NOW

Jennie didn't know if she was making the right decision returning to the place that held so many happy memories; the same place that held the one painful, taunting experience.

Jennie gingerly tested the temperature of the water with her toe, the cool water embracing the tip of her toe.

She entered the water slowly, feeling the familiar, relaxing pull of the water against her body and the weightlessness of her body.

She felt the water against her skin, like comfortable, glove-like clothes that fit her perfectly.

But Jennie no longer knew how long it was before she caved again, how long until the vice-like grip of the excruciating pain that plagued her right leg returned.

She felt her feet push against the wall of the pool, the water gliding past her and she cut through the liquid with ease.

The tips of her fingers gently tapped the wall of the swimming pool, signaling the end of a lap.

Then she felt a stab of pain in her knee.
___________________
A YEAR AGO

Jennie glided effortlessly through the water, her lungs burning with the need for air. She brought her head above the water's surface for air momentarily before it entered the cool body of water again.

Jennie's arm cut through the water like blade against skin; her body falling into the familiar rhythm of the routine.

Then an excruciating pain seared the tendons of her right leg, the stab of pain immobilising her, rendering any attempt to fight it useless.

Jennie saw black dots swarm into her field of vision, and heard the muffled, alarmed shouts of the crowd.

The darkness caved in all around her,  the taste on chlorine burning into .

##

When Jennie awoke, she was met with the murmur of a muted conversation between the doctor and her coach.

"You can't be serious," she heard her coach mutter angrily, "she has a very important competition just around the corner."

"There's nothing we can do about that," the doctor defended himself, "if she doesn't refrain from swimming, she may never-"

The doctor leaned towards her coach before whispering something into the ear of the big man. Jennie had never seen her coach look so serious before, she felt her resolve to stay strong weaken within her.

Then both men turned to find Jennie struggling to sit upright, her face contorted in pain.

"Uh, hi," Jennie said nervously, lifting her hand up awkwardly in greeting, "can I get a hand here?"

The men rushed to help her up, their serious faces replaced with neutral expressions. 

"How are you feeling?" The doctor inquired, his low monotone voice a calm respite from the agitated feelings within herself.

"Not so great," Jennie admitted, "My knee hurts so much, and I might have swallowed an unhealthy volume of water."

The doctor nodded, "We have...not so good news for you, Jennie," the smaller man cleared his throat, "would you care to listen to it now?"

##

Jennie had seen it coming from miles away. She could see it in the tension between the furrowed brows of the doctor, she could tell from the constant ache in her knee.

"You'll be unable to participate in training or any competitions anytime soon," the doctor said, his voice poignant, "and any further strain will render you-"

"-forever unable to continue swimming?" Jennie whispered, the slight nod of the doctor's affirming her worst fears.

Her head was spinning, she knew what the doctor meant but she couldn't bring herself to believe it.

"Could I," she started, "could I please be alone for a while?"

And when the men left and Jennie was finally alone, she felt the weight of reality crushing her into oblivion. Jennie couldn't hear her heart break over the crack of her bones under the weight.

Her body wrecked with sobs, she hunched over, tears cascading down her cheeks like waterfalls.
_______________________
NOW

The pain down Jennie's leg, her movements forced into cessation.

Not again, Jennie thought, the pain dulling out all her other senses. She closed her eyes, expecting her lungs to fill with chlorinated water.

Yet this time, she instead felt the sturdy hold of someone lifting her out of the water, felt the warmth of another pressing against her body.

Felt a gentle pressure against her lips, breathing air into her lungs. 

She felt the water leaving her respiratory system, sputtering out of onto the dense floor. 

Her eyes fluttered open, squinting to get a clearer look at the stranger who had saved her. The scent of smoky wood filled her senses. Jennie visibly relaxed at the unusually comforting scent, she wanted nothing more than to reach out and grab ahold of the scent; and the stranger along with it.

But she heard the loud, booming voice of her coach and knew she was in trouble.

"Jennie?! What are you doing here?" 

Jennie clutched onto the sleeve of her saviour, desperate to know, "Who are you?" 

Before the stranger could answer, she was pushed away by the crowd that had formed around Jennie, their loud, raucous concerns rising over whatever answer the stranger might've given.

##

Jennie thumped her head against the lockers, a metal thunk resonating within the deserted changing room from the impact.

She didn't know what she wanted anymore, all her life had been dedicated to swimming and now she couldn't even finish two laps. Jennie squeezed her eyes shut in frustration.

She had not only earned herself a severe dressing-down from her coach, but had also failed to find out who had saved her- she didn't want to owe anyone anything.

And yet there was something about that scent that seemed familiar and oddly comforting to Jennie.

She just couldn't quite place her finger on it.

##

Jennie exited the swimming complex before running into her coach who was standing outside waiting for her.

"I'm sorry I shouted so much," the big man started, "I just...don't overwork yourself, okay?"

Jennie noticed the exhaustion in his voice and in the dark eye circles ringing his eyes. Her coach's once jet-black hair was beginning to grey at the sides, his once thick mop of hair had begun to thin out.

Her coach was no longer the formidable, iron-fisted man he once was; he was growing old. And Jennie didn't want to burden him anymore than she should.

"Okay, coach." Jennie replied, the restless wind raising goosebumps on the surface of her skin.

"And...kid," the coach said hesitantly, "the person who saved you, who was she? That girl sure can swim."

Jennie heard a hint of approval in her coach's voice.

"I'd like to know too, coach, I'd like to know too."

##

When Jennie returned to the pool the next day, she was determined to find the person who had saved her. 

She wanted to show her thanks by treating the stranger to a meal; not a very good way of thanking the person who literally saved her life once, but it would do.

Jennie cut across the swimming complex, slowly filling in anticipation. But how would she know who saved her ? Jennie decided she would know when she sees the stranger.

The brunette skipped, her feet flying off the surface of the cement in a sudden show of good mood. But she felt herself slip on the wet ground, found herself getting pulled towards the floor by gravity.

She braced herself for the impact, her eyes squeezing shut.

But nothing. Jennie felt herself in the familiar embrace of another, the stranger's scent of smoky wood drugging her.

"Why do you always get into accidents?" the stranger chuckled, her voice low and soft.

Jennie's eyes flew open to meet the big, bright eyes of the stranger. She thought she'd seen these eyes before.

"Were you the one who saved me yesterday?" Jennie asked, knowing the answer to her own question.

"Yes," the stranger replied simply.

Then Jennie realised that she was still being held by the stranger. Her cheeks burned in embarrassment. She found her feet, moving away from the stranger, the parts where the blond girl had touched tingled- like a sweet aftertaste.

Jennie allowed herself a look at the stranger, willing herself to memorise her saviour's appearance.

She didn't need to will it. Jennie found her eyes moving down the stranger's body, in a slow, savouring manner, taking in the stranger's appearance.

The younger girl was tall, with long, blond hair and large doe eyes that struck Jennie as puppy-like and affectionate. She found herself appreciating the firm abdominal muscle of the stranger's. But her eyes eventually travelled back to the stranger's lip- soft and firm and electrifying all at once- against her own yesterday.

Then she realised she'd been checking an absolute stranger out for close to two minutes.

"I'm- I'm Jennie," Jennie said, trying to cover up by offering a handshake.

The stranger smiled widely, taking Jennie's hand, "I'm Lisa." 

Jennie could still smell the lingering scent of smoky wood that seemed to roll off the younger girl's body in gentle waves. 

"But don't you remember me, Jennie?" Lisa asked hesitantly, her honest eyes met Jennie's expectantly.

"Have we met before?" Certainly Jennie felt as if she had met Lisa before, Lisa's scent and her eyes- there was something extremely familiar about them.

She just didn't know what it was.

"It's fine," Lisa smiled, encouragingly, "It's nothing important."

"Could I treat you to a meal, say tomorrow at noon?" Jennie found herself asking meekly.

Lisa agreed, the corners of still tugged up in a smile.

But Jennie thought she saw a hint of disappointment in that smile.

##

The promise of a meal led to another, another and then another. And Jennie soon found herself grabbing lunch every available day with the younger girl.

Jennie found herself listening intently to the blonde's words, found herself aching for the girl's touch. And most of all yearned to feel the younger girl's desire against her lips.

She didn't need her coach to tell her she was in love.

Jennie decided she would initiate. She wasn't usually one to do so- but Lisa wasn't anybody. Jennie was rather confident of the fact that Lisa was the one.

So when the pair was done with their meal and Jennie saw Lisa slide back into her place in the chair opposite Jennie, the brunette found herself saying, "Pool."

Pool? Pool? What the hell am I saying, Jennie thought, ready to slam her head against the metal table.

But she heard the boisterous chuckle emanating from the younger girl, "Alright, let's go to the pool."

And she knew that she was ready.

##

When the pair reached the pool, Jennie felt her heart palpating incessantly. She didn't know how to initiate.

Jennie sat on the bench in the changing room, her head propped up against the wall. Should she? Could she?

Then Jennie felt Lisa's weight on the bench to her and Jennie turned her head- to meet the lips of the younger girl.

Jennie startled, was her face that close to mine? But then she was into the kiss and she thought nothing more of it.

Lisa affirmed Jennie's feelings with her reciprocal kiss- the kiss deepened, full of passion and longing. 

Jennie could hear the soft moans from the younger girl, encouraging her.

So Jennie didn't stop, she felt her tongue intertwining with Lisa's, the initial gentle pressure becoming more insistent as neither girl broke away. Each girl's scents of chlorine and smoky wood mixed together, a meld of sweet fragrance.

Jennie felt herself tugging at Lisa's leather jacket, felt herself running her fingers through the thick blond hair of the younger girl in arousal.

And when Lisa finally moved away Jennie could still feel the lingering warmth of Lisa's lips on her own, feel the blonde's hands on hers.

And Lisa beat Jennie to the chase, "I love you," she murmured into the brunette's hair, "ever since I saw you last year."

Jennie felt her pulse quicken. No wonder Lisa had seemed so familiar- she had been a fellow competitive swimmer; an amateur who had quickly dominated the amateur swimming category.

Lalisa Manoban.

And yet that race where Jennie had injured herself was one Lisa could easily had emerged as champion. 

She vaguely recall her coach telling her of the winner of that race- it wasn't Lisa. Jennie's eyes widened in realisation.

"Did you...did you stop swimming to save me?" Jennie asked, her ears heating up.

Lisa gave Jennie a huge grin, her head tilted to the side, "Yep." Jennie felt a surge of affection towards the younger girl, felt her eyes well up.

"Why would you do that?" Jennie whispered, barely her choking her words out, "that race would have cemented your career in swimming."

Lisa reached out towards Jennie, gently wiping away the stray tears that had escaped.

"Swimming was fun," Lisa said, pulling Jennie towards her in a loose embrace, "but I couldn't leave you there."

Lisa planted a kiss on Jennie's cheek, "I don't care how many accidents you get into. I'll always be there to save you."

"I love you," Jennie nuzzled her tear-stained face in the crook of Lisa's neck, "I love you."