Prompt #134 - "Why is your underwear in the swimming pool?" - 1. Chapter 1

“What is your underwear doing in the swimming pool?”

I couldn’t believe that Todd from the university swimming team was actually in the uni pool at this time of night or even the bigger surprise that he was talking to me. I’ve been crushing on him from afar since my freshman year.

“Your Ethan, right?” he asked.

“Um, er, yay. I am. Your Todd Everett, right?” nervously I asked. Stunned that I was actually standing talking to Todd in nothing but his speedo.

Since I first saw him and then hearing and reading about Todd being the freshman phenom on the swim team, I was totally caught up. Me, never a competitive swimmer, would see him or more like I would semi stalk him since then. I think I was at every home swim meet and cheered my head off in every one of his races. Races that he seemed to always win. When he went to the uni championships last year at the University of Georgia, I was glued to the TV. His races were always the feature ones. His tall, lanky frame with what else, a swimmers build, was devoid of any body hair that I could see. The broad shoulders and pecs made me regretting that I didn’t swim more. His greatest feature though had to be his rounded jaw which finished off a very desirable face.

“Yeah, I think we have had a couple of classes together over the past two years. Are you in a kinesiology too?” Todd asked as he shifted weight from foot to foot. Whoever designed swimming pools didn’t take in consideration of anyone’s feet when they were standing on it barefoot. “You usually sit off to the side. Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’ve always thought you were shy or standoffish. Not sure which one.”

Taken a bit aback that he though I could be standoffish, my mouth hung agape momentarily. Quickly remembering who I was talking to, I closed my mouth and got control of my face so I wouldn’t give anything away. My pale complexion with my larger than average red lips always showed what emotions I was feeling. I did everything to not go to the embarrassment look.

“I’m very shy” I cleared that up quickly. “My mom used to send me out to events to get over it, but I always hide out to the back or side. Just my personality, I guess.”

“Hey,” Todd started, “Now that we have met and talked, how about you come sit over by me more often. If you are comfortable only though. Think of it me being a bud.”

My eyes dropped to the floor, but in the perimeter of my vision was Todd’s well-fitting speedo. What if he knew I liked him more than just a classmate, would he still want me to sit by him?

Taking a deep breath and inhaling the all too familiar chlorine smell in every pool I’ve ever been to, I looked back up at him. “Why?” I asked.

“Hey, if you don’t think I’ve also noticed you at the all the swim meets, sitting in the back top row, you’d be wrong. Some of my teammates have also mentioned that you are always screaming your head off when I’m swimming,” he chuckled. “Any fan like that, that I have in a few of my classes, I want to get to know.”

“We will see,” I said. “Usually it is a rush to get from class to class and maybe stop for a leak too. But if there is a seat open nearby, I’ll try to sit closer.”

“Cool,” he said with a smile that if I could fall any harder for him, I just did now. “But, back to my original question, why is your underwear in the pool?”

So much for fighting off the embarrassment. I think I turned a shade of red as bright as a lightbulb on a Christmas tree. I looked down at the pool and it was obvious that they were my underwear as I was the only one left in the pool. Seeing them at the bottom of the shallow end where we were standin, I noticed it was nice baby blue hip briefs that I thought looked good on me.

Realizing I would need an explanation, I undid the tie string of my swim shorts. Todd’s eyes opened wide up like UFO flying saucers. I lowered the outer shorts down a bit.

“I’m in res, and I think you were there your first year, but not sure. The laundry machines are fucking expensive,” I started to explain. To same some money, I usually come swimming a couple of times a week. Today, it is underwear day.”

I’m sure he could now see the 6 pairs of boxer briefs that I was wearing under the shorts. I started to pull out another pair of the four hip briefs I had in the two pockets.

“The second day I wear some cargo shorts with all the pockets filled with socks,” I said with the floor of the swimming pool my focus again. What a freak I am he must be thinking. “Shorts are always rotated, and that just leaves shirts and jeans that I must spend the money on in the washer. I dry them on a line I string across my single dorm room.”

“Oh, wow man, I’d normally laugh, but I do agree that the machines are way to fucking expensive. Ten bucks to do a wash and the same for a dry. Crap, there goes four beers. If you go off campus, I imagine the bus fare or gas would kill any savings too,” he said.

“Yeah, it would,” I answered. It wasn’t unnoticed to me how funny in such a short time I was over my shyness. Yes, don’t forget that this is Todd Everette, my dream of a perfect boyfriend. The fact that he didn’t laugh at me, and the rest of the conversation made it easy to talk to him. Like most guys though, I’m sure he is as straight as an arrow.

“Here is a deal you can’t refuse,” he said with a shit eating grin. “I did move out of res this year but the apartment I rented is across the street from all the res buildings. So, since we are now best of friends,” we both started to chuckle. “Why don’t you come over at least once a week when I don’t have practice and you can do your laundry in my in-suite washer and dryer?”

“Wow man, that would be great, and would save me money every week,” I started off with. “But I don’t want to waste your time while doing the load or loads, if I’m now going to include underwear and socks too. Won’t need to try and cram everything into one load.”

Todd was still grinning, “Hey, like I said, I’d like to get to know you better. What better way to do that then spend a few hours together. Heck, if things are right, who knows what trouble we can get up to.”

“What do you mean?” I asked a bit nervously.

“The right earring only is a what I’m counting on, Ethan,” he replied. His smile bigger than ever. “Let’s put it this way, if I was allowed to get any piercings, which I’m not in competitive swimming, I’d have just one my right ear too.”

Oh. My. God. Did he just tell me he is gay? Lucky I’m wearing 6 layers of shorts to hide the instant chub I’m springing.

“Okay. That is cool. I think I could fit that in my schedule,” I said sarcastically.

“Next Wednesday at 7. Is it a date?” he asked.

“Sure,” I replied with an ear-to-ear grin still on. “That would be great. The more we talk the more I want to get to know you. Your personality, not just your body. Which I may say I see most of and you look great in your swim shorts.”

“One last question, where do you go from here, with your shorts making you look like you are the Michelin Man?” while looking down at my shorts.

“I usually go shower in the back shower room, the one with the stalls.” I explained. “More privacy. No one to watch me getting all this stuff off. The pool is the wash cycle, and the shower is the rinse.” I said, actually laughing at myself.

“No way man!” he exclaimed. “Down on the lower level below the men’s lockers is the swim team’s locker room. Tell you what, I don’t’ want to do any laps for the second time today. Go grab your clothes and come downstairs. I’ll wait for you and you can use our private shower room. Since I won’t be swimming now, no need me to shower and perve on you at the same time.”

“Awwww,” I said with an eye wink. “I could use a hand getting everything rinsed out in the water and then wringing them out too.”

Laughing with me he added, “So maybe this will be our first date then. Let’s go, I’ll be waiting for you outside the locker room.

“Oh, but before we go, I better get my underwear out of the pool” I said looking down at my favourite pair.

“No problem. If I’m going to shower; I’ll get them for you. Make it at least look like I was in the pool. Although you and me are probably the only ones here.”

With that he took two step and dived into the water ever so gracefully and scooped up my lost underwear.

Who would think losing a pair would end up this way?