Staying Under

Chapter One

Chapter One

Not breathing underwater was the key to surviving at the present. However, the burn in my eyes had started to get unbearable several minutes ago and instinct was now telling me to inhale. The only thing keeping me down without getting any water into my lungs was muscle memory. Three more minutes, I told myself. I can do this.

Beside me, Dee trashed against her chains and broke free. She was the only other girl still down here. She turned to me and held a finger up, gesturing to the surface. I shook my head fractionally, trying not to spend too much energy. Energy requires oxygen, which was scarce in the moment. Fortunately, I had undone my own chains in the beginning, so I didn't have to spare more energy for it when I needed my oxygen most.

Closing her eyes, Dee pushed against the water and broke to the surface.

I looked to my right. One last person down with me. He had his eyes closed, seeming so peaceful content underwater like he could actually manage to breathe without inhaling water into his lungs. He didn't even have any earplugs on. His dark hair floated all around him, luminescent and beautiful—a word I would never use to his face. No one knew what kind of spell he used to stay underwater this long. I never managed to beat him before, and I probably wouldn't now.

When the pressure began to choke me, I swam up to the surface.

Crowd cheered loudly to greet me the moment I pulled off my earplugs. I went over to the edge of the pool and muttered a basic drying spell, more because of how ghastly I looked with damp hair rather than because of the chill. Dee was already safely tucked into the front bench with a thick towel robe. She gave me a little wave as if she was too tired to do anything else.

"And for this year's Underwater Challenge, ladies and gentlemen," the loud voice of Principal Edgerton filled the stadium, "on the second place, Riley Williams!"

The crowd went louder. I felt a satisfied grin stretch my lips. My roommate, Amy, always said that the only times in the year I ever smiled was when I was winning competitions. I spot her on the east side of the hexagonal stadium, holding up a giant sign over her head that said: RILEY SUCKS. HEART LUKE 4EVER.

What? My smile fell further when a dark head surfaced to the water while my coach Ms. Greene was throwing me my towel. On the mic, Principal Edgerton announced in a booming voice, "And our standing champion for Underwater Challenge, Lucas Island!"

Luke swam—or, as he liked to call it, glided across the water and tipped up the corner of his mouth when he met my eyes. "Loser," he mouthed. The crowd that had screamed my name earlier was nothing to the loud shrieking female voices now. I gritted my teeth and stalked off to the bench, where Dee looked up at me with a shrug.

"No one can beat him," she said. "You know that."

Hours later, I was still fuming. My trophy was encased in the shelf along with the others I had won—all on the second place, except for the small contest where I had slipped to the third place last year, and the only first place I ever got, before Lucas Island came to the academy and destroyed all my winning chances.

Amy sighed when she came out of the bathroom and saw me still glaring at my trophy case. "Second place is still winning, you know."

"We're not talking. Our two-year-long friendship shall be diminished forever after the betrayal you committed against me today."

She rolled her eyes, knowing I wasn't serious. "Your head is already big enough as it is. Besides, it's illegal not to fangirl over Luke. Back in my old school, guys like him would have gotten a fan page and a roaring tumblr fandom, at the very least."