"Alright." Celest said while cpping then gestured towards the swimming pool with her hand, "Riley. Give me ten rounds of freestyle then follow with breaststrokes, backstrokes, and butterfly. I need two of each and remember that I'm holding the timer so... I expect you to give it your best."

  "Yes coach." Riley answered while getting up from the yoga mat, honestly she was so excited because it's been a while since she rexed.

  For Riley who's been living her days feeling like the burdens of life had her fully submerged dozens of meters below, getting in the pool was almost like Riley's back where she belong.

  Celest smiled faintly then turned to look towards Linnet, for some reasons which she couldn't expin... Celest didn't feel comfortable around this girl and found it awkward seeing Linnet's gentle smile when her gaze fell on her happy friend who jumped in the water after fixing her swimming cap and goggles.

  "Your body is quite flexible," Celest praised Linnet while giving her a nod of approval, "How well can you swim?" She asked while guiding her towards the area where the pool is less deep.

  Linnet drank some water from her fsk then set it aside before carefully approaching the edge, she hesitated for a moment while taking a look down to check the depth of the water below her feet.

  "Ry taught me not to drown... I-I can float... I guess!" Linnet blushed after saying that and looked away to hide her embarrassment.

  Celest found the reaction quite adorable and did her best to hold back her ughter, but at least the awkwardness was no longer in the air between them which was good.

  "Put your cap and goggles first then get in the water."

  "A-alright." Linnet said while doing what she was told then slowly lowered her center of gravity and sat on the edge with her legs in the water, after taking a deep breath in as if gathering her courage she let gravity pull her body while one of her hands held on to the edge.

  Celest immediately noticed how nervous this beauty was in the water and found it quite adorable, "Let's start with breathing exercises, hold the edge and let your body float and take a deep breath then release it in the water. You have five minutes."

  Linnet nodded and said : "I know that one, Ry had me do it before... she said something about this helping with getting rid of my fear."

  "Begin." Celest nodded while giving Riley a gnce.

  Five minutes ter Linnet rested her elbows on the edge and gasped for breath then put the goggles on her forehead and looked back over her shoulder to check on Riley who swam with expertise and stupid ease.

  Celest crouched next to her and checked Riley's time on the stopwatch after giving Linnet a quick side-gnce then asked : "You and Bryan huh... how long have you two been together?"

  "Hmmm..." Linnet twisted her neck to look towards this coach because she wasn't expecting this kind of private question and squinted her eyes slightly, "Uh... T-today. But! We've been neighbors for a few years before he finally decided to ask me out." Linnet blushed when she remembered Bryan's nasty smell when he knocked on her door to save her from Mr. Owen who wanted to take advantage of her sticky situation.

  Celest gawked, 'She officially became his girlfriend today! But the way Bryan was looking at Linnet made me feel like my heart was getting squeezed slowly.' She thought then shook her head, 'What was I thinking? I'm just his coach in his eyes.' Celest's expression quickly shifted from shock to bnk loss.

  Linnet immediately noticed it when this beautiful girl fell into a daze and a realization hit her, "You like Bryan too, don't you!" Linnet said while supporting her cheek on her right fist as she smiled towards Celest who opened her mouth but no words came out to refute her cim, "It's alright sister Celest. I understand... I know where your interest is coming from."

  "H-he's unique." Celest said while clicking the button of her stopwatch to time Riley but she couldn't help herself and took a fleeting side-gnce to check Linnet's expression to confirm if this girl isn't pying any tricks on her.

  "Bryan is indeed unique and special," Linnet said while pushing with her arms against the edge to get out of the water then sat next to Celest and leaned towards her before whispering quietly : "I believe he's interested in you too."

  This time Celest turned to look at Linnet and gave her a doubtful gaze while saying : "W-what nonsense is this? You're his girlfriend!"

  "Hehehe..." Linnet giggled while covering her mouth before whispering : "So you admit that you like my boyfriend."

  "S-so what?" Celest puffed then added : "You already have him, no need to rub it in my wounded heart." She pouted her lips while thinking : 'If only I met him a day or two earlier, who knows? we might've been in each other's shoes!'

  Linnet tilted her head to the side slightly and her eyes glinted dangerously from amusement, "You know what?" She said while resting her hand on Celest's thigh then gave it a couple gentle squeezes before adding : "I really do think you have a chance with Bryan."

  Celest was speechless after hearing that and looked at Linnet's beautiful face and dazzling smile for a few seconds before saying : "I might as well just steal him from you, you know that right?"

  "You can try to do that of course!" Linnet said while shrugging her delicate-looking shoulders and spshing the water with her feet as she watched Riley's enviable and graceful form as she swam, afterwards she looked towards Celest and added : "But I know how much space belongs to me in his heart, once you try to push me out of it is when you start to lose some of yours, I'm content with what I have and quite honestly I welcome more to join because Bryan's heart is that big."

  Celest didn't say anything and nodded quietly after sensing genuine and heartfelt regard from Linnet's truthful words which elicited trust and assurance.

  "Riley." Celest shouted.

  "Yeah!" Riley stopped and held to the edge, she didn't seem too happy after the coach stopped her.

  Celest just rolled her eyes, "You're doing good but I need you to come out once this timer starts to ring, you need to change the swimsuit quickly and get in your training outfit then join us in the gym."

  Riley nodded then waved at Linnet while saying : "Okay~" Afterwards she pushed the edge with her legs and continued to have her fun swimming.

  "Quickly change, we can take care of your swimming lessons ter since we're not in a hurry right now to fix that problem." Celest said while heading towards the door, "I'll be waiting for you in the gym."