No light to be seen, the world outside lay flat in a blanket of mist, and the cat Winnie was sitting outside the door waiting for me. My eyes struck open as I rubbed the tiredness from them. I ecstatically rose from my bed, my body tingling as the blood rushed to my head. A sense of freedom flows through my blood. It is the first day of summer and all I want to do is swim.

Windows wide open, birds chirping. Any sense of light hit me like a flashbang, but is all I want to do is swim and waking up at this hour just felt right. Something was different. I was not in school and had no worries. Little did I know It was just the beginning. Practically blind my eyes are burning as I try to find any summer clothes and sunglasses I can put on. I meander into the bathroom to shower and brush my teeth. Looking in the mirror I see myself, never happier in my i tire life. Contemplating going to practice or just having a chill day I made my way down the creaking stairs only to hear my cat right behind me. It was my cat Winnie chugging down the stairs right behind me as if I needed a partner.

Making my way to the downstairs bathroom to put in my contacts, my footsteps echoed peacefully in my silent house. Outside, the mist Hugh low over the green grounds of my family’s home, casting beautiful shadows that danced like angels in the wind. I quickened my pace, Egar to leave my house and get to a pool. 

The sound of my door shutting echoed throughout the neighborhood as I urgently got my nice smelling car started. The car when I entered—a small, orange, with hints of white, looking for attention, my cat walked down the driveway. The door hadn’t shut all the way. 

Chasing my cat to get her inside the house was a struggle. Winnie being the fat and lazy cat she is, sprinted around the yard for about 30 seconds, evading any attempt to catch her. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she got tired and laid down so i had to carry her back inside.

With Winnie safely indoors I hurriedly made my way into the car, the clock ticking closer and closer to the start of morning swim practice. Once I pressed the engine button nothing happened. Second time worked and As I drove through the sunny streets, my mind wrestled wondering how the cat got out. I thought I closed the door. The feeling of uncertainty if winnie was inside was nagging at the edges of my consciousness like a shadow. From this time on my front door remained closed, Winnie was safe for six or seven hours, I was headed to the pool where i would practice and have fun.

Arriving at the pool the sun shined down on the glising water, almost as if it were waiting for me. Walking towards the pool my sense of excitement crept up almost to the point of getting in early. Greetings by Coach Jones, but not the same Coach Jones, he was in a great mood! He was getting his laps in before and it seemed as if the water was feeding him. It was almost time to enter the pool. I changed into my suit rapidly and was ready to hop in. 

The water was perfect temperature. I dove in gliding through the water like a dolphin. No feeling can describe it. This was happiness.