Angels of Moirai (Book One) (5 page)

3… OUT COLD

I pulled the towel tightly around my chest.

“Why do we have to do this?”

“What?” Jackie replied as we both walked out of the girls change room with towels wrapped over our full piece school swimmers. “Swimming or the socially awkward encounters with the boys in our grade looking at us like they’d never seen girls in swimmers before?”

“Both,” I groaned in reply as we made our way towards the diving blocks at the end of the pool.

I had survived English this morning, but I couldn’t promise I hadn’t made a fool of myself. I spent the entire lesson with my head down like my neck had been permanently kinked in that position, although that wasn’t unusual for me, when it came to class discussions I couldn’t talk above a whisper. Even Ms Stone noticed my behaviour and questioned if I was okay. To top it off though, when the bell rang to signal the end of the class, I nearly took out the door as I stumbled into it on my quick exit out of the class.

So much for trying to stay invisible.

I didn’t doubt for a second that I’d embarrass myself again, especially when I discovered that James was also in my Physical Education class.

I’d taken a lot longer than usual to get changed into my swimmers, trying to come up with some glorious excuse for not participating. In the end, I told myself I would just have to suck it up and get on with PE class, I couldn’t avoid James forever.

“I wish there was an easier way, but Mr Avery will fail us if we don’t do this, and failing phys ed means not graduating. Anyway, you’re a great swimmer. You’ve got nothing to worry about.”

“I know. Mr Avery knows that too. It begs the question as to why I have to swim in front of the whole class.”

Jackie shrugged sympathetically.

There was nothing I disliked more about school than moments like this. It wasn’t the sport side of it that I didn’t like. I happen to be really active. It was the mentality of the girls and boys when we all saw each other in swimmers. The confident, popular girls, walked around in their swimmers in confidence as the boys basically drooled over them. They could care less about the swimming side of it, it was a time to show off their bodies and they welcomed it with open arms.

I had an okay body in my mind. I had slender legs and proportionate waist and hips. I was comfortable with my body, until I had to wear them in front of the other girls in my grade. I’d like to think I’m a tough chick that can face any problems with confidence to succeed, but the way I felt sometimes around those girls, crushed me.

“Miss Kingston, you’re up,” Mr Avery said as he ticked the boxes on his clipboard.

I handed my towel to Jackie and nervously made my way to one of the diving boards. I pulled my hair up into a tight bun on the top of my head. We only had to do a one hundred metre freestyle sprint, so I didn’t worry about any goggles. My eyes had become used to the chlorine from the countless amount of hours I spent in our pool at home.

I tried to blur out my surroundings. I knew all the girls would be staring and gossiping to each other about me, no doubt, and everyone else on the starting blocks. Who knows what the boys were thinking about? Boy’s brains were a mysterious thing.

I didn’t look at anyone beside me as I stood on the diving block and took my diving position. I closed my eyes as I waited for the sound of the starting gun.

My heart hammered against my chest and my breathing was hard. I just needed this moment to be over. I could feel eyes burning into me like a hot iron.

“On your marks…get set…” The piecing sound of the gun rings in my ears. I took a deep breath, diving into the glassy pool. I pushed myself underwater, taking advantage of the power the dive had given me. I reached the surface and took a deep breath.

One. Two. Three. Four. Breathe.

My arms pulled my body through the water, my legs kicking with force as I counted my way through each stroke. I barely noticed the other swimmers around me. I was in my element.

I pushed my body just that little bit more with each stroke. I knew I must have been near the halfway mark, but then my focus shifted as the water began to change… I started to notice the once clear water had become streaked with soft textures of colours… coral red… pacific blue… creamy butterscotch…striking mulberry…so many colours. They all swam around me, moving harmoniously into the beautiful new colours and patterns. I barely had time to make sense of it all. Its beauty mesmerized me. So mesmerized in fact that I’d forgotten where I was and what my purpose was in the moment. Only moments after the lights had first appeared, I felt the sharp thud, as my head hit the end of the pool with enough force to knock me out cold.

I don’t remember much after that, only the warmth on my cheek as I regained consciousness. My eyes opened for a split second and all I could see was a bright, white light and the outline of a blurred face looking over me. As the white light faded, the face became more vivid and recognisable. It was James. His hand touched my cheek gently as he looked over me in concern. 

The heaviness of my eyes hit me without warning, and I felt the sudden urge to cough uncontrollably as the water left my lungs.

I was rolled onto my side, gurgling as the water mixed with the air I needed, and so desperately craved to breathe. I listened to the voices around me murmur words of encouragement and words of shock and disbelief. I knew then that, if no one were talking about me before, they sure as hell would be now.

I waited until my breathing was under control before I was rolled back onto my back. I felt lightheaded and confused. When I opened my eyes to look for James, he wasn’t there. Mr Avery, Jackie, and nearly the whole class had taken his place.

I could see the concern etched across Mr Avery and Jackie’s faces. I braced myself for the million questions and an overbearing amount of nursing that was about to come. There was no way I could explain what had just happened without sounding as if I was losing my mind, and after the past week, I was starting to think that might just be the case.

***

I said thanks to the tuck-shop lady as I handed the correct amount of cash and took my chicken sandwich and chilled juice. As I walked beside Jackie away from the line-up of the other students, all waiting not so patiently for their lunch, Maddison barged straight into my shoulder.

“Hey!” I said looking over my shoulder as Maddison walked past, seemingly unconcerned with the fact that she’d just walked straight at me.

She turned her head and scowled at me, then continued to walk with Kassidy towards the lunch line.

“What’s her problem?” I said, rubbing my shoulder. “Swear to God, she is the moodiest person I’ve ever met.”

Jackie shrugged her shoulders. “She’s pissed about what happened at swimming this morning.”

“What?” I looked at Jackie in disbelief.

“Apparently, she’s claiming you did it on purpose to get attention, and particularly, James’s attention.”

I growled as we made our way to the edge of the oval and sat down to eat our lunch.

“Because that’s exactly why I did it,” I replied sarcastically. “I swear I hate high school sometimes.”

“Don’t worry about it. Dale’s having a party on Saturday, so I’m sure she’ll find a way to make the attention come back to her.”

I started to laugh. “She’s probably already got her minions planning her great comeback.”

Jackie laughed.

I did my best imitation of Maddison in the best high tone, stuck-up voice, “There is no way I’m letting that bitch get all of my attention. I mean, who does she think she is? Does she know who my dad is? Hello?”

Laughter filled the air as we imagined Maddison saying those exact words. She was the biggest drama queen we knew.

I heard someone clear their voice, “Lila.”

Oh, my God. He knows my name.

I didn’t have to guess who was saying my name. I knew whose voice it was immediately. Not even I could come close to imitating the coolness and smooth tone of his voice.

I choked on my laughter as I turned awkwardly towards James, blinding myself by the sunlight and stumbling as I tried to stand on my two feet.

James reached out and grabbed my arm to steady me. I felt my cheeks blush beetroot red at the touch of his hands.

When I’d finally decided to kick my clumsiness to the curve and become steady and cool, I took a step towards him.

“Are you okay? Are you always this unsteady on your feet?” He asked, still holding onto my arm.

Great!
He had seen me fall into the door in English class earlier.

When I nodded in reply, he let his arm fall to his side and I instantly felt the heat disappear from my arm.

“We haven’t
officially
met. My name is James.”

“Lila,” I replied quickly, too quickly for my own good though, “but you already know that.”

“I wanted to check that you were okay after this morning?”

“I’m fine,” I replied taking a deep breath, trying to keep my cool. Boys rarely un-nerved me the way James seemed to do.

James looked at me for a moment, almost searching for signs that maybe I wasn’t being truthful.

“The school said I was fine to go back to class, so it’s nothing serious.”

James nodded his head slowly at my words, and when he seemed to find the answer that he wanted, he smiled. “Good to hear. Take care of yourself.”

“Okay,” I replied.

I waited until he’d turned and walked back towards the group of guys near the sports shed who’d been watching our encounter, along with nearly the whole school. You would think we were both naked the way everyone paid so much attention, before I sat back down next to Jackie.

It was the first time we’d spoken to each other and as much as I tried to gauge whether he recognised me before, and we had in fact met somehow, I was left feeling more confused than ever.

I couldn’t explain the dreams. I couldn’t explain how I’d come to know his face. I couldn’t explain what had happened yesterday. I wanted to know the truth, but when I was with him, it was like none of it mattered. Every sense of worry and confusion I’d felt disappeared. I felt safe and reassured just by his presence.

“What was that all about?” Jackie asked with humour in her voice.

“He was just seeing if I was okay,” I replied smiling at myself.

Jackie giggled. “You so like him.”

“No, I don’t,” I said half seriously. “It’s nothing. I’m sure Maddison or any of the other seniors have already grabbed his attention anyway.”

Jackie nodded her head towards me smiling, “I’m sure.”

The sarcasm in her voice wasn’t left unnoticed.

Truthfully, I didn’t know what I felt for him, I’d really only just met him. What I did know though, was that there was something about him that made me want to be around him, and his touch did something so ridiculously stupid to me that I couldn’t explain, and I couldn’t help but smile at what that might mean.

“I’m thinking it might be best to avoid Maddison for the rest of the day too. If she wasn’t pissed before, she sure as hell is now,” Jackie said, nodding towards the lockers that stood near the edge of the gardens leading onto the oval.

I looked up and saw Maddison and her posse death staring me. I watched as she slammed her locker door shut and stormed off, her followers quickly scurrying behind her.

“I think you might be right,” I said giggling.

I let out an audible sigh.
High school.

***

Of course, Hayley wanted to know
every single detail
of my encounters with James in the pool and on the oval. I told her as much as I could, leaving out minor details, like the weird colours I saw in the pool that led me to blacking out. She had hung onto every word I said and questioned me all the way from school, and after what seemed like the hundredth time of listening to me tell the events of the day, she’d finally had enough and retreated to her bedroom for the night.

I had a quick bite to eat and headed off to my bedroom to work on some much needed study. It wasn’t until late in the evening that I went to see Hayley.

“Hayls?” I said as I knocked on her bedroom door lightly. “You still awake?”

“Yeah, what’s up?” Hayley replied as I walked into her room and found her lying on her bed watching TV.

“My computer has decided to have a spaz attack. Any chance I could use your laptop to send some study notes to Jackie.”

“Yeah, sure. It’s on the desk,” she said pointed to her desk against the wall near the sliding glass doors to her balcony.

“Cool, thanks,” I replied.

I sat at her desk, put my USB into the side of her laptop, and turned it on.

“Why are you still using that old computer anyway? It’s so bloody slow.”

“Because,” I replied, “it’s easy to use, and it’s reliable.”

“Clearly.” Hayley laughed.

“Well, it normally is… but just not right now.”

I waited for the computer to come out of sleep mode and clicked on Internet Explorer.