Hydrophobia

Six

(Name) opened her eyes when she felt her body being shook.

"Hello ? (Name) ? Wake up."

She groaned as the sound reached her ears. She turned to her side...

...and fell of the small bench she was sleeping on.

"What the-- ?" she muttered as she sat up and rubbed the side of her head which had collided with the floor. Hearing laughter behind her, she strained her neck to look back - only to find Rin holding his sides as he laughed with tears in his eyes.

"You should've seen your face when you fell !" he laughed louder, making (Name) blush at her own clumsiness. She had completely forgotten that she was asleep on a bench, and not on her bed back home.

She quickly composed herself and cleared her throat in a dignified manner.

"Well, you shouldn't have pushed me down." she said, as she got up from the floor and stood before Rin. She stood on her toes in an attempt to look high and mightly and stare down at him - but she failed as she was still a few many centimeters short.

"Huh ? I did not push you off. You must be glad that I at least came to wake you up, otherwise that cousin of yours was planning on leaving you here." said Rin, glaring back at (Name).

(Name)'s glare softened as she tore it from Rin and glanced around. He was right. She and Rin were the only ones left.

"Where's everyone ?" she asked, getting nervous. Rin smirked.

"They're changing. I was just kidding earlier. They were planning o waking you up after they showered and changed." he said, and ruffled (Name)'s hair. He saw how pale she had become when she heard everyone left her behind.

"Then ? What are you still dling here ?" she asked him.

"I just decided to practice a little more." he said, looking away. (Name) observed him. Sure, he was in his jammers and wet. She decided to believe him.

"Okay, let's leave too." she said, suddenly becoming aware of the presence of the big indoor pool. She started tugging Rin's arm to get him to walk.

"Say, (Name)," he said, trying to ignore how she was dragging him along, "Why didn't you swim today ?"

(Name) froze. She thought the others must have told him by now.

Rin took that as a gesture for him to continue.

"Are you better than Haru ? Do you also swim freestyle ?" he asked.

(Name) opened her mouth to speak, to tell him the truth, but the words did not come out. She just ended up staring at him with an open mouth.

"You know what ?" said Rin as held (Name)'s arm, the one with which she was pulling hin earlier. "Race me." he said as he dragged her in turn.

(Name) resisted, still wondering why her voice wasn't coming out. Rin pulled her up to the side of the pull and got ready to dive. He looked back at the frozen (Name).

"Ah, yes. You need a swimsuit. I know this is a boys' school, but I'm sure we'll have one." he said. He frowned when (Name) did not respond in any way. "Are you even listening ?" he asked as he stepped closer to her and leaned to meet her eyes.

Rin waved his hands in front of her eyes. (Name) did not even blink. He followed her line of vision and saw that she was staring at the water. He smirked.

"Can't wait to get in, eh ? Well, who cares about a swimsuit ?" he said, as he pulled her in with himself.

"Haru, where's (Name) ?" asked Makoto. They both left the shower room together and were heading back towards the pool.

"I thought it'd be best to let her sleep a little more." said Haruka as he dried his hair.

"But, isn't Rin with her ?" asked Makoto.

"Yeah, so ?" asked in return and raised an eyebrow at his overly-worried friend.

"Haru-chan ! Mako-chan !" Nagisa's voice reached to their ears and they stopped. They turned and saw Nagisa and Rei jogging upto them.

"Makoto-senpai, Haruka-senpai, you should've waited for us." said Rei as he and Nagisa caught up.

"Ah, sorry." said Haruka, and began walking again.

"Anyway, do you think it's okay for her to be around Rin ?" asked Makoto.

"Why not ?" asked Haruka.

"Eh, what are you talking about ?" asked Nagisa, only to be ignored.

"Rin doesn't know about---"

Makoto was interrupted by a blood-curdling scream that echoed through out the building. He stopped in his tracks and covered his ears. So loud was the scream.

After the echoes in turn had finished echoing through the halls, Makoto looked around.

"Hey, wasn't that-- Wait, where's Haru?!" he said, looking up and down the hallway they were walking through.

"I didn't notice him leave at all !" said Rei, and Nagisa agreed.

"But, didn't that sound like (Name) ? Let's hurry."

The three of them sprinted in the direction of the indoor pool of Samezuka Academy.