[center][img]http://i61.tinypic.com/rw15xt.jpg[/img][/center]

[color=fdc68a][b]"Seven minutes...23 seconds..."[/b][/color], Paneru whispered to himself in a tone of disappointment. He placed his hands on the end of the pool and pulled himself out, shaking out and squeezing his long blonde hair of the excess water and sitting on the edge with his feet dangling in. He moved his toes around in a circular motion as he started drying off his hair with his towel. He paused briefly and looked back at his water proof stop watch. To some degree...he was disappointed. One would think that being able to hold your breath for over seven minutes was an remarkable feat in and of itself. Sure, for your average person, this was incredible. But when it came to the water, to swimming, this felt like his territory. It wasn't new for him and with a goal of 10 minutes lurking in the deep crevices of his mind, only being able to hold his breath for 7 minutes was unsatisfying. Second by second he would constantly remind himself. Every second he could hold his breath longer was a victory. He smiled softly at the thought and felt a sense of self-importance that boosted his spirit. 

Having gathered back a immediate burst of confidence, he quickly stood up and made his way into the locker rooms to change out of his swimming trunks and into the school uniform. With the swimming competition coming up, he was one of the few freshman accepted on the team, so he had to make sure to work his hardest and put forth his best effort. [i]Momotaro[/i]...as his mom used to affectionately call him...[i]Your like a fish out of water[/i]. Standing at his locker, he smiled softly at the thought, and briefly began to cry, quickly trying to wipe away the trickle of tears that had formed. From behind a voice spoke, somewhat deep and harsh, but oddly comforting. 

[color=f7976a][b]"Hey...Paneru...you okay?"[/b][/color], the voice spoke softly in a worried tone. Paneru spun around quickly in shock and slipped on his towel, losing his footing in the process. As he was about to fall to the floor, he found himself caught in a sudden embrace. It was a senior and the leader of the swim team, an expat from America named Ben. Ben was one of the taller boys at the school, about 6'3. For a brief moment, Ben held Paneru in his arms tightly and looked in his eyes as though he was concerned before awkwardly letting go. Paneru chuckled in an awkward manner as he turned back around to face his locker and finish putting on the rest of his uniform. 

[b][color=fdc68a]"Oh...hehe, thanks for the save. Looks like I would have been a goner."[/color][/b], Paneru said to him teasingly. Ben chuckled lightly, sitting down on the bench that lined the center of the lockers and swiveled his body around to face Paneru. [b][color=f7976a]"So..."[/color][/b], he began calmly. [b][color=f7976a]"I saw you were crying from outside the hallway and....I mean...I didn't mean to intrude...It's just...seeing you crying didn't feel right. You know?"[/color][/b], he said bashfully, rubbing the back of his head and smiling awkwardly at the same time. Paneru smiled warmly as he finished buttoning up his shirt before closing his locker and gently sitting down on the bench beside Ben. 

Paneru turned his head to look at Ben briefly, before turning away and speaking as he looked down at his hands that were clasped together on his lap. [b][color=fdc68a]"It's nothing...I'm just...just having a moment is all"[/color][/b], he spoke in a sorrowful tone. [b][color=f7976a]"It's about your mother huh?"[/color][/b], Ben chimed in. Paneru nodded slowly. After his mother died and after the ordeal with his father, he'd never been the same. Sure his mother wasn't the greatest parent, heck, she wasn't even a great parent...but, there was an undeniable bond he felt like he missed out on with her. For the period of his life that he had with her, it was enough to make him wish she hadn't left so soon. Abandoned him to fend for himself against his abusive dad. 

Paneru sighed deeply, as did Ben, who then began thinking about something, and after a few moments, a cheeky grin appeared on his face. Paneru looked up from his hands and couldn't help but chuckle at Ben's silly grin. [b][color=fdc68a]"What are you smirking for Captain? I gotta be honest...you look insanely mischievous right now. Your totally giving off a weird...creeper vibe"[/color][/b], Paneru said to him teasingly. Ben giggled and shot up off the bench like a rocket and held out his hand for Paneru to take it. [b][color=f7976a]"Come with me skipper, I think I know something that will cheer you up"[/color][/b], he said to Paneru in a confident and assertive tone. [b][color=fdc68a]"Really?"[/color][/b], Paneru chimed playfully. Ben nodded and reached out his open palm a bit closer to Paneru, waiting for him to grasp it with his own. [b][color=f7976a]"You won't regret it. I promise"[/color][/b], he assured him. Ben couldn't help but smile....and neither could Paneru.