"If somebody told me they have the ability to control water, I would have laughed at them. I wouldn't have believed it. It was utterly impossible, to be able to control water. It was impossible and outright hilarious. Only somebody mad enough would...
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There was one time I went on a field trip. It was almost two years after the drowning incident. Mom had signed the permission slip for the first time. She had never allowed me to go on a field trip, ever. Until today. I wonder what made her change her mind. Maybe it was because of the hopeful look I've had when I'd handed her the paper. Maybe because of my dejected look after she told me she wouldn't sign the paper. Maybe because dad talked to her after hearing me cry in my room for four hours straight.
Whatever the reason was, she finally let me go. She gave me the cold shoulder on the actual day of the field trip though. I was pretty bummed about it, but still, I tossed those thoughts aside when I arrived at school with a bag full of yummy snacks and an optimistic expectation.
The teacher made us fall in line before letting us step into the bus that was supposed to take us to three various locations. I didn't have any friends so no one wanted to sit with me. But this guy came in late and seeing the seats all taken, he had no choice but to sit next to me. He made this scornful face, but being the pure-hearted kid that I am, I greeted him with a smile.
"Hi! What's your name? My name's Aerwyna!" I said cheerfully.
He gave me a sour look. "Don't talk to me, weirdo!" he said out loud, and the whole class started to laugh.
I sank back in my seat. Of course, of course. I was always the weird one. The one who didn't belong. The new girl. I chose to give him a smile and stay quiet in my seat.
We arrived at the first location. It was a dinosaur park. I was having a blast by myself. I didn't need anybody. I took pictures with the small phone my dad lent me. He told me to take a lot of pictures and to have fun. I even ate my snacks that I was supposed to share with the class by myself!
The whole day went by too quickly for 9-year-old me. By the time the sun went down, we were on the third and last location. We went to an aquarium!
I've never seen so much water in one place all at once! And all the fishes and aquatic animals living in the waters, they were so beautiful! This was my most favorite location on the field trip!
It was time for dinner. Our teacher made us all sit in a room with benches and tables. I slipped away from the class without them noticing. I'll come back, of course, just in time after they finish eating. I'm not even hungry anyway since I ate all those snacks.
I crept back into the room with the open aquarium. I had the whole place to myself! I stood on my tiptoes and tried to reach into the water. I was too short. I could almost touch the water with my finger. But I really wanted to go swim with the fishes! I wonder how that would go. It would be very fun to go and swim with the fishes especially that I can breathe underwater!
I suddenly remembered something mom said. She warned me to keep my ability a secret. Or else she'll have to chain me up forever.
But nobody's here. Nobody will know. I'll just swim for a few minutes and then get out of the water.
