Chapter 22

 

The cab pulled up in front of the sports center, I got out and looked up at the building, I’d spent the majority of my time here at NYU in this building, practicing for meets, meeting with my coach Keith, hanging out with the swim team during down time. This building had been a big part of who I was just a week ago, almost as if it was part of my very identity. I was definitely going to miss coming here. I walked slowly towards the doors, I wasn’t sure what I was going to say to Keith yet, I just knew it needed to come from me, not an email form the registrar’s office that I had dropped out of school this semester, and right before a huge swim meet.

I entered the double doors, and approached the receptionist; she asked for my student ID, I showed it to her, it was good until the end of the day. I needed to clean out my locker while I was here anyway, so I headed down to the pool on the ground floor. I got off the elevator, and stopped, what was I going to say? How was Keith going to take it? I was pretty sure that he would take it hard, I was after all his favorite member of the team, I know this because he told me often. I stood outside the glass wall, watching as Keith worked with a group of young students, I was over an hour early for my practice time, so I just watched and remembered when I first came to school here, how scared I was. I noticed one of the young women was more lithe than the rest, more defined, her muscle structure was untypical of most human athletes, I caught just a glimpse of her face, she must have sensed me watching, an empath, I thought to myself, as she looked up and met my eyes, I could tell she was scared, as scared as I had been four years ago. I wondered if Keith knew, not all Mer hide their identity, most are free to do as they please once they are adults, with the permission of their Siren of course. Being Mer doesn’t disqualify you from competing, but it changes the playing field, you aren’t allowed to compete against humans without a special waiver, and you aren’t allowed to take your Mer form. If the school you’re competing against doesn’t want to sign the waiver, then you’re not allowed to compete against them, which can take you out of the running for medals and such. Each school has to sign the waiver at the beginning of the season, before competition begins. That’s why I had worked so hard at keeping my identity hidden from everyone; I wanted to pass as human. I’d done a pretty good job, never in the four years I’d competed had a question of my race came up. Of course my motive for this was I didn’t want anyone to recognize me as Amethyst, the runaway Mer Princess.

Keith looked up and nodded to me, he knew I was here. I was pretty sure he’d not been back to his office yet though since beginning practices early this morning, because I was usually in the last group he had before lunch. It was usually me and two other girls, all of us second year seniors. I took a deep breath, and walked in, making my way over to where Keith was standing.

“Hello Coach.” My voice sounded distant even to me. I seldom called him coach, but in front of the freshmen I would show him the respect he was due. He’d always told us, the seniors to call him Keith, but when you spent as much time together as the swim team did, I guess I can understand why it’s nice to actually be known by your name and not just a title.

“Hello Amy, you’re early. Don’t tell me you skipped class so that you’d be here on time.” He laughed. I smiled at him. I was trying to work up the courage to tell him why I really was here.

“Not really,” I said, looking out over the pool watching the freshmen swim. “New girls this year?” I asked pointing to the three he was working with. He nodded.

“Yes, not even qualified to compete yet.” He said, he pointed to the girl on the end, the one I had noticed. “We have a Mer that’s tried out for the swim team; I had always hoped I’d get a chance to coach some one with Mer blood.” I nodded and smiled, he really didn’t have a clue who or what I was did he? I asked myself.

“That should make for an interesting year next year” I said. “Do you think that the other schools in the division will sign off?” I asked.

“I don’t know” Keith shrugged. “I can only hope that they do.” He saw that the girls were doing fine, and turned his attention to me, “So Miss Amy, if you’re not cutting class to be here early, then to what do I owe this visit?” He asked me, his face a bit more serious than normal. I took a deep breath, and gathered my courage.

“Well, I thought you should hear it from me,” I exhaled heavily, “I’ve dropped my semester Coach.” He studied me for a few moments.

“Why, if you don’t mind my asking”

“I have some things I need to go home and take care of, and I just need the time off to do it.” I explained. “I came to tell you myself before you got the email from the registrar’s office, and I came to clean out my locker.” I shrugged, already feeling the warms of the tears trying to form.

“I’m sorry that you have to take the semester off,” he said, “Are you planning on coming back next semester?” I nodded.

“That’s the plan right now.” I said, trying to hold back the tears. He reached over and gave me a small polite hug.

“I’m going to miss you kiddo,” he was trying not to get emotional. “What about your plans for the Olympics?”

“I’m not sure at this point Coach,” I showed him the ring that Thomas had given me. “You remember the young man that came to visit me?”

“Yes, you told me about him a little bit.” He smiled, “Congratulations” This time hugging me in earnest. “So who is the lucky fella?” I smiled.

“His name is Thomas, the gentleman I told you about,” the excitement chasing the tears away. Keith smiled from ear to ear.

“He is indeed a lucky young man, I’m glad to hear that you’re happy.” He stated, “Now, off and clean out your locker young lady, I’ll see you next semester!” He pretended to shoo me away. I laughed and headed into to clean out my locker. The tears managed to come back as I took out my duffle bag, and slowly packed everything into it, tossing the soap into the trash. I slung it over my shoulder, and walked slowly out of the locker room, stopping one last time to give Keith a hug, this time I could see the small tear forming at the corner of his eye.

“Ok, you get out of here, and enjoy your new life Kiddo, just don’t forget your coach.” He laughed. I went out through the doors and took the elevator up to the lobby. I crossed the lobby and went out to hail a cab, there wasn’t one in sight, so I used my cell phone to call one, as I stood there waiting, James walked up. I hung my head, trying to avoid talking to him.

Thomas worked his way around the apartment cleaning. He’d done the dishes, and was sweeping and mopping the kitchen floor. He had two hours to kill and nothing better to do. He finished up the mopping letting the water out of the sink, and walked into the living room. Digging through the broom closet he found the feather duster, and started out with dusting everything off, before he got out the vacuum to clean the carpet. He moved on to the bathroom after that, washing down the tub, and scrubbing the commode, then finally the sink and mirror. Thomas was just very clean by nature, mostly a result of the military training, which was after all what the Royal Guard is, the Mer equivalent to the human police/national guard. They are for those times that law needs enforced in the grotto, as well as being the first line of defense for the grotto itself should it come under attack, as well as being bodyguards to the Siren and her family as needed. Most of the royal family didn’t need regular bodyguards, only when they traveled outside of the grotto or the area that they lived. Thomas finished up his cleaning spree with a trip to the basement to the laundry room, throwing in a load of laundry of his and Amy’s mixed clothes, and a couple towels. He’d taken the phone with him just in case anyone called.

He had already called the bank this morning, to see if he could set up an appointment with a loan officer, and was waiting for a call back. He had also called Sotheby’s to set up an appointment with the realtor to take a look at the house and most likely start the paperwork for The Bacchus House, he knew it was the only place in the village that I would want to live other than the apartment, besides, it had an indoor pool, which meant that we could spend more time in our Mer forms, always a good thing.   He thought he would surprise me with starting the paperwork for the house today, he knew I wanted to stay here in New York, in The Village, that I didn’t want to go back home to live.

He came back up from the laundry room, the bank had called him, and set the appointment for three p.m., and the appointment with the realtor was at five, it should all work out, he thought to himself, as he began whistling on his way back up to the apartment. He was extremely happy with himself for getting it all organized so that he could give me a home, a home of our own, a place to start a family, he’d hoped. Thomas had lost track of time in getting everything done at the apartment, and making his phone calls, he glanced up at the clock on the headboard of the bed as he sat there folding clothes and putting them away, and noticed it was almost two, he started to wonder where I was. I had never been the most prompt person, but this was late, even for me. He picked up the phone and called my cell phone, no answer. Thomas was growing concerned, and frustrated.