The TigerSharks Part 1

My goal is to make my first impressions somewhat good and to exceed their expectations of me. I'm actually starting to feel excited for the switch. I mean new friends, new memories, and a new start, what can possibly go wrong? Is where I wish my head was at right now.

Everything about this switch will be terrible and disappointing! At the end of day, I will probably go to my local gun store, and steal an ak47 to kill myself with.

Poor choice of weapon, but it was the first thing that came up in my mind.

Poor choice of everything in general. As you can tell I'm somewhat pessimistic not because I think I'm better than people but because I've felt the weight of being devalued to the point of realizing that life picks and chooses who is and isn't their best friend.

I'm not saying that to gain sympathy either, I'm just saying that solely because it's felt like that all my life.

"Next in line please?" The woman declared, raising her hand as she gestured for the next girl to come.

I'm guessing these people are getting switched too. It made me feel somewhat better because you can see the sadness on their faces, knowing that's how I literally feel right now.

Out of nowhere, my surroundings were quickly taken over by sounds caused by a bunch of girls that started screaming like they just saw a famous boy band. What fresh hell is this?

"ARE THOSE THE TIGER SHARKS!"

"OMG!"

"LOGAN YOU'RE SO HOT!"

"LEVI I LOVE YOU!"

"I WANT YOU!"

"SWIM INSIDE ME!"

"NOTICE ME SENPAI!"

A bunch of guys were getting ready to enter the gymnasium. Some of them were waving back at the girls who were going insanely crazy for them. Ew, they don't deserve this.

There was atleast 10 of them In total. I'm guessing they were the all-boys swim team everyone at school has been talking about, And I can kinda see why.

I only had the chance look at some of them, my eyes squinting at their incredibly muscular arms being defined out of their tank tops.

"Miss! Miss! You're next in line!" A girl yelled out from the back, catching me off guard. I was so mesmerized from the sight of those boys that I haven't even paid any attention for the line.

All of a sudden, I hear distant voices appear behind me. "Of course she would check those guys out, her morals are as bad as her fashion sense!" I tilted my neck in disbelief.

Hearing those voices behind me made me think of every horrible outcome that can possibly happen to this switch.

I mean, what if I get switched to a team that has girls like the ones behind me? Swimming is the only thing that has saved me from this hell hole and if life's masochistic ways throws me into another toxic environment I might actually end up-

"Hello!?" The woman in front of me exclaimed, rapidly snapping me out of my thoughts.

"S-sorry!" I apologized, quickly picking up my large pink duffle bag to run off to the booth as fast as possible.

"What's your name?" The woman queried with a very sweet tone in her voice that complimented the warm smile on her face.

"Arielle Tesfaye" I answered politely, passing her my ID.

"And you were in The Butterflies?" She slowly brought her glasses closer to her eyes, reading my ID intently. "What kinda name is that for a team?" She snorted, making my eyebrows furrow down.

"Excuse me?" I let out.

She anxiously laughed. "Um nothing, you're here for the switch?" She glanced at me.

"Um yea, I'm here for the switch." I sighed as the words I dreaded released from my mouth, causing me to look down at my bright red converse shoes.

"Alright just go inside, and your new coach will come and get you. And also sweety don't worry, you'll do just fine." She continued to give me a warm smile, sort of making me feel better about the switch. But let's be honest, it just made me wanna throw in up inside my mouth.

She then handed me my ID back and with it was a piece of paper saying the number of my room.

I entered the familiarly large swimming gymnasium. I searched the spacious area, and skimmed pass through a sea of people searching for my room.

I glanced at the piece of paper telling me the room I should be in.

Room 69

Oof.

Many other rooms were on my left and on my right, each having their own private swimming pools. This place was insanely huge. The gymnasium was hoarded by many other students, scurrying off to their own rooms, sort of making it harder to see what was In front of me.

As I prepared to enter the room I was sent to, a man with light blonde hair and clear blue eyes opened the door which made me slightly back up.

"Arielle Tesfaye right?" The man asked, giving me a feeling that he was my new coach.

"Yea I'm here for the switch?" I smile back, remembering to have a good first impression.

"Alright! Just come on in." He says, gesturing me to walk inside. "I'm Coach Alex by the way."

As we started to walk pass the wide hallway, I can already hear water splashing through the next room, making me more nervous.

I felt my heart beat faster as I bit my lip at the thought of my teammates being totally evil.

"You're gonna love this team! We're all happy to have someone new, since our last player Jesse, sadly got injured in his leg. But trust me my boys will treat you just fine." He was taking his time guiding me to the pool. Each step we took increased my feelings of trepidation and complete dread.

Wait, did he just say my boys?

I quietly laughed to myself. He probably didn't. I'm probably just trying to remind myself to forget about those Calvin Klein models. Why would my teammates be boys?

"Alright boys! here's our new team mate, Miss Arielle Tesfaye!" He declared, raising both of his hands to point at me, my hands unconsciously dropping my bags on the floor.

What he said immediately caused all the splashing to stop.

Oh no.

This. Is. Not. Happening. The people he shouted at was the gorgeously attractive boys I saw earlier, that the girls were screaming at!

I subtly pinched my left arm to wake me up from what seemed fictitious, although it didn't seem to work and It felt like time literally just froze before me.

"But she's a girl!?" One boy who was shirtless yelled from the back, carrying a towel on top his shoulder.

"Coach what the hell is this?" Another boy exclaimed, with a disgusted look on his face.

All their comments made me cringe. This was so awkward! Why is this even happening to me? I understand they're confused as to why there's a girl in their team, but wow can you at least be a little subtle about it?

I was completely immobile in my position, still trying to process what couldn't be real. The coach noticed my completely surprised facial expression causing him to speak again, breaking the silence.

"Look you guys I know this is entirely out of the norm, but she's probably the best swimmer in all of the girl's swim teams combined. Her times are extraordinary! Why she got switched to this team will later be disclosed, but for now she'll be the replacement of Jesse." He scrunched his eyebrows up, reading through my records.

What the coach said made some of the guys let out loud moans and sighs of distaste, clearly making me just want to run out and go home.

"Sorry coach but if you think we're gonna be trash without Jesse, adding her is just gonna make everything worse." A boy yelled out.

"Shut up!" Coach Alex clearly had enough. "Anything you can do she can do it too, for a lot of you maybe even better! Don't let her being a woman make you think she's a weak swimmer. If I hear any of you discuss her gender as a negative to this team ever again, I will make sure you won't be swimming at the meets at all! Do I make myself clear?"

The boys shyly responded back, then making the room surrounded by complete silence.

Suddenly, one of the boys pulled himself off the pool and started walking towards me and the coach.

Gotta blast.

He ran his fingers through his messy hair, taking off the excess water. His hair was dark blonde and looked completely perfect even though he just got out of the pool.

I then felt all of my blood rush up to my head as I watched him get closer and closer. His body was drenched from the pool, causing water to slowly drip down his perfectly chiseled body.

This boy's skin was golden, the water from the pool only intensifying his body's shimmer as I clenched onto my bag.

My eyes followed the drips, giving me a tour of his ripped abs that demanded attention.

As he got near me I got to see a better view of his face. His jawline was perfectly structured, and sharp. I was so embarrassed, hoping he didn't notice me just check him out.

Oh no i'm so weird. I need to try and control myself! Don't even let this fuck boy get to you right now, Arielle!

As he walked closer to me, he gently placed his strong hands on my shoulders, immediately making my whole body tense. My eyes widened as my mouth let out a sharp exhale, a strand of wet hair perfectly falling onto the side of his face.

Suddenly, I felt small jolts of electricity running through my body, fixated in his bright hazel eyes which looked intently at me.

"Look, I don't have any problems with you joining us. I just want you to know that I'm comfortable for you to be on the team, you'll be fine, trust me." He smirked at me, batting his thick eyelashes that had small droplets of water stuck unto it.

His voice was deep and it made my head spin with what I should reply back. I looked back at him as my mouth subtly opened in awe, trying to process what seemed unreal.

"LOGAN STOP BEING SUCH A THIRSTY ANIMAL AND GET BACK IN THE POOL." One boy from the back yelled out, causing everyone to laugh including even me.

Logan smiled at me, causing his dimples to show, making me want to cry in the inside from how perfect he is.

He then turned around, showing me a clear view of his perfectly built back muscles that moved elegantly as he flexed to dive back into the pool.

When will I wake up from this dream? It all felt surreal and was so hard to process.

Is a girl even allowed to be in a boys team?