Invisible

Chapter 34 Swimming In Uncharted Waters

Never give Hunter a towel. I'm learning all sorts of new things tonight. He likes to twist and whip it around and when it finally connected with my arm I let out a little yip of pain which made him apologize immediately... Then I hit his face with a spray of water from the sink nozzle.

"Hey! No fair!"

"What? You were going to get wet eventually." My laughter makes him smile.

"Yeah but I was hoping I would actually get to wait until I got to the pool."

"That was before you turned a simple household chore into a fight."

"I'll get you back later." He squints at me.

"Whatever Hayes."

After we finish the few pots and pans Hunter looks expectantly at the cake which sits under a glass cover to keep it fresh.

"I don't know about you, but I feel like working for that dessert, at least 50 laps." I grin at him as I creep for the door.

"Seriously?"

"Yep, and I'll race you to the roof!" I pull my hands out of my pockets and fly around the corner and start up the steps.

"No fair! I wasn't ready!" He thunders behind me as I charge up the stairs. It's 3 flights so by the top I'm trying to find my second wind so he doesn't catch up.

I jerk my hoodie over my head as I reach the door and I toss it off to the side. The pool is set to 85 degrees and a steam rises as warm mixed with the mid 40 degree air. Without a second thought I jump into the closest part, relieved as the warm water closes over my prickled skin.

I'm so hungry for air by the time I come up that it burns my lungs and throat as I breathe in. "Hunter?" I look around but he's not here. Did he slip and fall? Where is he?

Suddenly, music blasts over the speakers around the pool and a body plunges into the water, catapulting right over my head. I scream as the water splashes over my head.

"Jerk!" The water I splash at him hits him square on the face as he comes up.

"What?"

"You could have landed on me!" I'm half mad half giddy.

"That was the point, too bad I missed!" Hunter splashes me back.

My response is to swim away from him, heading for shallower water.

"Get back here!" I hear the muffled shout as I reach the side wall. I plant my feet and launch my body down, face first. I open my eyes at the bottom of the pool and fight the burning feeling that demands my eyes close again.

The clear glass bottom gives me a clear view of the patio below. I need to remember to turn the porch light off after I take Max out tonight.

I flip and continue to slowly swim, watching the lights reflect off of the top of the water, it shimmers and glitters in a sporadic pattern. It's so calm and peaceful, by now I'm out of air and I start to come up for air.

As my head breaks the water I flip the hair out of my eyes and reach up to tie it back.

"There you are!"

I brush the water out of my eyes and look up. Hunter kneels on the edge of the pool with his hands on the lip.

"Here I am..?"

He is visibly upset. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Don't scare me like that!" His tone is full of fear and I strike out until I'm able to cling to the side. His hands lifts and he places it on mine. I'm stunned by the gesture.