Champion Tide

  Chapter 3: Between laughter and secrets

  The first training was not long in coming. The pool, crystal clear and shiny, was waiting for the new members of the team. The coach, with her characteristic firm tone, finished giving directions and left the boys to get ready.

  "Ready for me to humiliate you in the water?" Luz joked, elbowing Talión.

  "Please, if I swim so fast that I'm going to leave you dry," Talion replied with a confident smile.

  "Dry?" If you keep showing off, you're going to drown in your own words," Luz said with a mischievous smile.

  The vibe between the two had become lighter. Since that day in the tests, Talión had felt... curious about Luz. There was something about that little guy that intrigued him, but he couldn't understand what.

  During training, Luz moved quickly, although her technique was still more refined than explosive. Talión noticed that Luz made an enormous effort in each turn, but every time she got out of the water, her smile remained firm.

  "Good technique!" exclaimed a voice from the edge of the pool.

  It was Aurora, a tall girl, with a determined look and a tone of voice that admitted no doubts. He stood next to the coach, watching Talión carefully.

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  "Hey you, the one with the gray hair," Aurora said, pointing at him. You have potential.

  Talion was silent for a second, not knowing whether to take it as a compliment or as a warning. Finally, he smiled and nodded.

  "Thank you... I think."

  Aurora smiled slightly before walking away, leaving Talión thoughtful. Potential for what?, he wondered.

  ?

  A few hours later...

  Talión and Luz were in the dressing room, joking and telling silly stories while they changed. Luz, as always, was the soul of the conversation, exaggerating his anecdotes and making him laugh with his jokes.

  "And then I fell into the pool with clothes and everything!" Luz said, waving her arms. It looked like a fish out of the water!

  Talion burst into laughter.

  "How the hell do you achieve so many misfortunes in a single day?!" he asked laughing.

  Luz leaned towards him, with that mischievous smile that was already so familiar to her.

  "It's a gift... or a curse," he said, winking at him.

  Talion shook his head and took off his shirt to change. Just when she was about to put on her clean shirt, Luz dropped her towel without realizing it as she moved towards her locker. Talion looked by reflex and... everything clicked.

  His eyes opened suddenly.

  "What...?!" Talión murmured, blocking his own view with the towel in his hand.

  "What's wrong?" Luz asked, without understanding.

  Talión felt the heat rise to his face. Luz... was a vato.

  "N-nothing..." he stambled, turning around hastily.

  How the fuck didn't I notice before?, Talion thought. Suddenly, all those uncomfortable moments, the laughter, the jokes, the "out of the series ass"... everything mixed in his head like an explosion.

  "Talion..." Luz said, putting on a T-shirt. Is everything okay?

  "Yes... yes... just..." The prota cleared his throat. Nothing... I'm going to... I'm going to get some air.

  He left the dressing room almost staggering. Once outside, he rested both hands on the wall and took a deep breath.

  Why do I feel like my life just got complicated?, he thought.