How to Kill a Man in Thirty Seconds

Chapter 31: To Become a Law Breaker

I was panting as I rushed into swimming class, late. Coach Awan hated those that weren't punctual and no, he wouldn't care if it was the principal himself that had held me up.

The other kids had already lined up, ready to wade into the pool when Awan called me, "Ms. Green, you're late. And so is Mr. Hunt. Where is he?"

"Adrian?" I asked, struggling to catch my breath, "I... don't know."

A frown crossed the coach's face, "He skipped all of my classes last month and he apparently doesn't care if he gets detention for it. He isn't going to do it this month as well," he murmured, more to himself than to me as he strode off in search of Adrian, muttering curses under his breath.

Ten minutes later, he returned, gripping Adrian, who was clearly exerting some resistance, firmly by the arm. Their presence drew the attention of all the other kids, who stopped their murmuring and turned their watchful eyes to the scene that unfolded before them.

"Go. Change," Coach breathed out the words, releasing the boy.

Adrian squirmed away from him immediately and whirled around, making no attempt to obey.

"No," he said firmly, but not even I could ignore how pale his face had become, "I won't."

"I will have you expelled, boy!" Coach screamed, anger tainting his words, "What madness is this?!"

Adrian did not move a muscle, his expression as determined as before.

"I don't want to swim," he stated firmly, although familiarity told me the slight edge to his voice meant he was on the verge of losing it, "I don't want to be in this class."

"You have problems with water, Mr. Hunt, you get written permission from your parents for it and I will excuse you," Coach Awan uttered sternly, "If you do not, however, then I simply do not care about what you want." He pointed one untrimmed finger towards the changing rooms, "Get in there. I want you changed in five minutes, Mr. Hunt."

When Adrian reappeared (more than five minutes later) in a full body suit, the class had returned to their noisy chatter, doing laps around the pool. Tying my hair up, I watched as Adrian scurried away from the changing rooms, silently slipping into the pool. He didn't do laps, but stayed afloat in a corner nonetheless.

I frowned. He can swim. What the hell was all that fuss for?

But the longer he spent there, the more his body shook, almost as if a chill had taken over him. At first, I reckoned it was the weather but when he began releasing short gasps of air as if he had difficulty breathing and began clutching his neck in desperation, as if an invisible force were choking him, I knew something was seriously wrong.

His face had paled all of a sudden and his eyes had widened in panic but he was helpless.

I stood bolt upright from where I had been sitting, fear seizing hold of me.

"Coach, something's wrong," I called as I jogged up to Adrian, but all I could do was stand helpless, unknowing of what to do as Adrian's entire body trembled.

"Mr. Hunt, don't you dare get out," Awan cried, ignoring me, "I know you hate following orders, but stop with this pretending at once."

The other kids were staring, too shocked to take any action.

Adrian's head suddenly went underwater, before he thrashed about wildly, resurfacing seconds later. One hand grabbled desperately for the edge of the pool, found it and held on but the longer he stayed, the more difficult he seemed to find it, the gasps that were his exhales getting louder by the second.