Kiss of A Titan
Chapter 34

Accepting Richard as my trainer turned out to be completely different than I had thought. He actually had what it takes to be a good coach and to some extent, his efforts in teaching me how to swim greatly surpass countless books and articles that I had read on the internet about swimming. I was beginning to rethink my prejudiced notion about his character as well which was by far different in a way most boys think in a sort of way that made me reconsider my former opinion about his attitude towards other people like the way I first thought about him when we first met. Although his methods of teaching me how to swim was different compared to the way his coach taught the rest of the team. Owing to the coach's refusal to replace Richard with one of the female gymnasts, I had no choice but to stick with him for two weeks before the time for pre-season was close at hand and his training methods impacted positively for me to learn more of the new routines. It was largely through his efforts that I developed enough confidence to become a swimmer just like himself and the coach was absolutely impressed by my progress in such a short period of time. I was not only getting along with Richard, but with some of the girls from the athletic team who were friendlier than they look when they first approached me in the gym a few times when Richard had to leave me behind on my own to join his teammates at the stadium to practice sprinting for the upcoming pre-season events which was fast approaching.

I had told my aunt of how the acrobatic drills the coach told me to practice along with swimming and the progress of the training particularly my own progress as well and she was indeed starting to be more supportive to the whole athletic idea thing which she earlier once criticized. I felt hopeful that things would turn out well since I took to athleticism but my friendship with Chloe and her friends was dwindling drastically and we hardly talked like before I joined the team. They too weren't too pleased that I had to pay too much attention to swimming instead of them but they were thrilled as ever to find out that I was starting to able to swim on my own without anyone's help particular Richard who supported my swimming for a week and some days before I got used to the water but I was confined only to the shallow pool instead of the larger pool which was too deep and broad for me to be able to put up a good swim.

With the success of my efforts, I was determined to go the next level but that required more training and more exercises to keep fit and to do that, I had to put up with a regular early morning drill routine in order to fit enough to overcome the hurdles that prevented me from being permitted to use the large pool as a larger training ground for better advancement.

It was along the line that I soon developed a remarkable interest to partake in the forthcoming summer games with great eagerness and I was desperate like the other athletes were to get a spotlight there. As a result of this, I often woke up early every morning for frequent morning runs from different neighborhoods as the coach advised and this helped strengthen the feeble muscles I had but not enough to distort the feminine shape I had as a woman.

A couple of times I came across Richard jogging around the neighborhood a few hours after dawn like other people I met on the way, who often went out of their houses for jogging just for the fun of it though most of our meetings were coincidental and sometimes unplanned but still, we grew closer than ever and it was true to some of the teenagers in school and to me as well that I had gotten attached to him. For the few times we met by chance, we would team up and run for a certain distance around the whole neighborhood nearby to the extent we covered the next streets up to the central park where I almost drowned.

But we ended our race a few distance from the park which turned out to be one of the few places I really didn't want to step my feet into after what happened. It was in the early hours of Wednesday morning, when the sun had barely begun to shine brightly from the horizon, that I figured that the trauma I had a few days ago was way deeper than I had earlier imagined. In line with my usual routine morning drill, I had left home in the early hours of the day after dawn and was jogging around the same neighborhood like I had tread the previous days with Richard to keep my body fit but this time around, I was very much alone trotting around in no particular direction. It was by coincidence that I came across the central park where it all happened and I was so tired from the incessant running in my gym outfit that I didn't notice that I had ventured into the perimeter of the park.

Unlike the few days Richard and I passed by the park, there were quite a lot of people having fun with their kids in the playground which was erected in the middle of the park a few distance before the path that led to the bridge I fell into the lake.

The field was less crowded with few people getting distracted with the spectacular sight of children playing amongst themselves while the grownups were taking photos of themselves as well as the tranquil surroundings and I foolhardy decided to tread on the field, believing I would collided into the few couples engrossed in their own fun-time.

A few of them saw me taking a brief rest to catch my breaths, at one corner of the road, just outside the threshold of the park and weren't bothered when I started running through the field. At first, nothing odd happened as I kept sprinting further in the midst of a few crowded people who seemed too oblivious of my presence in the field. I hadn't made it to the other end of the field when the inevitable happened.

Little did I notice that the entire field was booby trapped with water sprinklers. A few meters ahead of me was a young kid beside a water sprinkler almost shrouded by the carpet grass which covered the entire field. I was about sprinting past a little when the sprinkler automatically turned on and issued out water in a sudden gust of speed into the wide open air. It happened so quickly that I halted and fell on my knees. I felt my heart pounding and my breath wheezing inside my chest as I behold the heavy stream of water bursting into the air before falling down on the green grass.

An emotional shock overshadowed me completely as I squatted on the grass trying to recover from the shock. Moments about the traumatic incident kept flashing in my head and the feeling of being drowned kept plaguing me all over again. It was a mild but alarming shock which had triggered unexpectedly due to fast motion from which the water came out of the sprinkler. I tried to stand up but I felt weaker and extremely giddier as my senses went extremely dull. Dizzy and extremely light-headed, my eyes wobbled around the field trying to see if anyone saw me when it happened and from a distance, though it was blurry, I could see someone in the same drill pants as that of Richard. I thought it was a figment of my imagination that was playing tricks on me but his appearance was more vivid than what I saw in reality.

For some time, I was dazed with less chances of recovering from the shock and the people around soon noticed that there was something wrong but no one made an effort to help out the situation. Fortune soon shines on me when an elderly woman took it upon herself to help me out in front of the other bystanders. She came towards where I was struggling to get back on my feet and tapped me thrice to ensure I was conscious enough. She squatted in front of me, caressing my two cheeks to see if I was able to see properly. Her lips kept moving as she tried to communicate with me but I couldn't comprehend a word she was saying since my ears felt numb and it was clear to her that I had received a shock and my senses had gotten too dull for me to respond immediately like she had hoped.

Then she helped me get back on my feet and led me to the left flank of the field where she had pitched her mat for a picnic. As we went, I tried looking over the place. I thought I saw someone that looked like Richard over the shoulder of the woman but there was no sign of him any longer nor did I see his presence anywhere close to the field. I must have hallucinated during the shock. So I thought as the elderly stranger guided me to her open air abode. No sooner had she taken me to the place where she spread her mat on the green grass, she gave me a bottle of water and I drank to ease my nerves. She knew I was too tired and alarmed to reply to any of her questions that she wanted to inquire about and waited for me to finish the water as well as two cold sodas she gave to me the moment she had me sit on the mat. Few bystanders kept staring at us from where they stood in the distance, trying to see if the elderly woman's rescue operation was successful. It took me quite a while before my senses returned back to me and I was able to comprehend what she said for the first time we met.

"Drink it down slowly, Okay? You're gonna be fine", She wiped off the sweat on my face with a white towel she took out from her bag. The elderly woman paid less attention to the few onlookers who were watching us and she didn't realize it when they began to lose interest in watching her tend to me as though I was her child. I finished the soda but then, she gave me another bottle of orange juice which was way thirstier than the two soda added together. I felt even more refreshed drinking the orange juice than I did with the two sodas and it was a great deal of help to restore my senses in full.

"Thanks for...helping me out", I said in appreciation as soon as I was able to take full control of my senses once again.

"It was nothing. Any sensible human would have done the same if they were in my shoes", She replied looking at the oblivious people around the park and sat beside me, "Are you feeling normal again?", I nodded and peered across the field. She kept saying something but I wasn't listening. My mind had trailed off as a result of some kind of thought that came into my mind and I vividly remembered what I thought I saw. It was confusing and overwhelming to think that I would not only be traumatized by the water that issued out of the sprinkler but I had imagined that Richard had seen it happen.

It was difficult for me to make a full assertion of the incident and concluded that I must have hallucinated because of the trauma but it felt odd to me that of all the people I knew, it was the imaginary figment of Richard's bodily form that was standing watching me in pain. I thought for a moment what would have happened if Richard had seen me in such a position desperate for survival.

I couldn't phantom how my aunt would react if she found out that I was having a phobia like her kid Tom had for rats but I definitely know she might have a problem with my stay in the athletic team.

"So.... that's how I felt when I was lost in the dark", Her words returned back to me the very moment I was back in the present. I saw the elderly woman grinned at me and wondered what she had been talking about that got her looking so pleased with herself. Then it occurred to me that I had to leave for school and time was incredibly running out.

"I....got to go", I said and stood up with the renewed strength I had derived from the energy drink she gave me, "Ma'am, I'm grateful for your help", "Don't mention it, dear", she said and stood up as well, "Where do you live?", "Some several blocks away", "East or west?", "I guess it is east from here", I said and giggled in response to her beauty which was a sharp contrast to the wrinkles on her face.

"Alright...Don't forget my advice", "What advice?", I asked in perplexity.

"The one I told you earlier", "I'm sorry but I didn't quite hear you", I replied and she scoffed.

"Anyway, to sum it all up, I suggest you deal with your phobia", "My what?", "Phobia", she replied gesturing with the pair of her two fingers, "It's clear that from what happened to you a while ago, you do have one but don't get too upset about it. It doesn't last long unless you don't deal with sooner", She advised and she saw that I was still confused. She exhaled at my incomprehensiveness and shook her head.

"I'll keep that in mind but I have to leave now", I replied letting go of her hands and wanting to run but she stopped me. I turned to face and she brought out some dollar bills.

"You've done enough running for today, it's better if you take a taxi home instead", I looked at her as she placed the cash in my hands and bade me goodbye. Then she went back to tidy her things that lay on the grass. I was dumbfounded and relieved at the same time. As she had advised, I took a taxi and minutes later, I was home ready for school but I already knew I was going to be late than usual though I kept pondering if Richard was actually there or not and I wasn't planning on asking him about it let alone tell anyone about what happened at the park ***

Till the eventful day of the pre-season summer games, Richard got close enough to understand each other's intentions though we were just friends but being close to him meant something different to me after he was assigned to teach me the basics of swimming. And it was to reward his efforts for playing a major role in helping me to swim, that I wanted us to train together the Thursday before the week of the pre-season games which was to take place before the main tournament would began in August but he unexpectedly didn't show up for practice the entire day I waited for him in the gym nor did he appear in school for two days after his disappearance.

The pre-season summer games were scheduled to take place on Wednesday of the new week and he didn't show for Monday briefing which the coach had to do for all the athletes which was important since the games were only two days away from the beginning of the new week.

I felt concerned about his disappearance like everyone else including the coach and had taken his number from Linder to phone him to check if something was wrong had happened but the call didn't go through. Linder had refused to tell me the problem and the idea to pay Richard a visit at his house lingered in my thoughts all weekend but I kicked against the idea and decided to wait for him to show up in school before finding out why he wasn't present when he knew that that something important to all of us was around the corner and he was the head of our team.

On Tuesday morning, I got dressed up early to leave and having late breakfast early which I prepared myself, I went to school with the thought I would hear something about his whereabouts or perhaps see him in person which I greatly wished for but for the two lessons, he was not in class and my hopes of seeing him was about going up in smoke.

Lunchtime came and I went to the cafeteria instead of the gymnasium hoping to see him there but he was nowhere to be found except for Clyde and Linder whom I saw chattering with some of the girls at one corner of the cafeteria hall whilst eating their lunch. From where I sat down eating my food piece by piece, they seemed too cheerful in their conversation instead of being concerned as to the whereabouts of their teammate whose presence hadn't been accounted for some days now.

I felt even angrier seeing their broad laughter and cheerful grin as I ate my meal in silence alone till when I couldn't endure the temper that was rising inside of me. I didn't realize that I was stabbing the vegetables and the fried chips in anger with the fork I held by the time Chloe and Amanda came to join me there. They were surprised that I didn't go to practice as usual and came to join me with each carrying their plate in one hand.

"Rosalie, there you are", Amanda said with all smiles written in her face but I wasn't thrilled by her friendly greetings. I quickly stopped what I was doing and pretended as if I wasn't upset by anything that would arouse their suspicion. They both sat down at their usual spot next to me and adjusted their tray next to the smoothie they brought along with them.

"Here take this", Amanda brought out three yogurts from her handbag and gave one to Chloe who received it warmly. She gave it to me but I shook my head in refusal.

"Alright, suit yourself", Amanda said and took a first bite on her burger without minding the fact that particles fell from her mouth. Chloe and I both watched her as she munched the food with ecstasy and gasped out after savoring the flavor. "This feels so good", "You have been quite distant from us ever since you started athletics", Chloe said after we both returned to eating our food.

"I'm very sorry guys. I just got my head wrapped up in all the intense preparations for the games", I replied very much not interested in eating the food that was getting cold.

"And yet, here you are with us", "You look so pale and why ain't you practicing for the games, huh?", Chloe questioned boring a hole in the yogurt with the straw Amanda gave to her as well.

"Yeah, tell us", Amanda retorted eager to hear what I have to say in spite of the fact that her mouth was all full with the burger she was eating.

"I just...It's nothing", "Is it because of Richard?", Chloe asked again and I flinched nervously trying to avoid their stare. I nodded shyly, unwilling to eat any further at the mention of Richard's name.

"I knew it had to do with his absence from school but he's back, alright", "What?!", I exclaimed out of the blue which frightened them. Some of the teenagers whispering among themselves whilst eating in the hall got attracted and they all stared at us with a puzzled look. I felt embarrassed at that moment and it was hard getting them not to stare at us any longer.

All three of us heaved a huge sigh of relief the moment they started taking their eyes from us one after the other.

"Don't do that ever again, you understand?",

Chloe warned after the tension died down between us.

"I promise.... Tell me where he is right now", "That's so direct", "He was sighted practicing some runs alone at the stadium", "I think he's been there the whole time", Amanda added and drank from her yogurt.

"No wonder I didn't see him in class today", I mumbled to myself and took a last glance at Richard's buddies who were about to leave the cafeteria hall. Chloe was already busy with eating her food and Amanda seemed less interested to talk about Richard. I was left alone to ponder about Richard's unwarranted absence from school.

"Any idea why Richard was absent last week?", I asked after a brief moment of silence.

"Nope... Not even a clue", It was Amanda who responded first.

"I suggest you speak to Clyde or Linder... Perhaps they know something about it", "I tried talking to Linder but he didn't want to open up", "Then it is best if you hear from Richard himself", Chloe suggested and went back to eating her meal. They seemed preoccupied with eating their meal that they gave me less attention for conversation which ended my desire to inquire about Richard any further. After having lunch at the cafeteria, I went to the gymnasium taking along with me the new duffle bag my aunt bought for me a few days ago, for swimming practice as usual instead of heading back to class.

I intently skipped class to go there most likely to see if Richard was there with the athletes but I was again disappointed to find out that he wasn't there and I didn't feel the need to ask the others who might get the wrong idea of my intentions of asking Richard's whereabouts. It was only after I had completed two rounds of swimming in the shallow pool before going to the dressing room to change my swimming outfit into the dress I wore to school. No sooner had I entered the locker room, I saw Richard shoving some of his clothes into his personal locker in the middle row of three metal shelves meant for each of the male athletes.

He was quite alone in the fairly tight spaced cubicle which was actually used by both genders in the team though the lockers were separated from each at opposite angles. He didn't quite notice that I had entered inside and was engrossed in keeping his locker tidy for him to leave with the bag of which lay unzipped on the ground beside his feet.

I stealthily walked up to where he was still busy with his locker and stopped a few meters from him.

"I haven't seen you all day, where have you been?", I asked not too sure if that was the right thing to say after his brief absence from school. He didn't say anything but I knew he heard me. Thinking that he was probably upset about something, I decided to wait till he was done turning his locker upside down. He slammed the door shut afterwards and brought his head outside to leave but he paused when he saw that I was standing next to the locker. Still he said nothing to me and bent down to zipped the bag even when he knew that I felt hurt by his silence.

Like I had suspected he wasn't in the mood for any chit chat and his silence proved it. I watched him in pain as he kept fiddling with his bag and his silent indignation was proving far hurting to me as I stood behind him. Unwilling to leave him to his fate, I decided to question him even though it was clear that he wasn't ready to answer any of my questions.

"What's the problem, Richard? Are you upset about something? Did something happen?", I interrogated further but he was defiant to any of my questions. He took the bag and got up to leave it but I blocked his path. I felt his glare at me the moment I confronted him and was taken aback by how pale his face had been the entire time he was busy with the locker, particularly his eyes which had gone all red.

"I know you are upset about something but I just want you to know that I'm right here if you want to talk about it", I said, trying to withstand his glare. The words I said hardly had an impact on him. As a result, He sighed deeply and left me standing there without saying anything. I wanted to chase after him but it was clear he didn't want to speak to anyone.

It took me twenty minutes to get changed and as I was about exiting the room with the bag strap on my shoulder, I saw a bracelet lying on the ground next to the door. I picked it up thinking that it could belong to Richard who left a while ago and kept it inside my handbag before leaving the dressing room.