Swimming back to you

chapter 4.

As I turned to leave, I heard him call out, "Hailey."

I stopped in my tracks, surprised. How did he know my name? I turned back to see him standing up, a grin spreading across his face.

"It is you, right? Maggi?" he asked, a twinkle of recognition in his eyes.

I blinked, trying to process. "Maggi?" The nickname was unexpected, and it jolted me back to our summer camp days. I stared at him, my confusion mixing with a sudden burst of nostalgia.

He jumped up in excitement, nearly knocking over his phone. "It's me, Austin! From summer camp!"

Instantly, memories came rushing back—our summer camp days, the fun, and the pranks. I remembered why he called me Maggi. I had curly, wavy hair that used to get all tangled and wild. Austin had started calling me "Maggi" because it reminded him of those instant noodles with the curly strands.

"Oh my God, you're that Austin!" I exclaimed, laughing. "The one who stole my loafers!"

His laughter was hearty and contagious. "Yes! And you were running around everywhere trying to find them. I still remember you going absolutely bonkers!"

I gave him a playful slap on the arm, perhaps a bit more forceful than intended. "And you threw them from the third floor!"

I gave him a playful slap on the arm, perhaps a bit more forceful than intended. "And you threw them from the third floor!"

Austin winced a bit, rubbing his arm with a sheepish grin. "Well, it wasn't exactly me. It was more of a group effort. The others were the ones who did the tossing. I just had the fun of watching you chase them down."

I felt a little awkward, the suddenness of our encounter making me unsure of how to react. I had expected to just thank him and leave, but here we were, laughing and reminiscing about something from so long ago.

He extended his hand with a wide smile. "Hey, it's really nice to see you again, Maggi!"

I shook his hand, feeling a mix of amusement and embarrassment. "Yeah, me too, Austin."

I tried to mask my flustered state with a brisk smile. "Well, I have to leave now," I said, trying to wrap up the conversation before things could delve deeper. "I'm running a bit late."

Austin looked a bit disappointed but nodded understandingly. "Oh, alright. It was really good to see you again, Maggi. Let's definitely catch up soon."

"Yeah, definitely," I replied, my voice a bit more subdued as I started to walk away. "Take care, Austin."

I waved awkwardly, turning on my heel and heading towards the gate where Lily was waiting. As I walked away, I couldn't help but glance back once more. Austin was still standing there, looking amused and maybe a little nostalgic.

When I reached Lily, she raised an eyebrow at me. "You seemed to have a bit of a moment back there. What was that all about?"

I shook my head with a chuckle. "Oh, you know. Just running into an old summer camp buddy who apparently remembers me by a nickname I thought I'd left behind."

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After I left the sports academy, I went home and got ready for the office. The whole day, I felt a mix of excitement and curiosity about the unexpected reunion with Austin. As I sat in the car with Maddy, I decided to fill her in on the morning's events.

The engine hummed softly as Maddy drove us to the office. I couldn't wait to share my encounter with Austin, so I dove right in as soon as we settled into the car.