Swim Coach: A Novel Read online

  Swim Coach

  A Novel

  Sam E. Kraemer

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2017 by Sam E. Kraemer

  Cover Design: Pro_ebookcoverx

  Cover photograph: Shutterstock

  Pre-readers: Genevieve & JMJ

  Published by Sam E. Kraemer

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any form, printed or electronic, without the express permission of the author. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

  This book was originally published on free fanfiction sites under another title which was owned by the author as well. These characters are the author’s original creations and the events herein are the author’s sole property. No rights to the content of this story are forfeited due to the previous version of the manuscript.

  WARNING: This book contains material which may be offensive to some readers: Graphic language and/or adult situations; graphic descriptions of sexual activity; violence; non-consensual sex acts; discretion is advised. This fictional story is not suitable for anyone under 18.

  All products/brand names/references to motion pictures, musical recordings, or works of literature mentioned in this work of fiction are the registered trademarks and copyrights of their respective holders/corporations/artists. No trademark or copyright infringement intended.

  Summary:

  “Working in the campus bookstore wasn’t my ideal job, but it was what afforded me the opportunity to run into my first crush, my old swim coach. Andre Dupree was a beautiful man, and for the few years he coached my intramural swimming club, the Squids, I spent every practice just staring at him. I never dreamed I’d get a second chance with my first crush, but that day he was standing in front of me with a smile that nearly melted my clothes off my body. He was even more gorgeous than I remembered. He also had a girlfriend and I was reminded of his long list of conquests from high school. I didn’t stand a chance in hell.

  “Fate had a crazy way of reminding people life wasn’t fair. My reminder came at the hands of a person I hardly knew. I met new people, made new friends, faced many new challenges, and learned my way around campus, but nothing prepared me for the darkness coming my way. Learning to navigate the aftermath of the worst event in my young life was one of the hardest things I’d ever done, and I tried to do it alone. People in my life fought to stay even as I tried to push them out. There was one person who fought the hardest…the Swim Coach.” Colton J. Wixsom

  Join Colton Wixsom on his journey of maneuvering life’s challenges as he faces the darkness and searches for the light or a hand to guide him into it. Please Note: This book contains material which may be offensive to some readers: Graphic language and/or adult situations; graphic descriptions of sexual activity; violence; non-consensual sex acts; underage drinking. This fictional story is intended for adults over 18. This novel is approximately 125,000 words in length and ends with a happily-ever-after. It’s a stand-alone story and doesn’t end in a cliffhanger.

  Dedication:

  This story is dedicated to the spirit deep inside all of us to survive.

  If you or a loved one has been touched by sexual violence, this book is dedicated to you.

  www.onlywithconsent.org

  Chapter One

  First Crush

  I was stocking textbooks, Elements of Architecture: From Form to Place, when I noticed a couple standing in the aisle. She had a list in her hands and was picking up books left and right, not returning them to their proper place which was pissing me on. Based on the posture of the man with her, he was completely bored as he scrolled through his phone.

  In order to head off the disaster the woman was creating on the shelves, I got up from my knees and walked down the aisle to offer my assistance. I was hoping to stop her before she caused enough damage to require me to have to stay late and reorganize the entire section.

  I walked up to her and pecked her on the shoulder, seeing her look at me in confusion. Why she was confused I didn't know because I was wearing a fucking t-shirt with the bookstore logo on the front. On the back of it, one of the fucking idiots who ran the place had chosen to not-so-cleverly add "Event Staff" screened across the shoulders for the first week of school. Being a freshman on work/study sucked.

  "Can I help you?" I asked her. She got a shitty look on her face and laughed sarcastically.

  "I don't know? Are you able?" Smug bitch.

  "Excuse me. May I help you before you destroy this entire aisle and I have to stay here all night to clean up the mess you're making due to your inability to return the book to the proper slot from which you pull it?" I articulated to the idiot.

  I heard a muffled chuckle from the side, but I could tell she was pissed, so I didn't dare look away from her. "Well, um, Colton, I'm looking for Documenting Software Architectures: Views and Beyond. The bookstore doesn't seem to carry it, even though when I looked it up on the website, it said there were new and used copies. Is this something I have to beg and plead for from the," she looked at the back of my shirt and then sarcastically continued, "Event Staff?"

  The guy chuckled again, and I turned to glance at him over my shoulder, seeing a face forever burned into my brain. It couldn't be him, though, right? He'd moved to California a long time ago. But, God, it looked like him…well, from what my fifteen-year-old brain could conjure for my eighteen-year-old self.

  He was fucking beautiful. He was taller than I remembered. Back then, he had a swimmer’s build and considering he was the swim coach at the local pool when I was a kid, I'd spent two summers admiring his half-naked body so I knew it well. The face was the same. The body, however, wasn't. It was much more muscular, and Jesus fuck, he was smokin’ hot.

  I felt two fingers snap in front of my face, and I turned to the less-than-patient woman who was his companion. Seeing the total disdain on her face, I actually smiled at the bitch. I pulled out the tablet we all carried around and looked up the book seeing we did, indeed, have it in stock…only not in the aisle in which she was looking.

  "We do have several new and used copies of the book," I began before she threw up her hands and turned on me like a she-wolf.

  "Oh, really, Einstein? Where the fuck would they be hidden?"

  "Aisle nine," I announced.

  "Aisle nine? What, do you need some sort of GPS device to find the fucking books? Is there a map?" she snapped. I took in her over-processed, blonde hair and light blue eyes, and I guess if you were into that sort of thing, she was hot with her fake tits and all, but that disposition? Fuck, I'd become a priest before I dealt with that shit on any consistent basis.

  I took a deep breath and looked around, seeing the man smiling as if he knew exactly what I was about to say to the woman: she just needed to go to the Computer Sciences aisle. "Data Architecture is part of the curriculum under Information Technology Management, which I assume is what you're studying, though I wonder how that GPA is going for you."

  He cracked up and had to hold onto the shelf to keep from falling on the floor. I was holding it in as best I could, but the look on her red face was something to behold. It was one that, if looks could kill, I'd have dropped into a funeral pyre right there in front of Ancient Architecture.

  "Fuck you, Dupree, and you, Event Staff," she snapped as she stormed off in the high heels she was wearing. Surprisingly, hot guy, whom she'd just confirmed was Andre Dupree
, stayed next to me and continued to laugh.

  When he finally came around and stopped laughing, he dried the tears in his eyes and looked at me. "I know you, don't I?"

  I chuckled. "I'm not sure if you remember me too clearly. You coached the Unionville…" I began.

  "You're Colton…uh, Zoey’s little brother. Hart, right?" he asked.

  "Actually, my dad didn't adopt Zoey. We're half-brother and sister. We have the same Mom. My last name is Wixsom. I was a Squid."

  He nodded. "That's right. You were on the last swim team I coached before we moved to LA. Wow, that seems like a lifetime ago. So, you're going to school here now? Are you on scholarship?" he asked, glancing at my shirt.

  I laughed. "I wish. No, I'm on work/study. I didn't like Eric Dean, the guy who took over the team the next summer, so I didn't sign up again and I didn't swim for the school team. I've got a partial academic scholarship, and I work here for my room and board. You go here?" I asked like a fucking moron.

  He laughed a little. "Yeah. It's my senior year, but I'm going to stay for the master's program. Finance Major and Business Management Minor. So, what dorm are you in?"

  "Hansee. I moved in last week so I'd be settled and ready to work this week. I'm still lost when I try to get around, but I only got turned around twice today on the way to work, so it's a banner day for me. You?"

  "I live in Blakely Village near University Village. I've got two roommates, a guy and that psycho you just bested. Good job, by the way. Not too harsh, but definitely impressive."

  I felt bad for humiliating the woman, but if she didn't realize the difference between building architecture and data architecture, I truly had to wonder how she'd been accepted into the school in the first place. I thought they were pretty fucking selective in their admission process, but maybe I was wrong? Maybe it was a come-one, come-all situation?

  "Um, thanks. I just, um, well, what's her major, your girlfriend?" I asked because really? She seemed to be as dumb as a box of rocks.

  "Heidi's a data security major when she goes to class. Trust me, she's not my fucking girlfriend and I'd never want anyone to get that impression. I'm just here to pick up my box. I ordered my books online, and I should have an order waiting for me somewhere." He smiled and turned to see the woman clomping back. When he saw her face as she headed our way, his smile faded.

  I remembered Zoey telling me about all the girls he dated in high school, and apparently, dumped. I could see why there was a trail of broken hearts behind the guy. He was really fucking hot in high school, and he'd only gotten better with age. If I was being honest, he was my first crush, ever.

  "I'll, uh, I'll get your box and meet you at the register," I offered, walking away without waiting to hear anything from the woman.

  I found the box, but there was a note on top that it was missing one book, Investment Banking: Valuation, Leveraged Buyouts, and Mergers & Acquisitions. I took the box to the desk and opened up a register, seeing a line beginning to form.

  I waited on three customers before Andre Dupree stood in front of me. His friend, Heidi, had already checked out and was waiting impatiently, and even though the two other lines were empty, he stood in my line.

  I picked up the box and placed it on the counter, pulling the packing slip. I hadn't packed the box, so I opened it to confirm all of the books, save the one, were included. When I saw they were, I initialed it, just as I'd been taught and presented him with the bill.

  "You're missing one book, but…" I typed in the title and saw we were expecting delivery the next day. "It should be here tomorrow. I'll pull one and put your name on it. There's a waiting list for the next delivery, but sometimes, well, someone could get bumped down the list," I hinted. He was at the bottom of the list, but I was working the next day, so I had a little power…damn little, but he was my former coach so I could do him a favor. That was what I was telling myself anyway.

  He shot me the gorgeous crooked grin I remembered from back in the day and handed me his credit card. "I appreciate it. Do you get a coffee break? I could pick it up then and maybe take you for a cup of coffee or bring you one if you tell me what you like," he offered.

  No, he's not asking you out, dumbass. He's repaying a debt. He's a Unionville High legend for his fuck hound ways, and you're an idiot to think there's anything more to his invitation. "You don't have to do that. Hey, you led us to the Union County Finals. I actually lifeguarded at the pool after being on the swim team, so I owe you a favor. We can call it even." I tried to keep the disappointment out of my voice, but I wasn't sure he hadn't picked up on it.

  "What time do you open tomorrow?" he asked as the woman paced impatiently by the door as I handed him the receipt, his credit card, and a pen.

  "We open at seven every day until Wednesday which is when a lot of classes start. After that, we open at eight. You could, um, call the store and ask if the book came in. Sometimes, the deliveries aren't reliable, I’ve been told. There's no need for you to make the trip all the way over here if the book isn't here. I mean, I have no idea what time the delivery will arrive," I offered. Nice attempt at a selfless act, asshole.

  He smiled brightly and handed me his phone. I wasn't sure what he was getting at, so I looked at him, hearing bitching behind him. It was that Heidi woman, and she wasn't happy at all. "Um, what…I thought you'd just…" I began.

  She grabbed the phone from me and leveled a look. "He's obviously asking you for your fucking number, numb nuts. What is it?"

  I spouted my number to her, and she punched it in, taking my fucking picture in the process. I felt my phone buzz in my pocket, and when I pulled it out, I saw it was from an unknown number. I clicked on it to ignore it and looked at them.

  She rolled her eyes. "That's his fucking number. Can we go now? I have a date, you know. Unlike you, I actually go out with people before I sleep with them," she complained.

  He chuckled and grabbed the box. "I look forward to hearing from you…about the book. Have a good day."

  The two of them left the building, and I was left…bewildered. What the hell just happened?

  I was walking back to Hansee Hall later that afternoon when my phone buzzed in my pocket. I saw it was from Bryana, one of my best friends from high school, so I clicked on it.

  Is there a get 2 no u party @ Hansee? We're having 1 at Haggerty. Come over. B

  I didn't really want to go because I hated to meet new people, but Bryana was my good friend, as was her roommate, Amanda. We'd gone to Unionville High together, and when I was forced out of the closet at nearly sixteen, they were the only two friends I had after the smoke cleared. Even the guy I got outed over, Kelvin Polk, didn't stick around.

  Kelvin and I hung out during the Christmas break of my sophomore year after he'd been coming on to me since Thanksgiving, though it never went beyond kissing and me giving him a couple of blow jobs. He did give me a hand job at a party on New Year's Eve, but after that, he didn't call me again.

  When we got back to school after the break, he pretended like he didn't know me, and when I tried to talk to him about something, he beat the shit out of me and called me a fag. "Get the fuck away from me, you faggot. I told you I'm not a queer like you." It still hurt to remember it.

  That was when his fist met my face and I wasn't even touching him. All I'd asked him was if he wanted to come over to play “Call of Duty” at my house after school, but I’d made the mistake of saying it in front of some of his friends. I'd already told my parents I was gay, and we'd dealt with the family drama about it because I actually thought I had a boyfriend. They were supportive, which surprised the shit out of me.

  After my outing in the cafeteria that day, I was an outcast and the subject of teenage ridicule. I told my parents what was going on at school but only after I came home a few times with blood on my clothes. Of course, my father actually threatened to go to the kids' homes to speak with their fathers, which wouldn’t do at all. I begged him not to do anything because it would only
make matters worse, and he complied with my wishes…for once.

  That was when Dad began teaching me how to box when he was home on leave. He was in the Army's Special Forces Division. When he was home, which wasn't very often, he spent time with me and taught me how to defend myself. When he was killed in a foreign country during a classified mission, he was buried with full military honors. It had only been three years since we lost him, but it still felt like yesterday.

  Mom cried hysterically when it happened, and I tried my best to be the man of the house as my dad had instructed every time he left us, whether it was in the afternoon or the middle of the night. He never left without reminding me I was to take care of Mom and Zoey, and he never left without telling me he loved me. I truly missed him.

  I have 2 work early 2morrow. Raincheck? C xo

  I felt bad about not going to the party in Bryana's dorm, but I wasn't ready to immerse myself in college life, or that type of college life, so I took a pass. I grabbed a book from my freshman reading list and opened it, settling to rest against the wall behind my bed.

  Suddenly, the door flew open and a guy stumbled in, appearing to be drunk off his ass. He stumbled around the room and smiled at me before he politely puked on the floor. I sat up and looked at him, the fucker. "I'm not cleaning that up." I guess I should have said a lot of other things, but cleaning up a stranger's…yeah, that wasn't me.

  He laughed hysterically as he fell onto the unmade bed across from me. "I'll get it tomorrow."

  Fuck! There's no way I'm going to be able to sleep in the room with that smell. I'm not cleaning that shit up, and I'm definitely going to lodge a complaint with the RA.

  I hopped out of bed and got dressed quickly in clean clothes. I didn't want to go to a party, but I wasn't staying in my room either. Hopefully, Bryana and Amanda would let me stay with them. I grabbed my toothbrush and headed out after I hid my laptop under my mattress. If the fucker came in and puked on the floor without any concern for his roommate, he wasn't above stealing I was sure.