Aquaphobia

Chapter 3

[IAN FISCHER]

Walker Murphy and I have been best buddies since as long as either of us can remember. The entirety of our friendship is mainly odd ideas that really don't make any sense. To be a hundred percent honest, it's almost always Walker who comes up with the ideas. I usually just follow through with them and make them work. We're kind of well-known around Insula Academy as the "dynamic duo" because we're always messing things up. We don't necessarily get into trouble or anything bad, we just drive people crazy with our ridiculousness. When I say "well-known," I don't exactly mean "popular," though. However, on a recent topic of popularity, I'd say I'm the MUCH more popular between the two of us! For one, he's distinctly ugly, what with his mustard-blond hair and freckles. Freckles belong on a ginger or a redhead. Like that new boy who just came to our class.

He's a real peculiar one

I don't understand him. I only spent an hour with him in Trigonometry, yet it was the weirdest thing I've ever seen on Insula. According to Walker, the boy has Aquaphobia. No matter how many times I replay that scene over and over, I still just can't bring myself to believe it. Why would someone who's scared of a little water puddle move to an island SURROUNDED by water? What's more is that Insula is known as an 'aquatic community.' It doesn't make any sense.

Walker still asked me to help the boy though, so I kind of have to. I sort of have an obligation to do whatever Walker tells me to. The same thing goes for him when I tell him stuff, too. It all depends on whoever says it first. In this particular case, Walker spoke first and claimed we're going to teach the boy how to swim.

From what I remember, his name is Scott Voorhees. Sounds like a Dutch to me, or perhaps an Italian, but Insula is filled with all kinds of races and ethnicities. There isn't a single race that defines the island, rather it's the mutual love for water.

That's exactly why Scott Voorhees doesn't belong in a place like this.

The end of the day comes quicker than I had hoped. As I leave my last class, I make way for the student parking lot, where I know Walker will be waiting for me. He's my ride to and from school, because we're practically next-door neighbors. Well, 'next-door' if the next door is across the street. After a few seconds of scanning the student parking lot, Walker Murphy is nowhere to be found. I turn back and re-enter the school to search for my best friend and potentially the half-ginger aquaphobic.

—————————I find Walker chilling by the lockers, holding his bag. As I walk closer to him, I see he's laughing. A few more steps, and I find out he's talking to Scott. Odd thing is, Scott is smiling.

"Walker! Finally caught ya!" I laugh as I barge into their conversation uninvited.

"All right, Ian's here!" Walker cheers, as he directs Scott's attention to me. "Scott, this is Ian Fischer, my neighbor and best friend. He's an only child so he's spoiled rotten!"

"Hello. I believe we're in Trig together," Scott replies with a blush. When he blushes, his face gets really red, and it nearly matches his hair.

"Oh yes! Mr. Eulin's first block! I gotta say, that class is mad-boring!" I respond with a chuckle. "Also, I am not an only child, but Walker and everybody else will probably say I am."

"Trig didn't seem that bad to me," Scott shrugs.

"Clearly you haven't been in his class for more than three days!" I laugh back.

Scott seems to be much more attentive and sociable now than he did in the classroom when Walker was talking to him. Maybe he feels socially secure now. Maybe since there isn't any water around, he feels at ease.