Dear Emmett

Chapter | Two

The water that flowed around my body was divine. The soft, weightless texture of the liquid parted at my every movement. It took away all the thoughts, it buried all the broken pieces, but it never lasted.

My hand skimmed the edge of the pool and my head broke the surface. I glanced left, then right. First. Again.

"First again, Bailey! I'm proud of you, kid. You're becoming a real fine swimmer." Coach Kelly's voice echoed in the stadium, barely reaching my blocked ears. Coach Kelly was probably the only person who was proud of me.

Mia splashed up beside me, coming in third. She gasped a full breath of air before saying, "How are you so fast, Bailey! It's like you just glide over the water or something."

I frowned at her. Achievements weren't caught without exertion. I was only that fast because I spent every other second in a pool. If I ditched training, I was still swimming in our pool at home. I was dedicated to swimming, perhaps more so than was healthy. It was my life now, and it was the one thing that could take away my pain.

Once the others reached the mark to finish the practice race, Mia gracefully dragged herself out of the pool, then offered her hand to me. After a few moments, I took it hesitantly.

Mia and I had always been good friends, but ever since Emmett, she'd changed. Now we were like mutual friends, only conversing when absolutely necessary. Rhys had mentioned once that Mia just didn't know how to approach me anymore. I called bullshit.

We walked over toward where Rhys stood holding two towels in his outstretched arms. I grabbed mine and secured it tightly around my chest.

"I swear your sister's a fish, Rhys. She beat everyone. Again."

Rhys gave Mia a tight smile. He had always glimpsed right through every facade I placed in front of myself and he knew why I was so good. He was the one that warned me about over-exerting myself too much. I called bullshit again.

"Hey, um, Ezra called to say he's picking us up at 6," Rhys informed.

I sighed. Practice finished at 5 and the clock currently read 4:17. I was already in for the worst afternoon of the worst day.

Coach called me over, so I left Rhys and Mia to head over to the other side of the glistening 50 meter pool to where he stood. "Awesome job today, Bailey. If you keep this up I think you'll have a real shot at states this year."

I couldn't hide the radiant smile on my face. "Thank you, Coach." It was my only aspiration to compete at states and claim the victory. It made me one step closer to the Commonwealth Games. To the Olympics. To success. To achieving the dream Emmett never got to fulfil.

"Go rest on the bench. You've done enough for one day. I can see it under your eyes," Coach said. With a pat to the shoulder, he left to go scrutinise the remaining swimmers in the pool.

With that said, I hauled my sore legs up the stairs of the grand stand. My little sister sat hunched on the seat with her favourite colouring book resting on her lap. Ivy was always forced to stay back when Rhys and I had practice because one, we only managed to have two cars in a family with six drivers and two, no one even got off work before 5. So she had to stay behind, not that it bothered her. It was everyone else who she pestered that had the problem.

I sank down beside Ivy, still wrapped in my towel. I laid my head on the cool, metallic seat to try and calm the raging headache that had formed in my head. I closed my eyes and listened to the bustle of the stadium.

Not even three seconds later a soft giggle caused me to peal one eye lid back. Ivy sat on the bench bellow, staring at me with her innocent but deceptive face. She giggled again and I frowned.