Here we go. Swimming to my Beat, chapter 1. I don’t own anything.
This fic involves competitive swimming, so I’ll explain the terms.
Meets: Swim competitions
Distances are measures in meters; the average length of a lane is 25 meters. That’s how everything goes by. So a 500, is 20 laps, a 100 is 4 laps, 200 is 8, 300 is 12, 400 is 16, and it just continues. Swimmer’s slang will be used. There are for strokes, or styles.
Butterfly: is called ‘fly’ and look up Michael Phelps for an example
Breaststroke: is called ‘Breast’, also known as the frog stroke
Freestyle: ‘Free’
Backstroke: ‘Back’
Morning practices are very common, as is cold water.
Relays consist of 4 people, there are medley –fly, back, breast, free- and freestyle relays
Swimmers dive off of, blocks. Tilted pieces of plastic set off the pool deck. Normally with a bar over the water for backstroke races.
Songs are This is Me, Wouldn’t Change a Thing, Don’t Forget, and It’s Not Too Late.
Review or PM if you have any more questions –Estel Pax
Mitchie’s POV: Three days until the Swim Meet
“And I know we a get a little crazy, and I know we get a little loud but that’s just that we roll,” I sing, as I dive into the cold water; with my other team mates. I hate these morning practices. We certainly are crazy, and loud, way too loud for me in the morning, but that’s just the way a swimmer rolls.
“You aren’t a morning person, Mitchie,” my friend Alice grins, as I yawn.
“Shut up, Alice,” Bella snaps, from the next lane over.
I’m actually normal and have friends. The Cullens, Masens, and Hales, plus Sierra and my Camp rock gang. It’s different and I like it.
“So you ready for the meet, “Alice asks.
“Yeah, Sierra’s coming?”
“You,” I ask, Bella.
“Either Edward or Emmett’s timing, but I have no clue about anyone else.”
“You don’t know?”
“Shut up, Alice. Between homework, practices, my crappy phone and my relatives; I haven’t exactly seen him,” she snarls, as we do a 500 freestyle kicking. I mentally sigh. I’m still single. No, Shane Gray. This is Me, was the beginning of a friendship, and our one kiss... Still single. I am close to Nate and Jason, ironically. Come on, with Shane those two come with him.
“It’s o-kay Bellz, he’s on the track team; so he’s busy too. Blame Summers on your phone, and you can’t help your relatives.”
“Thanks, Mitch.”
Elizabeth Summers, the golden athlete. She hates us for some reason. Then again, I do choir, and won the solo over her. Bella is dating the star of the track team; Alice is dating the star of the soccer team, and Rose the star quarterback. So it makes sense, but she’s the bitch of the school and Edward the golden boy. Tess is nicer, and that’s saying something.
“No problem, “I smile.
“Torres, Cullen, Masen, Hale, enough chatting, more swimming,” Coach Turner, yells. We nod and get to work. The meet will be here soon enough. Bring it on!
After an hour and a half of practice, we get out and listen to his usual morning speech.
“Ladies, I have your events.”
Bella, Alice, and I look at each other, let’s see what we get.
“Bella Masen, 500 Free, 100 free, and 200 free and 200, 400 medley relays.”
Bella groans at the 500, but we know she can do it.
“Alice Cullen, 200 fly, 50 free, 200 back, 100 back, 200, 400 medley relays.”
“Michelle Torres, 100 breast, 200 breast, 100 back, 100 free, 200, and 400 medley relays.”
“We got lucky, this time,” Alice says.
“We sure did,” Bella says as we get dressed and head to class. I have world history first, and I head over to class.
“Morning, Si.”
My best friend, since pre-school, looks at me with a smile.
“How was practice?”
“Cold,” I grin.
“Mitch,” she laughs.
“I got my events and got all good ones. I have two relays.”
“Any with A and B,” she says, with a smirk.
“Ha, Ha, very funny. I did, I got my relays and 100 free with B and 100 back with A.”
“Nice, going. Are you ready for it?”
“I’m ready.”
Later Music
My favorite class and of course, I have it with Summers.
“Your homework was to write two solos and a duet. We’ll start with you, Elizabeth.”
“My songs are Gives you Hell, Move along, and Tear it down.”
“Thank you, Elizabeth. The lyrics and music are good. Good job.”
“Michelle.”
I take a deep breath.
“My songs are It’s not too Late, Don’t Forget, and Wouldn’t Change a Thing.”
“Very nice, can you sing It’s not too Late and Wouldn’t Change a Thing? Edward, will sing the male.”
“Ok, can Rose and Sierra play the music?”
“Of course. Start with your solo.”
Ohh
Here I am
Feels like the walls are closing in
Once again it's time to face it and be strong
I wanna do the right thing now
I know it's up to me somehow
I've lost my way
If I could take it all back I would now
I never meant to let you all down
And now I've got to try to turn it all around
And figure out how to fix this
I know there's a way so I promise
I'm gonna clean up this mess I made
Maybe It's not too late
Maybe it's not too late oh
So I'll take a stand
Even though it's complicated
If I can I wanna change the way I've made it
I gotta do the right thing now
I know it's up to me some how
I'll find my way
If I could take it all back I would now
I never meant to let you all down
And now I've got to try to turn it all around
And figure out how to fix this
I know there's a way so I promise
I'm gonna clean up the mess I made
Maybe It's not too late
I'm gonna find the strength
To be the one who that holds it all together
Show you that I'm sorry
But I know that we can make it better
If I could take it all back I would now
I never meant to let you all down
And now I've got to try to turn it all around
And figure out how to fix this
I know there's a way so I promise
I'm gonna clean up the mess I made
Maybe It's not too late
I never meant to let you all down
Now I've got to try to turn it all around
And figure out how to fix this
I know there's a way so I promise
I'm gonna clean up this mess I made
Maybe It's not too late
Maybe it's not too late oh yeah
This song means a lot me. After, I lied and after last summer it needed to be written. Here it is, I wish Shane, and Caitlyn could hear this. Brown would love this, and possibly Nate.
“Beautiful, Michelle. Simply, wonderful. Your duet next. The verses sound complicated.”
I look at Edward and take a deep breath. I hope he can do it, it’s tricky. Shane would understand and catch on easily. Here it goes.
Mitchie, Edward, Both
It's like he doesn't hear a word I say,
His mind is somewhere far away,
And I don't know how to get there,
It's like,
(She's way too serious)
All he wants is to chill out,
(She's always in a rush)
He makes me wanna pull all my hair out,
(And interrupting)
Like he doesn't even care,
(Like she doesn't even care)
You,
me
We're face to face
But we don't see eye to eye
Like fire and rain
(Like fire and rain)
You can drive me insane
(You can drive me insane)
But I can't stay mad at you for anything
We're Venus and Mars
(We're Venus and Mars)
We're like different stars
(Like different stars)
But you're the harmony to every song I sing
And I wouldn't change a thing
She's always trying to save the day
Just wanna let my music play
She's all or nothing
But my feelings never change
(Why, does he try to read my mind?)
I try to read her mind
(It's not good to psychoanalyze)
She tries to pick a fight
To get attention
That's what all of my friends say
(That's what all of my friends say)
You,
Me
We're face to face
But we don't see eye to eye
Like fire and rain
(Like fire and rain)
You can drive me insane
(You can drive me insane)
But I can't stay mad at you for anything
We're Venus and Mars
(We're Venus and Mars)
We're like different stars
(Like different stars)
But you're the harmony to every song I sing
And I wouldn't change a thing
When I'm yes, she's no
When I hold on, he just lets go
We're perfectly imperfect
But I wouldn't change a thing, no
We're like fire and rain
(Like fire and rain)
You can drive me insane
(You can drive me insane)
But I can't stay mad at you for anything
We're Venus and Mars
(We're Venus and Mars)
We're like different stars
(Like different stars)
But you're the harmony to every song I sing
And I wouldn't change a thing
But I can't stay mad at you for anything
We're Venus and Mars
(We're Venus and Mars)
We're like different stars
(Like different stars)
But you're the harmony to every song I sing
And I wouldn't change a, wouldn’t change a
Wouldn't change a thing
The class claps, even Edward, Rose, and Sierra. I blush.
“Edward, good job, you stumbled a couple of times but with those verses, it is tricky for any musician.” Not Shane, we’ve done this before; any musician with an ear could have done it. It’s four verses fused into two, but Edward is a composer, not vocalist.
“Michelle wonderful songs, you truly are a wonder. Does anyone, want hear another one of Michelle’s songs?”
Everyone in the class, except Liz raises their hand and I blush.
“Um, ok. I have one. It’s called This is Me and I need Rose and Edward on guitar, plus Sierra.”
I take a deep breath, here I go.
I've always been the kind of girl
That hid my face
So afraid to tell the world
What I've got to say
But I have this dream
Right inside of me
I'm gonna let it show, it's time
To let you know
To let you know
This is real, this is me
I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be, now
Gonna let the light, shine on me
Now I've found, who I am
There's no way to hold it in
No more hiding who I want to be
This is me
Do you know what it's like
To feel so in the dark
To dream about a life
Where you're the shining star
Even though it seems
Like it's too far away
I have to believe in myself
It's the only way
This is real, This is me
I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be, now
Gonna let the light, shine on me
Now I've found, who I am
There's no way to hold it in
No more hiding who I want to be
This is me
You're the voice I hear inside my head
The reason that I'm singing
I need to find you, I gotta find you
You're the missing piece I need
The song inside of me
I need to find you, I gotta find you
This is real, this is me
I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be, now
Gonna let the light, shine on me
Now I've found, who I am
There's no way to hold it in
No more hiding who I want to be
This is me
You're the missing piece I need
The song inside of me (this is me)
You're the voice I hear inside my head
The reason that I'm singing
Now I've found, who I am
There's no way to hold it in
No more hiding who I want to be
This is me
“Wasn’t that Shane Gray’s Gotta Find You mixed in,” a girl asks.
“The melodies were really similar, I wanted see if they would mesh, so I added them in; if I sing it without them it sounds weird,” I explain telling the story, Shane and I created, that way he could release my song and I could use it.
“Well it was amazing. I wonder how it would it sound with both of you singing,” Mrs. Reed muses.
“Wonderful,” I sigh silently. No one knows, how it does sound. Head out of the clouds Mitchie.
“Thank you, I just hope they don’t mind me borrowing their song,” I smile.
“I’m sure he won’t.”
I just smile as class ends, my last class of the day. I grab my stuff, and walk to my car.
“Alice, Bellz, Edward, Sierra, you guys up for dinner?”
“Sure,” they all say.
I text Rose. “Dinner.”
“Practice, 3 of us”
“K, ABES r doing din at my place.”
“K”
“Busy,” I say to them. They nod.
I run home and grab my guitars, sheet music, lap top, and violin. I teach music lessons, part time. Basic stuff, except for guitar and help with violin lessons, and I’m a vocal coach. I arrive and it’s time for my private guitar and vocal lesson, of the day. I set up and I’m ready to go.
“HI, Miss Mitchie.”
I roll my eyes.
“Hello, Melody. What are we working on today?”
“Tonight, by Connect 3.”
“That’s a tricky one. Why don’t we do Gotta Find You for guitar and A Little bit Longer for vocals, or we could do When You Look Me in the Eyes.”
“Ok.”
“Here’s the trick, I’m going to teach you the chorus and then I’m going to play it another song. It’s hard like Tonight.”
I playing the chorus for Gotta Find You and she picks it up quickly. I throw in the basic chords for the ending chorus of This is Me.
“Now watch me.”
“I hold out my last ‘this is me, and start to play the mix of Gotta Find You and This is Me, and she catches on quickly.
“Good job. Next time, we’ll start on the verses.”
“I noticed it was a mix, can you play it and sing it. I really want to hear it sounds complicated.”
“Ok.”
I take a deep breath and sing This is Me again.
This is real, This is me
I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be, now
Gonna let the light, shine on me
Now I've found, who I am
There's no way to hold it in
No more hiding who I want to be
This is me
You're the voice I hear inside my head
The reason that I'm singing
I need to find you, I gotta find you
You're the missing piece I need
The song inside of me
I need to find you, I gotta find you
This is real, this is me
I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be, now
Gonna let the light, shine on me
Now I've found, who I am
There's no way to hold it in
No more hiding who I want to be
This is me
You're the missing piece I need
The song inside of me (this is me)
You're the voice I hear inside my head
The reason that I'm singing
The reason that I'm singing
Now I've found, who I am
There's no way to hold it in
No more hiding who I want to be
This is me
Melody claps and I blush.
“That was really good; was This is Me your song?”
I nod, as my phone my buzzes.
“Yes.”
“I wish I could hear Shane sing it with you.”
“So do I,” I say softly.
“Well, let’s hear you sing A little Bit Longer, and see what we need to work on.”
I listen to Melody sing.
“Good job, but the verses and ending chorus, need work. We’ll do that next week,” I say as she grabs her music and guitar. I have thirty minutes, to kill and I look at my phone. I don’t recognize the number, but I open up the message.
“Mitchie, this is Nate”
Nate?!
“Hi”
“Look, I know Shane kissed you and didn’t do anything about it”
“How!”
“Caitlyn, Jason, Frankie, Brown”
Shit!
“So”
“Aren’t you pissed?”
“Got school, job, swimming, friends……”
“And how many have boyfriends”
“Nate, u sound like a girl, all of them”
“Where do u work”
“Teach music lessons, got solo at school”
“Where?”
“ Barfield’s Music Studio, and Fairview High. I gotta go, my nxt lessn is almost here.”
“Bye Mitch.”
“Bye, Nate”
I save his number into my phone, as the other instructor for violin comes in.
“Hey, Mitchie.”
“Hey, Alyssa how are you?”
“Great, so our lessons for today are: Mara, and Lauren. Mara is doing He’s a Pirate and Lauren, United We Stand.”
“So, I will do the other violin part or providing harmony?”
“You bet,” she smiles.
The rest of day passes by, quickly and dinner is nice. Bella, Edward, and Alice head home and I attack my homework. In two days, I will be swimming to my own beat.
Points: 16710
Reviews: 394
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