Gateway To Hell (wlw)

Chapter 1 - Underneath The Surface

Bellatrix POV:

The not so magical realm :

I breathe in and breathe out slowly, turning my limbs relaxed as I watch the audience sit all around me. My father isn't here and I'm not surprised. My one year younger sister is probably out partying and praising Satan or something. I stand on the highest ramp and look down into the clear water right beneath me. I place my feet as close as I can on the edge, lifting my arms in a straight line like a 'T' and stretch my back. I make myself ready to jump. I am never afraid of jumping from this height, but today I feel grumpy and a little scared which makes me nervous and naive. The only thing my father has really taught me is to believe in myself. I've been taking swimming classes ever since I was a newborn and kept it going with all the studying at the same time. He never told me to back down, he taught me to be the best, to stand above everyone else. But at the same time, he didn't see me. He was there and seconds later he wasn't. I feel alone even though there are so many people around me. It doesn't matter how many eyes there is on me, the only thing that keeps me alive is the water. Even if I can't breathe underneath the surface, it still makes me feel some sort of way that nothing else can make me feel. Happiness and freedom. I feel like I'm connected to the water when it collides with my skin. The chilly drops that pierce right to my bone marrow. Everything about jumping into the water, doing multiple flips and landing softly, sinking deeper into the depth of the pool, swimming up to the surface, and breathing in, is freedom over your own body. Nothing will replace this sport that is buried so deeply into my heart and if it would happen, I wouldn't let it go.

I jump, turning my body midair and spinning until I hit the water, fingertips first. The cold water surrounds me like a capsule and makes my nerves cool down. I glide right through the resistant water and the speed makes water fill inside my goggles like a fountain. When I reach the surface I hear the audience cheer and clap their hands. I take off my goggles and swim to the edge. My coach smiles at me and gives me thumbs up. I breathe out relieved, if the coach is happy I should be too, she mostly looks at me skeptically after every practice, telling me to do it one more time, just because she knows I can do it better. It is tiring, but worth it if our team wins.

By the end of the competition I made our team win, but I don't feel any happiness or relief that I won, I only feel the disappointment that my father isn't here watching me receive the gold medal that they hang around my neck. He is never proud of the woman I am, that is another reason I hardcore push myself to the finish line and further. Enough is never enough because there is not enough.

I stand by my locker in the girls changing room, combing through my harsh hair with my brush as I try not to look at anyone, not even my team friends. It feels like a quick second before someone talks to me again.

Chloe put a hand on my shoulder and meets my natural gaze, "it was a great win, you deserved it" she leans closer with a curious face, "you should be proud of yourself even if your father isn't here too-"

"You know I never am, Chloe, therefore I don't know how to handle it" I say with a calm and non-emotional state of mind, I remember when I had a crush on her. It lasted for a month but I got over it, she is a beautiful redhead with a strong determined face and rose lips, dark eyelashes and some freckles sprinkled over her small nose. Chloe came to every single swimming lesson before until she began playing basket. She is more into basketball than swimming these days and only comes to chat with her friends.

"You should consider not to really stumble into my business" I pull my hoodie over my head and look at her raised eyebrows as a wrinkle forms on her forehead.

"Trix" She says my nickname with a serious voice and sighs, "you should consider resting, take a day off"

I snort, "I don't really think so, a winner never takes a day off, or do they?" I say and put my head on the side, "on the other hand, I wouldn't, I'm not that kind of person"