Ayana's P. O. V

"Ayana, I swear, my hand is going to start bleeding now if you dig your nails anymore in them," Vihaan scowls from beside me and I frown at him.

The officials had entered five minutes ago, luckily Vihaan finished the basics just then so we didn't really have to face any issues. Everything went smoothly from the time they entered to now. The bouquets were handed out, the basic snack was served without which any Indian event is incomplete, and the introductions were done.

My team was already ready to swim when the officials walked in which I'm not sure is a good or bad thing.

It can be good since we needed to be absolutely prepared and ready.

But it can also be a bad thing because a swimsuit isn't exactly the best outfit to meet someone in for the first time, especially with the guys being shirtless.

Not that it is going to make a difference to Ethan, he had abs that should be showcased. If the two officers would be gay, they would consider that sight a blessing. Joshua wasn't particularly ugly either.

Don't judge, I'm a girl with hormones and perfectly functional eyes. I can't help it.

But in my defence, I looked at the abs only twice that to only for three seconds, mainly because I didn't want to be caught staring.

It's embarrassing okay.

Now the racers were already in position and the referee has the whistle in his mouth, the swimmers waiting for his 'go'. Although he said 'set' like a second ago and he just took couple more seconds to place the whistle in his mouth, it seems like an eternity to me.

It all comes down to now.

The referee blows the whistle, the shrill sound resonating in the dome. The two swimmers lunge into the water, our team in lane two and theirs in lane four.

Tina starts since she's the second fastest and she's expected to give us a lead.

Let's just say that she's doing just fine. She's ahead, not too much, but still ahead. They swim around the ball and go back the way they came in.

Unfortunately enough, while rounding the ball, Tina lost the little lead that she had.

Oh fuck.

I look up to see a smile forming on sir's face.

I look back to see the same distance between the swimmers, just the persons inversed.

"Ayana, sit down," Vihaan says from beside me and that's when I realised I've stood up from my seat on the sidelines.

I shake my head at him."You think I'm going to sit?" I say and walk ahead while I hear his 'A guy should try' murmur.

I start screaming in Hindi when Joshua jumps into the pool second. Tina luckily finishes in level with the second swimmer and so we don't have a lead but at least we're not behind.

"Chal chal chal Joshua, jaldi Kar, apne pass time nahi Hai, unlogo ke pass ladkiyo ki team hone ka advantage Hai."

(Come on, come on, come on, hurry up, we need to be fast we don't have the time, they already have an advantage of having an all girl's team)

I yell and Ethan, who is busy in focusing on the relay looks up at me. I glance at him before focusing on the relay again. I'm almost at the other end of the pool now, clapping and ushering Joshua.

I look up to see Rochelle gearing up for her swim. She's the slowest on the team and we still don't have a good lead. Sure Joshua had pushed past the girl and he's almost at the turn while the girl is slightly away but I wanted a much higher lead because we don't only have to defeat them, we have to do it with a great margin, thanks to my outrageous ideas.

I lock eyes with Rochelle who looks nervous as hell. I nod at her and show her a thumps up, showing her my support. Her eyes fall on Vihaan who is watching very carefully and even with the distance between us, I see an emotion pass her face and sheer determination in her eyes.

I focus back on the race to see Joshua slightly more ahead than the girl who is clearly struggling. I smile and look up to see the officer running a hand down his face.

Oh my god Joshua I love you...Okay maybe not in that way. You know what I mean...

I smile and jump slightly in excitement, finally happy about how this is going.

Joshua finishes and the girl behind him finally regained some of her composure, not letting the lead increase if not decreasing it.

I like to win but I don't like it to be too easy. Yeah, I have an ego like that...

Rochelle jumps in and her start is really good, her spirits seeming to be very high. She's swimming too fast and she's pushing her limits, which is a good thing generally but not for her.

I bite my lip but cheer for her anyway.

Rochelle is a very good swimmer but her weakness is her stamina. She could be unbeatable in shorter distances but right now, she's using all her energy in the beginning when she still has to turn back and go.

And I'm proven right when she struggles with her breaths slightly while turning. The other team's swimmer seems to know what she's doing because she decreases the lead and reaches very near to Rochelle in the time being.

I huff.

Oh my god no.

Ethan is a good swimmer and he's a guy and his opponent is a girl. Even though I'm a feminist and I believe in women power, I can't deny the fact that as far as physical strength is considered, we're a little behind.

So maybe winning won't be a problem.

But I need that margin.

Rochelle swims ahead, fast but not as fast as she was in the start. Somehow, the lead is maintained and Ethan takes his position. Tina and Joshua are standing on that side, they're hands joined and fingers crossed.

I looked at Ethan and just then he looked at me and our eyes locked.

I gave him an almost pleading look.

Please Ethan, find that fire.

He looks back down after I nod at him and just when Rochelle finishes, he jumps in.

He had accepted Tina's suggestion and changed his stroke according to that and hence he fumbled slightly in the start and found his rhythm. He was swimming at a really good speed but not his fastest and the girl beside him was nearing him.

The girl was swimming rapidly and I could almost see the smile on her face when she came up to breathe. I frown.

What is this guy thinking.

He didn't let her take a lead though. He maintained considerable distance but right now, looking at them, I'm sure everyone is thinking that the other team is going to win. I could see the other three members of my team already sulking, an angry Joshua turned around, his back facing us. Tina trying hard to control her tears.

Just then, like in a second, Ethan was advancing ahead like a freaking bullet. He has just finished his turn and almost as if he was waiting for the turn to get over, he just glided ahead like he suddenly has a rocket attached to his ass.

The girl lost her composure.

I laughed at his strategy.

So he was playing mind games with her.

Smart but dick move. Not that I'm complaining, I respect everyone's ways and methods, even though they seem wrong to me.

And the last girl has barely crossed 1/4 of the pool after the turn when Ethan was already done with the race. There was no need to worry, we have probably won with a much greater margin than that was required.

I jump up in ecstacy, my racing heart finally calming down a bit, my smile from ear to ear. I rush to my team and I turn to call Vihaan to find him already walking at a distance behind me.

I turn back around and find Tina there, jumping and hugging Rochelle first, side stepping Joshua to jump straight into Ethan. He seemed awkwarded out at first, but then he just raised one hand to clap her upper back and then his hands falling to their sides.

She seemed disappointed when she pulled back but she hid it in her smile.

That's when I realised that my smile had faltered.

I shook my head and straightened my expression before picking up pace again.

Rochelle came to me first and even though she was slightly wet, I didn't mind. I hugged her anyway.

Then Joshua was next in line who just rubbed the back of his neck nervously before shaking hands with me. I chuckle and give him a side hug anyway.

Why he did this is a story for a different day...

Then comes Tina with Ethan closely behind. Ethan is looking right at me with a piercing gaze, challenging me and I'm invading it.

Yeah, me invading or avoiding conflict. I need a freaking doctor.

Tina hugs me and I hug her back. She pulls back and smiles at me, which I return."Congratulations Captain."

"No, Thank you Ayana. For everything," she says and squeezes my shoulder before side stepping me.

Ethan is standing behind and he's walking towards me slowly, a nice big smile on his face. His hands are in the air and I know he's going to hug me and it's suddenly making me nervous.

He deserves it, we won and it's no biggie but..

He's about to hug me when I stupidest thing ever.

"But your wet..."

***************************

Okay guys, feel free to tell me if you guys feel that this is stretched out because I'm having that feeling. I wanted to end the day for Ayana here but this is one of those chapters that you already have in mind before you begin a book, and besides, the characters have met for this purpose, so I wanted it to be elaborate.

Tell me your views.

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Excuse me for my typos, it's kinda late here and I'm sleepy but the girl has gotta give her updates :)