carrie asked, climbing out of the car.
“5:30.”
“Your class is only an hour long?”
“Not everyone is a freak like you who can go for three hours at a time.”
“I’m not a freak, I’m dedicated,” Carrie shot back, putting her keys in her purse. They walked inside, “I guess I’ll just stick around then. By the time I go somewhere I’ll have to just turn around and come back.”
“Oh what a sacrifice you make for me,” Jake mumbled.
“I heard that. Where did you get that mouth?”
“I was born with it.”
“Smart ass.”
Jake pointed to a door that read ‘Boys Locker Room’, “I have to go change. You can go wait at the pool, my instructor should be there. Just follow the smell of chlorine.”
Carrie gave a short, annoyed wave before turning away and continuing down the hall. Jake wasn’t kidding when he said to follow the smell, she felt like she was already in a pool by the time she was 100 feet away. When she pushed the door open the stench nearly knocked her over. Wasn’t it a bad sign if you could smell the chlorine? Didn’t that mean there was too much? Carrie figured it was a precaution for when kids peed in the pool.
There were only a few people in the water when she walked closer. A few kids about Jake’s age, probably other students in his class, were stretching out their legs at the side of the pool, a boy with dark hair was swimming methodically in the middle lane, an older gentleman was doing the breaststroke on the far side of the pool, and a loud trio of girls were jumping off the diving board and causing a general racket. Carrie carefully found a dry spot on the bleachers that overlooked the pool (it was harder than it sounded), and proceeded to extend her feet out to the row in front of her and stretch out her hamstrings.
The old man changed to a backstroke just as Jake walked in, now clad in his swimsuit, a towel around his shoulders. This he tossed to Carrie, landing it on her head as she ducked it down to deepen the stretch. She fought the urge to throw it in the pool, and instead placed it in the puddle next to her.
The dark haired boy swam over to the kids congregating on the side of the pool. “Everyone in the water. Do a few laps freestyle to warm up.”
Carrie was surprised Jake didn’t cannonball and try to splash her. Maybe he didn’t want to look like an idiot in front of his instructor. Which he was. The teacher hoisted himself out of the pool, water dripping from his hair and suit. He shook his head as he padded across the tile to a pen next to the bleachers that held an assortment of pool toys and aides. Carrie couldn’t stop looking at him. He must have sensed this for he looked up at her.
“Hey,” he said, pushing some netting out of his way.
“Hi,” she replied, smiling a little in an embarrassed way.
“Here to swim?”
“No, I’m waiting for my brother,” she pointed to Jake, who was swimming rather well next to a few other boys.
“Ah. Ok.”
This was one of those awkward moments where the polite conversation was over, but neither party knew how to excuse themselves.
“Well, I have to go teach now.”
That would work.
“Yeah, of course. I’ll um, just sit here and watch then.”
He selected a red lifeguard tube and returned to the pool.
Carrie could tell he was a good teacher. Anyone who could hold Jake’s attention must know what he’s doing. Her normally impatient, pushy brother was attentive and clearly very dedicated. Other swimmers stopped or slowed down when they were tired, but Jake kept going. He won every race he was set in.
The dark haired boy was an excellent swimmer. He looked so at home in the water. The last time she swam was when she was nine, at the town pool with some friends. She used to press her legs together and pretend she was a mermaid. She could never kick hard enough to tread water. One time the lifeguard swam over, thinking she was drowning. Some mermaid. This boy was graceful and strong, every movement as fluid as the water that passed him. His arms propelled him forward as he demonstrated the proper technique for a butterfly. Carrie never knew that swimming could be so beautiful. It was like watching Coppélia, with him as the inventor that brought his doll to life. His strokes were a dance, and she couldn’t keep her eyes away. Before she knew it, the class had ended.
As Jake and the other students went to the locker rooms to change (Jake moaning about his soaking wet towel), the instructor pushed himself from the pool and returned the red tube. He nodded at Carrie as he passed.
“You’re very good,” Carrie said, just as he was walking away.
He stopped abruptly, “Um, thank you,” he said, turning back around to look at her.
“I mean um, my brother. I’ve never seen him so into something.”
“He’s a natural, it has nothing to do with me.”
“Well you’re a natural too, you look amazing. Um, I mean, when you swim.”
She blushed. He smiled.
“I’m Jason.”
“Carrie.”
He offered his wet hand and she shook it.
“Do you swim?”
Carrie shook her head, “No. I dance.”
“Oh really?”
“Yeah. Ballet. Swimming is my brother’s thing.”
“I’ve never seen you here before.”
“My mom’s away at a conference. I have to chauffer Jake around till she comes back.”
“You should take class while you’re here.”
“Oh no way, I can’t swim for anything.”
“Sure you can, it’s like riding a bike.”
Carrie just smiled and shook her head.
Jason grabbed a towel hanging off the edge of the pen, “So how long have you been dancing?” he asked as he ran the towel over his hair.
“Since I was three.”
“Wow,” Jason said, clearly impressed, “So it’s your passion huh?”
“If by passion you mean something I love to do, something I can’t imagine not doing? Then yeah. Is swimming yours?”
“By your definition. I wouldn’t be teaching it otherwise.”
“That’s great. That’s really-”
“Ew Carrie, are you hitting on Mr. H?”
Carrie buried her face in her palm, “Jake you are such a…” she trailed off, not wanting to curse her brother out in front of a stranger.
Jason chuckled, “Well this has been… awkward.”
“Yeah. That’s a good word for it,” Carrie agreed, her face red.
“I have to go um…”
“Yeah, us too. Come on Jake.”
She steered her brother away with a forceful hand on the shoulder.
“You are so nasty,” Jake said just as the door swung shut behind them. As soon as they were gone, Jason turned around and dove back into the pool.
Carrie hated running errands. It was day four of her mother’s conference, she was due home in three days, and Carrie wasn’t sure she was going to make it. Grocery shopping, trips to the bank, driving Jake to school before going to her own classes then picking him up again, it was making her nuts. She didn’t have time to practice before her ballet classes, which means she wasn’t getting any better, her homework was piling up on her, and her already short temper with her brother was being severely tested.
She walked briskly down the street, trying to get to the CVS before it closed so she could get markers and tape and poster boards for Jake’s project that was due tomorrow that he’d only just remembered. He refused to walk to get it, and if she drove, she’d have to stop at the bank (again) to get money for gas. Which she’d have to do soon anyway, but she was willing to put it off until tomorrow so that she could spend the night locked in her room practicing.
Her head was bent low to fight back the wind she was creating. She stared at her feet as she walked, feeling the ache in her shins. She wasn’t a runner, her muscles were formed differently, and she didn’t use these that much. She slowed down a little; if Jake didn’t get his stuff right away it was his own fault, not hers. She looked up to judge how much further she had to go, and promptly bumped into someone. The person must have had some momentum going because it knocked her backwards against a lamppost.
“Oh God, I’m sorry,” she said quickly. The other person fell to the ground.
“No no, it’s ok, it was me. I wasn’t watching where I was going,” he said head bent down, clearly embarrassed.
Carrie offered an arm to help the man up. He looked up.
It was Jake’s swimming instructor. The one she’d met a few days ago.
“Hi,” she said. She could see him trying to place her in his mind. Maybe he didn’t recognize her.
“Oh hi!” he replied with that voice that sounded confident, but clearly meant ‘I have no clue who you are’. He took her arm and she pulled him to his feet.
“Carrie,” she offered, trying to jog his memory. She also had an ulterior motive, hoping that he would in turn repeat his name, and she wouldn’t look like a fool.
“Oh right, Jake’s sister. How are you?”
Plan backfired.
“I’m alright. Getting some things for Jake right now, he’s got a project due.”
“Oh ok. I’m actually heading to do some swimming.”
He was fidgeting and looked a bit anxious. He kept biting his lip.
“You okay?” she asked, pointing to his arm, which looked scratched, probably from where he fell.
“What? Oh wow,” he said, just noticing it, “Yeah, it’ll be fine. The chlorine will clean it out.”
She reached out her hand to see how deep the cut was, and he pulled his arm away quickly.
“I should go. I don’t want to hold you up.”
“Uh, yeah,” she said, taken slightly aback.
“Sorry I bumped into you. I’m kinda klutzy when I’m not in water. It’s weird.”
“No no, I understand. It seems like every time I finish a routine, I trip on something. Usually my own two feet.”
He laughed at that, just a slight chuckle, probably just to be polite, but it made Carrie feel good. He seemed tense.
“I’ll see you later then,” she said.
He started to walk away, and just as he crossed the street, his name sprang to her mind.
“Jason!” she called out. He stopped and turned back around.
She paused, not really having anything to say. She was just so proud of herself for remembering his name that she felt the need to say it.
“Um, when’s a good time to go take lessons?”
Even from across the street, she could see him smile.
“I’m there every day. Just stop by and we’ll talk.”
She waved as he turned back around and started off. She watched his back until he turned down another street, out of her sight. Finally, she continued her walk to CVS, her mind on what she could possibly have been thinking. She hated swimming, had zero interest in taking lessons of any sort, and had little to no free time even when her mother was home. She was an idiot for getting herself into this. She could have said anything in the world, but she had to say ‘Hey, when can I take swimming lessons?’ Moron. She could have stayed silent and not shouted his name just because she’d remembered it. That would have avoided the whole predicament. She rolled her eyes at herself as she walked past the automatic doors into the store. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. Maybe she would just take one class, and that would be that. She hadn’t signed anything yet. The only thing she’d agreed to was to go talk to him. That was something she could do. She’d deal with the rest once it came.