Chlorine | Completed

chapter three: lifeguard.

lights up - Harry Styles.

Chapter 3

MAYBE THE year had taken it's toll on me. Maybe I was out of my mind.

But as I stared at him, I could have sworn it was real. At that time, I was drowning but at that moment it felt okay. I could see his smile, and if I strained my ear, I could hear his laughter. He was right in front of me and he was smiling at me. He was swimming with me.

His dark brown hair was in it's usual coif. I smiled back at him but my lungs had started to burn before an arm wrapped around me and dragged me to the surface of the water and out of the pool.

After a while I spouted water. I blinked thrice, trying to get the world back into focus.

"Are you okay?" A man asked. He looked down at me, fear etched to his face. It was the gardener.

I just stared at him and before I could stop myself, I was smiling. It had been a long time since I did that. The man's fear turned into a look of confusion.

I could have been running mad but I had seen Timothy.

My mother was racing towards us, slowing down as she approached where water had splashed across the terrace. "Mabel!" She yelled, pulling me into an embrace. "Are you okay, honey?"

Then I started to laugh. My mom withdrew from me, perplexed by my behavior.

They must have thought I was crazy because the next thing I knew I was with a therapist but I didn't pay much attention. None of the sessions were working, they said. I hadn't stopped jumping into the water. I was taken back home.

I continued the process; jump into water, see Timothy, lungs ache, get pulled out, spout water.

When it became too frequent, my mom employed him. He saved me the next time I had tried to drown again.

His blue eyes looked down at me as I sprouted water. "Are you okay?"

I ignored the blue eyed stranger, looking around the patio, pretending to be deaf. I stood up immediately and started to walk away.

"Hey, you need to stay down–"

I turned to face him so fast I was surprised I didn't have a whiplash or something. I gave him a very powerful scowl, something I learnt from my mother. If looks could kill, he would be six feet under already.

He sighed. "You should stay down for a while and recuperate."

The scowl should have worked. He shouldn't still be talking and giving orders. "Who do the hell are you?"

"The lifeguard here." He folded arms against his muscled bare chest as he faced me squarely.

My jaw twitched.

_____

Oh, how I love the summer with hot lifeguards. Especially the stubborn ones that melt arrogant girls' heart.

We're three chapters in! More chapters await! Letsgooo!

Much love,

Oyin.