Waterproof (A Prueba de Agua English Version)

Chapter 2: The sea's call

Osvaldo's hand went through his hair, which was still wet. Some sand grains had stuck to his body, as it is common when you swim on a beach. They had finished evaluating him and he was fine. His wounds had healed as soon as the breakwater's stones had hurt him.

When Isaac and the girls got there, they let him out to meet them. In the hospital, they had given him a towel so he could dry, and thanks to Isaac, who had carried his backpack, he could change his exterior clothing who was damp for a dry shirt and short pants. He had packed them because he didn't want to be back home with his uniform all sweaty and covered on the sand of the play field.

"How is Fabián doing?" Gema asked, after making sure the boy in front of her was safe and sound.

"He needs to get stitches on one of his wounds, but everything else he seems fine. His parents are here and they're with him" the brown-haired boy informed. They had to wait to see him, since any of them could because they were underage.

"How could he do that?!" Pamela yelled. "And you too" she accused him.

"If Osvaldo hadn't done that, Fabián would've drowned" Isaac defended him.

"And what if instead being a hero he drowned too?" the girl exclaimed. Osvaldo looked down. What if he told her right then and there the idea of him drowning was almost impossible?

"But that didn't happen, don't scold him anymore" Gema said, sitting beside the brown-haired teenager. Their eyes met and between them there was a moment of complicity.

"Did you tell my parents?" the boy wanted to know, looking at his male friend.

Isaac nodded. He had texted them an accident had occurred with one of his friends and Osvaldo needed they went there. He hoped he didn't alarm them, although they would probably worry a lot knowing what really had happened.

The taller one made visual contact with Gema once more, with a few gestures he tried to let her know he wanted to be alone with Isaac. To be fair, he had no problem with her, but in that moment he didn't want to tell the truth to Pamela.

"I'm thirsty, Pame, come with me to get some water?" the other girl shrugged and nodded. Isaac gave her money so she could bring him and Osvaldo something to drink. After that, both girls walked to the vending machine.

"I don't have much time" Osvaldo warned, catching the other boy's attention, who took the place Gema had left free. "When we were on the ambulance, Fabián told me he felt something was calling him.

Isaac's expression went thoughtful and then he talked:

"Now that you say so, it seemed as if he was hypnotized by the sea. Do you think he is also...? No, scratch that, it wouldn't make sense".

"Is he also a selkie?" the tall boy whispered. Because that was what he was. "I don't think so, his wounds would've healed like mine".

"Yeah, I thought so".

"Besides" the other boy kept going, "Fabián said a woman was calling him. Well, he specifically said her".

Isaac frowned.

"Her?" he repeated. The other boy raised his shoulders. He was about to keep theorizing, but he got distracted seeing two people walking from the other side of the hallway. They were Osvaldo's parents.

The young man ducked his head.

"Son, what happened?" Elizabeth said, running until she was in front of him.

"I... ehmm" the teenager mumbled.

"Why do you have your hair wet?" the woman questioned, palming Osvaldo's head; then she half-closed his eyes. Some sand particles got adhered to her fingers. That was enough to answer her doubts. "Did you go into the ocean?" she exclaimed, trying not to raise her voice too much.