Risu was soaked to the skin, the PE uniform stuck to her skin as she slowed, having crossed the line.
"Hit the showers girls," the coach called, wearing a mac and an umbrella and shaking his head. "We'll have to call it."
Those who had been hundled under umbrellas, still mostly wet, looked releaved, but those who were already soaked made a quick step to the shower block, for they needed to get dry quick.
Risu had waved to Kai-Chan, who hadn't responded, but she smiled to herself and followed her other competitors. She'd come 2nd, which she was pretty proud of, but not fast enough. She'd need to get Kai to time her again, get under 13 seconds.
Stripping off the wet clothing, which went into a plastic bag, the girls took out their shower bags and headed to the cubicles. It was an adolescent boys fantasy, all naked bodies and soap. Some girls' too, come to that. The girls were each separated only by short walls which left their heads completely exposed to each other. It was easy to see each other too.
"Risu," said one of the girls to her left. "Can I borrow your shampoo?"
Risu smiled and passed it along. There was always someone who hadn't brought something, but the girls were always happy to share.
"Jeez, I'm frozen through," said another girl further along. "At least the showers are heated."
"Tell me about it," said another.
Steam rose, making the locker room foggy, and Risu stepped out in her towel to allow another to take her place. She smelled of vanilla, her favorite body wash, and re-dressed herself, putting up her hair so it wouldn't wet her uniform.
"Risu," someone called, "see you at lunch?"
"Can't," she called back with a sweet smile.
"I don't know why you ask," said a girl who was dressing nearby. "You know who she's going to be with."
"I dont' know what you see in Humura," said the girl who'd asked about lunch.
Risu smiled sadly. No one could, but she told them over and over how sweet he really was.
Heading outside with her umbrella erect, she saw him but his back was to her. He seemed to be looking at something.
"Kai," she called softly, which seemed to shake him away. "You okay?"
He shrugged at her. "You finished early," he commented.
"Coach called it, due to rain," she said, smiling as he joined her. "Come on."
She took his arm with affection, for he didn't have an umbrella. He'd forgotten it that morning. Hers was a large fishing umbrella, which meant not only that she wouldn't get wet, but that he could fit beneath it. She saw him like a brother in most ways, so this didn't bother her and he didn't protest.
"Well I'm free for a bit," she said. "Library, or a walk?"
She smiled sweetly at him, not noticing the looks they were given or anything else.