27
1387 Words
18th October
Autumn met Connor and Daniel at the bridge over the lake. “So is it just us today?”
“It is the guys are all busy.”
“Bet they’re all jealous too.”
“Why?”
“Cause we’re gonna see you in your cossie and they’re not.”
“Oh.”
‘“It’s cool babe they’ll see you in it in the summer.”
“Why the summer?”
“Stenton usually has an outdoor party for his birthday.”
“Oh.”
“You’ll be fine we’ll all be there.”
“Oh okay.”
“Come on let’s go swimming, next summer is along way off.”
They all walked away Connor dropped his arm over her shoulders as they walked towards the town.
They walked into the swimming baths paying, going into the dressing rooms changing.
Connor and Daniel were already in the pool when Autumn joined them in a black bikini. They both looked up and smiled. Connor the first to speak. “Nice to see morticians back.” He cracked.
“I hope your shorts don’t show the crack of ass.” She said, sarcastically.
Daniel laughed. Connor pulled a sarcastic face as she slid into the pool.
“So what are we doing first?”
“We’ll do a few laps then head up onto the boards.”
“Sounds good.”
“Autumn you in?”
“I guess.” She said, nervously.
“Cool. We’ll see how many laps we can do.”
“So what does the winner get, Con?”
“A date with me.”
“Hope you enjoy your date guys.”
“So we ready?”
“We are.”
“Babe?”
“Yeah.”
“On your marks, get set… go.”
They all pulled off the side lapping each other. She had to admit these guys were strong swimmers she weren’t even sure if she’d beat either of them.
Daniel slowed after six lap. “You carry on.”
Autumn continued lapping with Connor though he was in front of her she tried to keep up.
They both touched the side after their tenth lap. “Well done babe. I guess you and I have a date.”
“I guess we do.”
“So shall we do the boards?”
She swallowed.
“I’m gonna sit this one out, Con.”
“You ate breakfast?”
“I was hungry.”
“You know we always eat after.
“I know my gut was turning.”
“Ok. Come on babe. I guess it’s just you and me.”
“I guess it is.”
They pulled themselves up out of the pool she looked at the boards and swallowed it had been such a long time since she’d been up there.
“So which one babe?”
“Middle.”
“Middle it is.”
They both walked up. “Go on babe, I’ll be right behind you.”
“I..”
“I’m right behind you.’
“Okay.”
She stepped onto the board and swallowed. She sprung across the board spinning turning and diving into the water.
She pushed herself up out of the water. He came from under the water slipping his arms around her. ‘You look sexy in your cossie.’ She looked at Taylor his eyes sparkled in hers. He pressed his lips on hers kissing her hungrily.
Daniel leaned on the side watching unsure of what was going on. She opened her eyes Connor smiled. “I’m sorry for what I said babe. My mouth acts before my brain, what I meant to say is that you look hot.”
She looked at him.
“Come on. I bet Dan is getting board.”
“Okay.”
He slipped his arms from around her and they swam over to Daniel.
“You okay, red?”
“I’m fine.”
“You looked a million miles away. You looked like you were with someone.”
“I wasn’t.”
“Where were you, Con?”
“I swam under water so I could surprise her, she did look a little phased.”
“I’m fine.”
“Come on, let’s get out of here.”
“Okay.”
“Come on babe we’ll get something to eat and you can come back to mine.You joining us Dan.”
“No. I’ll leave you two to it. I have stuff to do this aft.”
“Sure.”
They pulled themselves up out of the pool and went onto the changing rooms to change.
“You sure she’s okay Con she looked really out of it.”
“Yeah.”
“I told you this was a bad idea.”
“Maybe I’ll talk to her.”
“You think she’ll say.”
“I don’t know.”
Autumn walked out of the changing rooms where Connor and. Daniel were waiting. “So are we ready to go?”
“Yeah.
He dropped his arm around her and they walked out of the swimming baths going into town to the café before they said goodbye to Dan and walked to Connors’.
He closed the door behind them. ‘Sit down babe I’ll do us a drink.’
“Where are you olds, Con?”
“Working, they won’t be back till late.”
“Oh, okay.”
She sat down as he went into kitchen getting them a glass of coke. He placed them down sitting next to her. He looked at her. “So are you going to tell me what was wrong in the pool?”
“I don’t know, Con.”
“I’m your friend babe, you can tell me anything. You can trust me.”
“It’s something I tired to forget Con.”
“Oh.”
“I don’t know if I can talk about it.”
He placed his hands on hers his eyes sparkled in hers. “I’m here for you babe. I always will be no matter what.”
“Promise.”
“Cross my heart.”
“Okay.” She breathed in and out. “They say take your fears head on right.”
“I guess. What’s all this about babe?”
“It was their fault Con, it was their fault I couldn’t get back up on the boards.”
“Whose babe?”
“Taylor and his friends.”
“Why what did they do?”
“We’d all met them at the pool my friends were surprised that I’d even turned up. I wasn’t going he’d twisted my arm into joining them. I hated going swimming with them they acted so childish and they were that day. Dive bombing into the pool the life guard taking a crack at them to act more sensibly he chose to ignore him. He twisted my arm to go up there Con he knew I was good I was in training and he had to ruin that for his stupidity.”
“What happened babe you looked a little out off it even Dan noticed.”
“We all went on to the boards me him and Rudgey. They made sure I went first, I wasn’t to sure but he said it’d be fine and they’d dive in after me. I pulled myself to the top unsure if it was wise to be up there at all. I walked to the edge, dumb I know but they were on the steps so I thought. I never knew they’d got on the board Con all I remember is falling and their faces. I didn’t even know he’d gone in after me. I was lucky Con if I hadn’t’ve took to the water like I did I would’ve been dead.’ She said tears falling off her face. ‘I woke in hospital, he was by my bedside. He said the life guard had pulled me out and tried to resuscitate me I came round and slid back into unconsciousness and that they’d all been banned from the pool.”
“You should’ve told the cops babe.”
“He begged me not to Con. He’d already been in trouble with them he didn’t need an asbo.”
“You still should’ve.”
- Writer
