Discovering Licapta

5 (pt. iii)

"IT'S A BEA-U-TI-FUL day for a swim! Whether you're in the class of twenty-eighty-five, six, or seven, come start the term off right: with a refreshing plunge in one of our campus' many luxurious fountains."

While I'm not in agreement that fifty-five degrees is warm enough for a swim, I turn around in search of the student suggesting such madness.

Both my eyebrows jut upward when I see a group of very tan, very shirtless boys splashing around in the fountain to my left. One of them is clutching onto a bright yellow plastic floatie shaped like a duck, which he quickly jumps onto, soaking everyone around him.

As I take in the sight before me, I make eye contact with the built boy standing proudly on the fountain's ledge, the one who's making the announcement. He's wearing inflated pieces of bright red plastic on both arms, and it takes all the strength I can muster to contain my laughter.

"Come on in Sweetheart," he invites, offering me his hand. "You're looking hot."

"No thank you," I say as a hand cups my shoulder, making me jump.

I glance up to see Émile boasting a cheeky smirk, and the next thing I know he's pulling me gently into his side, enveloping me in a sort of hug, the motion forcing me to inhale a waft of his familiar citrus scent. "She's taken."

And then I'm being whisked away as the thoroughly tan boy behind us extends the pool party invitation to Émile too, which he tactlessly ignores.

"Last I checked I was a single woman," I say, shrugging out of Émile's lingering arm and bringing my gaze level with his as we approach Audrick, who's stopped a few feet ahead waiting for us to catch up.

The corner of Émile's lips twist into a satisfied smile, but his eyes convey a look of seriousness.  "Did you not find that at least a little fun?" he asks me.

It was. But I don't want people getting the wrong idea about Émile and I. "It was funny seeing his confidence deflate," I admit, thinking back to how his smile faded when Émile declared his relation to me. "But I don't want rumours to spread. About us."

Émile nods, understanding. "It was a one time thing," he confirms. "One memory to start off your adventure."

"Okay," I agree, finally letting the smile that's been fighting to be worn shine. "Is swimming in fountains a thing around here?" I ask when we catch up to Audrick.

"It's called fountain hopping," he corrects as we proceed down the sidewalk. "Students hop from one fountain to another until they've swam in all twenty across campus. It happens at the start of term, and sometimes on hot days. Though it's common to see students just dipping their feet in the water on warmer days."

"It sounds refreshing," I offer.

"I've never done it," Audrick admits, a gentle chuckle following his words. "But it does, doesn't it?"

I don't know how much longer we walk, too engrossed in the loftiness of campus. We've already passed a ginormous tower and a large grassy field with an elaborate floral display of the school's crest in the center. Not too far from the field, I spot another fountain. This one is comprised of three jets that shoot water into the air, and I watch as the water falls back down like three tiered veils.

We near the fountain, and I'm still marveling in the beauty of the display when I catch sight of a familiar-faced, shirtless boy sitting on a bench facing the fountain. The blonde-haired girl siting to his right is laughing and reaches out a hand to fix something in Declan's dark hair before he leans in for a kiss, and the girl is quick to wrap her arms around his neck. I look away just as quickly, bringing my attention to a confused-looking Émile.