VII. Just when you think you succeeded

I chuckled as I went out of the office holding my new set of math schedules. If it wasn't for Chris, his good looks and his charm over the ladies I wouldn't be able to succeed. Ha-ha.

"Hey thanks." I went straight to the gym pool and called out to my coach who was in the middle of his swimming laps. Obviously he didn't hear me, but it's okay, he won't understand about the favor anyway. I've no intention of telling him why I needed that change. Anyway, thanking him is not the reason why I'm here.

It was warm, the water is perfect and inviting, just right for practicing. Chris reached the end of the pool where I was standing to greet him. He jerked away in surprise and immediately removed his goggles when he saw me. I raised up an eyebrow and he said, "Hey Tracy. You surprised me."

"Yea, I noticed coach." I answered equally surprised, there must have been a lot of things running through his mind. Funny, he was the one always telling us to concentrate and put our head into the practice.

"Are you going to swim?" He called out as he swam towards the rails, lingered for a moment and pulled himself out of the pool.

"Nup, I got classes in half an hour." I said folding my hands over my chest. He walked towards me, his body glistening when a hint of light hit the trickles of water sliding down his tanned skin.

I picked up the towel lying in front of me and threw it over at him. He caught it and wiped his face. "I'll see you in our usual time this afternoon alright?"

He passed by me and gathered his stuffs that were lying not far from where I was standing. He was about to go to the shower room when I called out to him.

"Coach."

He stopped walking but didn't turn, water dripped from his swimming trunks and from his untied shoulder-length black hair. He didn't say anything, he was waiting for me to say something.

"Um." I hesitated.

"Trays, I'll talk to you later at practice alright? I felt like my body turning into jelly." He chuckled and went inside the shower room.

I stood there for a moment before I turned around, scooted down and watched my wavering reflection at the pool. I clutched the paper where my schedule is printed tightly and frowned at myself. How come I never noticed? There's gotta be a way to settle these things down. I just don't know how. The time printed in the paper is the same as my daily swimming practice.

I closed my eyes and tried to take it all in, all my efforts for this day going to a waste and tomorrow's class. Finally, I stood up, swung my bag properly over my shoulder and walked out of the gym. In the first trash bin that I passed by, I threw the crumpled paper that almost raised my hopes up.

Just when you think you succeeded, you found out it's just a make-believe.

VI. Schedule Shamble

The woman removed her glasses, wiped it using a pink cloth that she took out from the glasses' plastic case. She put it back to her eye, repositioned it downwards as she looked at the paper lying in front of her. She raised it up almost close to her nose to have a clear view. She pouted a little, looked at the clock hanging above the door behind me and clicked her tongue. Her desk is cluttered. Surprisingly, not with paper works that you will usually see in offices but different types of cosmetics that she tried to cover with a folder.

I know that she's stalling, she knew what's written on that paper by heart, she knew that it would take her extra time and effort and by the looks of her, I knew by now that she's some lazy woman who'd rather paint her nails and blow them to dry all day.

I haven't really gone into the registrar's office, actually, I only went here once. Only when I enrolled. Not that I really care about how they entertain their students but the last time I went here, I was treated like some new student with straight A's. The elderly woman from before is not here, instead this young blond faced me with a bored expression.

"You want a change of schedules?"

Right. Like it's not too obvious and written in there.

"Yes." I said and added trying hard not to choke, "please."

She didn't look like she'll entertain me further because she removed her glasses, put it back the case and dropped the paper on her desk.

"No, sorry I can't." She said and studied her nails, her simple act of dismissing me.

I can't be bothered to leave without further knowing what's her excuse, no matter how outrageous it may be. "Why not?" I asked almost raising my voice a little. I'm quite annoyed now.

"Because you can't." She said without looking up at me. Then she crumpled my form of request of transfer and threw it in the bin beside her.

Now I'm really pissed off, I wanted to tear her brittle looking hair out of her head and claw her face to see how ugly she is behind those thick make-up. I was gritting my teeth as I slammed both of my hands on her desk. Startled, she looked at me with those huge eyes smeared with thick mascara.

I wanted to jump up her desk and start a cat-fight with her, but of course that'll be stupid. I decided that I'm going to argue over this until she gives me a valid reason and not her act of stupid ignorance. Just as she stood up to face me, the adjacent door swung open and my swimming coach went inside.

He looked at both of us, noticed our foul mood and the way I looked at her. He knows I'm into some sort of trouble with the way I bared my teeth at the woman.

"Hey, Tracy. I didn't expect to find you here, how are you?" He said trying to smile despite the tension between the two girls in front of him. And then she looked at the woman, "Judith, what's with the frown?"

With that, the woman eased up and suddenly turned pink. And I knew it, she likes my 23-year-old coach. She was probably the same age as Chris but she looked ten times older with that ugly thick make-up, her short temper, her glasses and her hair tied in a bun just like my granny's.

"Oh..hi Chris." She said and smiled, her straight yellowing teeth showed. Her breath smelled of cigarette smoke.

Chris just nodded and looked at me, "So what may be the problem here Tracy?"

"My schedule Chris." I said in a low tone, still looking at Judith.

She looked surprised as she eyed me even more carefully and then looked at Chris.

My coach probably noticed her confusion and said before she even asked what we already knew, "She's my best student, in swimming that is."

"My academics aren't bad." I said and frowned at him.

"So what made you come here Trays?" Chris asked as he walked closer and stood beside me.

"My schedule, I submitted a form politely to have one of my scheds exchanged but she--" I didn't finish my sentence because immediately the surprised Judith smiled trying to look sweet and said, "I got it all covered! I was just mistaken, I'm very sorry honey."

I felt like puking at Chris' crisp white shirt. He was wearing a whistle hanging around his neck, his wet hair combed neatly. He smelled of chlorine and he smelled clean, I just don't know how to explain.

I'll never wonder why a lot of girls like him, he's fairly good looking and very kind too. He said,"Alright, I guess everything's settled here huh? I'll see you later at the pool Trays."

"Right." I said, "See you later coach." I looked at Judith while I was saying all these. She's still flushed and she hadn't gone down from seventh-heaven yet, I know by the twinkle of her eye.

Before Chris went out of the room he called out, "Oh yeah, by the way Judith, I need the list of the new swimmers who got the scholarship for this semester. Thanks." Then the door closed with a thud.

When Judith and I were alone in the registrar's office, I smiled wickedly and said, "Now to fix my schedule..."