Here's the latest part ^-^! Things heat up soon, promise!
"Cold... I fucking hate the cold..."
It didn't look or feel like a Saturday. It was so cold the grass was covered in a thick layer of frost that was quickly being lapped away by the icy morning rain. Zach shivered in his black swimtrunks, his tanned skin turning a beautiful blue as the raindrops hit his back, sliding down the goosbumps on his skin. The water was so cold that Zach suspected it would turn to ice any second. Secretly, he hoped it would, so that he wouldn't have to swim. Even though the water was heated, the boys who dived in shivered like hairless cats. It was not surprising that of all the twenty-five boys in the sophomore swim team, only three had shown up. This was the worst turn-out to date from a team that was already the laughingstock of the school.
"I said I fucking hate the c-cold." Zach growled at Gentry, who nonchalantly shoved him into the water, remourselessly replying,"Then you shouldn't have come."
Despite his blueish lips and starkly reddened nose, Gentry looked composed and even dignified. He was only the coach's class aid, but he showed up routinely to these weekend practice sessions.
"OK sophomores… we'll swim two thousand laps today." he stated, his words turning to fog.
Zach surfaced, shaking in heated anger as he yelled,"Why? The coach and over half the team didn't show!"
Gentry crossed his arms over his covered chest as he gave the water an idle kick,"Doesn't matter. Either you are serious about training or you aren’t.”
“There’s no point in being serious if we keep losing b-because half the t-team isn’t training.”
“And you want to be one of the losers?”
“No.” Zach rubbed his eyes,”But I don’t want to work if they d-don't."
“If you can't handle the 'morning swim'," Gentry’s eyes narrowed,"then get out of the water and go home."
The other boys murmered inbetween shivers.
"Sounds great.” Zach proclaimed brashly,”The coach is probably sleeping now, keeping warm in his fucking warm bed," Zach pulled himself out of the water.
Gentry's amber eyes smoldered, watching the younger boy walk towards the locker room, a towel over his shoulder.
The other boys just stared, and Gentry ordered,"You know the drill; start with five hundred freestyle." He pulled away, angrily heading towards the locker room.
Zach winced as his back hit the wall.
"What is this?" Gentry demanded.
The insolent reply came quickly,"You said I should leave. I am."
"You can't do that in a team. If you leave, everyone leaves."
"I can't blame them. The coach bailed, why should you take over?"
"Because I'm the best swimmer." Gentry replied, unapologetically. He eyed Zach critically,"You don't even like swimming, do you?"
"Not really."
"Then take my orders or don't bother showing up. Follow my orders first, ask questions later."
"What if you ask me to jump off a roof?"
Gentry's eyes softened,"Why would I ask you *that*?"
Zach stared at him for the moment, then kissed him. The kiss was heated yet unexpectedly needy.
Gentry pushed Zach away, and the younger boy gave a look of indignation in return.
"What?"
"What is the crap?" Gentry demanded, looking Zach straight in the eye, and slamming him against the wall again,"I'm not going to make out with you while everyone else swims."
"Stop hurting me..." Zach growled, kicking at Gentry.
"If I hurt you, you would feel it." Gentry growled,"Now what is this? Some lazy jerks quit and now you do, too?"
"You aren't swimming e-either!" Zach stated, shivering slightly, and his blue eyes narrowed,"Why do you expect me to swim if you don't? You're wearing a heavy coat lined with fake fur and heavy pants, you don't even feel the frost!"
"You're right. I will swim, Zach. You can do whatever you want. I just expect more."
Gentry smiled coldly. He let Zach go, and headed back to the pool.
Despite himself, Zach followed the Senior. The team had finished their excercises, and were looking up at Gentry with blue lips, red noses, and violently shaking limbs.
"The morale isn't high if the leader doesn't go with the pack." stated Gentry,"So I'll be swimming with you. We all know the drill... we'll excercise together." he pulled off his coat, and threw it at Zach.
The team drew back a startled gasp at what they saw. Bruises and marks carved into Gentry's pale skin, partially disappearing under his black tanktop. Shivering, he pulled that off as well, stripping down to his swimshorts. His body was a patchwork of darkened flecks, angry red burns and jagged cuts.
Zach's eyes widened. If he had known, he wouldn't have asked.
"Gentry---"
Gentry ignored the frightened stares and walked to the diving board. He walked the plank with his arms outsretched at his sides, the glare of the sun beating against his back.
"Don't do it!" came the cries, along with a few groans and jeers. Gentry wordlessly jumped into the frozen water. The team nervously waited for him to surface. When he did, he cooly said,"What are you waiting for? Do three hundred freestyle." without another word, he began to swim, and the team, including Zach, mutely followed. By the end of the three hundred laps, a gruesome fact came to light.
"Where's Gentry?"
"I don't know, weren't you following him?"
"No... I wasn't looking..."
Zach's eyes widened at the realization of what happened,"Move... get to the sides of the pool!" and he disappeared under the water's icy surface.
The team talked amongst themselves, staring into the murky depths until Zach emerged with Gentry's body.
He was pulled onto the cement, and Zach leaned over him. Just then, Gentry's chest heaved, and he coughed out some water. His red hair was plastered against his face, and his lips were chilled to a deathly shade of blue. He was breathing raggedly, and his eyes looked up at Zach.
"Why?"
Zach looked down at him with a little smile, droplets of water sliding down his tanned skin,"Why not?" And he tossed Gentry back his coat.
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