As soon as she said it, her eyes reddened as if she were about to cry. Stella clung to me tightly, trembling with fear. I held her waist instinctively and realized how much she was shaking.
Stella's reaction was unusual, which startled me. If it had been Crystal, I might have suspected a prank, but Stella was always strong and not the type to cry easily.
'Could there be something underwater?'
The other girls, including myself, were frightened by Stella's reaction. Zoe, the most timid among us, turned pale seeing Stella so scared. "Stella, please don't scare me. I'm easily frightened..."
I held Stella and comforted her gently, "Don't be afraid. I'm here. You'll be fine."
As I spoke, I patted Stella's back gently. Perhaps my comfort worked because her trembling gradually subsi
