Rivalry at Silver Spires Read Online Free PDF

person I could clearly make out was Hannah. She was doing front crawl, cutting through the water with her head down, and only breathing on every third stroke. I so hoped Mrs. Mellor would teach us the proper front crawl technique in swimming squad.
    I didn’t like standing on the edge – it made me feel really conspicuous – but I badly wanted to know if Felissia was in the pool, before I got in. I’d just feel a bit more secure if I knew that, so I pretended to be adjusting my goggles and then tucking bits of stray hair into my swimming cap, which gave me a chance to take a better look. The only other person I instantly recognized was Bibi, at the deep end with her back to the wall, her arms stretched out along the rail, her eyes on me. I quickly looked away, then sat down on the edge and twisted my body round as I slid in, so no one would see me wince at the chill of the water. I really wanted to swim hard up and down the pool, trying to get faster at front crawl and concentrate on the breathing, but I couldn’t be sure that no one was watching me, and I didn’t want to look too keen. What I really mean is, I couldn’t be sure that Felissia wasn’t watching me.
    It annoyed me that I even cared whether she was watching or not, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to relax until I’d found out if she was actually in the pool. To give myself a bit more time, I pretended to be warming up, rolling my shoulders and drawing my knees up to my chest one at a time. Then I stopped abruptly at the sound of a snigger. I couldn’t tell who it was, but it made me spring into action and start swimming.
    At least with breaststroke, unless you’re doing it with the proper technique and dipping your face in on every stroke, you can look round a bit. So that’s what I did and it didn’t take any time at all for me to spot Felissia, Stella and Cassie doing handstands near the shallow end. My stomach knotted immediately. Bibi and Hannah were practising tumble turns a bit further up, and a group of Year Eights were ploughing up and down the pool in pairs. Loads of Year Sevens were having a hold-your-breath-underwater competition. I must have been the only person on my own. Maybe I should have said “Yes please” when Jess offered to come. But no one seemed to be looking at me, except the lifeguard, and she was only looking because that was her job.
    After four lengths of nice comfortable breaststroke, I gave myself a firm telling-off. Right, Grace, stop being silly and get on with what you came to do. So I changed to front crawl and really tried to push myself to go as fast as I could. I made up the rule that I wasn’t allowed to stop until I’d done eight lengths, but by the time I’d done four I was wishing I’d made it six, because my muscles were tight and I’d already slowed down a lot. It was also more difficult because the pool was so crowded, so I made a resolution to turn up before breakfast the next day. Then, with a bit of luck, I’d get the pool all to myself. I don’t mind the thought of being on my own. In fact I prefer it, because I can concentrate on my training without worrying about anyone watching, apart from the lifeguard.
    At the end of the eight lengths I felt exhausted and wished I’d set myself the task of doing an odd number, as then I could have finished at the deep end where the water would go right up to my neck. I felt stupid in the shallow end, because I had to bend my legs until I was nearly kneeling to make sure my top half wasn’t sticking up out of the water. When I wasn’t out of breath any more I went right under and peered around through my goggles. Everything sounded muffled and unreal, and it was weird to see pale legs kicking and flapping in slow motion. In a funny way it made me feel calm and safe, but after a while I ran out of breath and had to come up again, where the shrill echoey sounds of chatter and