- Chapter eight - THE FIGHT

Phoenix’s POV

Sage and I are here in the swimming pool area of the school; every time our school joins swimming competitions, I practice here. I tried out swimming here because the school guaranteed me a scholarship, and the foods are free and vitamins.             

We are wearing swimwear, and the swimming pool here is like in the competition, “Whoever manage to go here first will win,” he said, “Are you ready to lose?” He sarcastically asked me. 

His arrogance will be gone once I win in swimming against him, “What stroke should we use?” I asked him. 

“Butterfly,” he answered me, and we looked at the swimming pool, and we ready ourselves to jump there, “At the count of three. One… Two… Three,” he said, and we both jumped in the pool.

I swam towards the other side of the pool using the Butterfly stroke. I cannot lose to Sage because all my life, no one won against me. We both managed to swim to the other side of the pool. 

        When I touched the pool’s other side, I quickly swam back where we jumped earlier. Right now, I am faster than Sage. 

        I smiled upon realizing that. I will not allow Sage to win in swimming. Meanwhile, I noticed that he was outswimming me little by little, so I tried to swim fast, but I could not outswim him.  

Impossible! How did he do that? Moreover, he swam slower than earlier, which made me outswim him again. 

I managed to go first to the side of the pool where we jumped earlier, and I left the swimming pool. A minute later, Sage also arrived here, which made me angrier at him. He is still in the swimming pool. 

I’m sure he let me win earlier! He is belittling my skill in swimming, “Congratulation, you win,” he said, and he smiled at me. His smile is fake; he cannot fool me. I can’t accept what he did earlier; did he think he is better than me in this sport?! 

You are so arrogant, Sage! I was about to leave, but I stopped when he spoke, “My name is Sage Taylor,” I heard him saying, so that’s his real name, and what he said to the class earlier is just his alias. What is he planning to do? I need to know it! I looked at him and walked towards him. 

He tried to leave the pool, but it did not happen when he slipped. Tsk!

I offered my hand to help him leave the swimming pool, so he held it to pull himself out of it, “Nice to meet you, Sage Taylor,” I said to him, and I left. 

………………………………………………………………….

I turned on the shower, and the water that came from it fell to me; I am here in the bathroom in the swimming pool area of the school. I just let the water poured into my body, and I started to use soap. 

A minute later, Sage entered the bathroom, “Hey Phoenix,” he said, and he turned on the other shower, then he started to take a bath; we are both naked right now, “Since you knew my name already, what do you want me to call you?” He asked me.  

What is his problem again? “Call me whatever you want—” I did not manage to continue talking when he spoke. 

“How about murderer?” He said sarcastically to me while taking a bath that made me look at him. Tsk! He is draining my patience to him again! He looked at me and laughed sarcastically, “Joke, but it can be true,” he said and turned off the shower. 

“What do you mean?” I asked him. He took his towel beside the sink, and he wiped out the water on his body. 

“Nothing,” he said, then he used the towel to cover his nakedness. He smiled at me and continued to talk, “Until we meet again, Mr. Keehl,” he said to me and left the bathroom.

I closed my hand, and I punched the wall in the bathroom while letting the water from my shower fall to me. Tsk! Why is he messing with me? If he keeps doing that, I have no choice but to punch him!

After taking a bath, I left the swimming pool area. Then, I went to the parking lot. I rode my car and drove it away from school. At this moment, our class is over. 

I took my phone in my pocket and called Juaqin; a few minutes later, he answered my call, “Hello,” he said to me, I can feel his tiredness right now. 

“Where are you?” I asked him while driving my car. I know he can help me to know Sage’s plan. I have a feeling that he has hidden agenda. It’s not just about my brother’s case.

“I’m in my condo unit, I was about to sleep if you did not call,” he said irritably to me. 

“I will go there, I have to tell you something important,” I said to him, “Tell Athena, Sebastian, Elisa, and Melody to go there as well,” I added. 

“But Phoenix—” he did not manage to continue speaking when I talked. 

“No buts, just do it,” I said to him and ended the phone call. 

I drove my car towards his condo unit. Soon, I will know Sage’s plan.

Juaqin’s POV

Fifteen minutes later, after Phoenix called me, I heard that someone knocked on the door of my condo unit, so I opened it because I thought he was here now. I saw Athena in front of me instead of him, “What are you doing here—” I did not manage to continue speaking when she slapped me; I was shocked after that, “What was that for?” I asked her, so she talked. 

“Nothing,” she said and kissed me on my lips, so I also kissed her while she was entering my condo unit. 

I closed the door while we were kissing without knowing if what we were doing was wrong because we’re just both twenty-one years old, and we’re not married.

Phoenix’s POV

When I arrived in the building where the condo unit of Juaqin is there, I parked my car and rode in the elevator. I breathed deeply to have the courage to talk to him; it’s time to be tough!