Intertwine

3.

One year later

Location:  Swim smart recreational club.

"How peaceful it is to have the sound of water filled within your ears, a whole new world painted in tint of blue visible to your eyes. It's strange but sometimes the feeling of choking is enough to value life with a deeper perspective."

Those 5 minutes of silence were almost everything for Ella, to release all the stress and overthinking. Floating above the swimming pool with her eyes closed she was only focusing on the voice of water gushing through her body and reflecting back. She heaved a sigh trying to recharge herself when a tube was thrown right over her face, followed by her name being called.

"Ella?"
"Oh yeah it's you it'll be nice to have some help here" Max, who is her senior presented her with a slap back to reality as she swam towards the corner of pool cursing under her breathe.

To say that water calms her was partially true, because whenever she tried to absorb the word calm in her system ,someone just have to get in her way. Reportedly Max was supposed to arrange the area before the practice session and that slip out of her little part of brain, which held a lot more things important things than that.
So as a compensation right now she was stacking up the tubes on one side.

Max was among the most favorite students, and denying him means having a full insult session for yourself. So Ella did what was best for her.

She always used to come 15 minutes earlier to the practice session, to gain a stable time for herself which seem to get cancelled today.

Placing all the mats and suits on the side corner, she gave a last glance to the blonde guy who was busy on his phone having a satisfying grin placed on his face. No longer than that the instructor stepped in and Max stood up quickly taking out the last tube from the shelf.

"Oh Ella, you didn't have to help me-" he stated and dramatically gazed towards the man who is supposed to be their teacher.

"Oh I didn't know you were here already, I organised the whole place as you wanted and Ella helped me a bit" he said it quickly patting her hunched shoulder as she forced a smile.

---

All the students were lined up on the front ready to dive in the pool. Just when the coach was about to blow the whistle, a voice yelled out, indicating the presence of Allan as usual.

"Sorry I'm late" the boy in his regular yellow shirt apologized sincerely causing an automatic sigh to escape everyone's lips at the same time.

The coach gave him a look, which by far he has been showing to him since 2 years, he knew this ain't gonna have any affect on Allan as the boy took his habitual place beside Ella.

Also, to clear the point Allan was one of the name on the favorite list, It has been 2 years and noone can ever understand how a person who skips training, and arrives like an eternity later be an ace in swimming.

"Don't you get tired of being late" the female, gave him the same glare as before, and he smiled it off.

"No my tiredness is too tired to get tired." as expected from the latter, the whistle blew and all of them dived inside the cold water leaving sprinkles behind.

--

Rubbing his hair with a dry towel Allan took a seat beside Ella who looked a bit pissed off,

"It looked like you could've just kicked that guy out of the pool" he pointed towards Max who shared a smirk back causing Ella to pull his hand back.

"Don't point at the person when you're talking about them." she pulled on the zipper of her jacket,before making her way out signalling him to follow.

"This guy really frustrates me, you know what he did to me today" she started to blabber about the whole event earlier, exaggerating it obviously.

"So you are telling me that you didn't do anything? you just let him order you like that?" He asked in confusion and surprised, since the time she has arrived, her aura felt totally different than someone he knew.

"I-just - he is coach's favorite so if I did something it would just find it's way to come upon me" her reply was blank, there used to be a time when other people used to say the same about her, she shrugged on that thought turning around to face him, in a second her face sank down in distaste.

"At least wear a shirt when we are out I've told you-" she initiated a speech which however was interrupted.

"Yes yes!! you told me a million time now what?" He flashed out his grin, shamelessly.

"I'll have to give you my towel and leave my hair wet as usual suffering in cold" she took off the towel from her head leaving her wet hair open to air, the brunette cover his exposed chest quickly.

"But you know you look good with your hair like this" he bounced a lock of her hair towards her face causing her to purse her lips.

"Do this again if you wish to deserve a hit" she warned him, he could see that she was pissed off but the main reason was the episode earlier, it was his daily job, trying to get something out of her since she shifted here but there was no avail to this day.

"You know I have a plan for that guy, what's his name again?" Allan initiated as his side of mouth curved up, and he immediately saw a glimpse of excitement on Ella's face which she tried to hide until she gets satisfied with his plan.

"Max" she said bluntly still keeping a straight face.

"Tomorrow is my turn for organizing the stuff, guess I'm up for some fun" he extended his hand for a high five while she stood on her spot still.

"Oh yes you'll be here 15 minutes earlier like you always are" she mocked him and turned around to leave causing him to extend a step in front of her.

"Miss, I want you to take me serious" the smile from his face was gone, lips slightly pouted in a convincing manner, she knew this look well. And he knew her reaction on that pretty well, usually she would smack him or pass a sarcastic comment but right now she just moved past him.

"Don't ever call me Miss again, and-" she highfived his hand, after noticing how his expression turned into a frown.

"What's the plan?"

"Firstly, you need to wake me up" he raised his hand in defeat prompting a frustrated look on her face.

There are not many things which are really important to him, but sleep was one of his prized possession. And waking him up was like solving integration question when you're actually bad at math.

"I'll be back from the store at 5, which means I'll only have 10 minutes to wake you up, Can you even believe this" she flicked his forehead and he did the same to her, earning a stomp on his right foot.

"That's your problem then, but believe me the plan is soooo awesome that you'll be thanking me later" he turned around limping on his right foot waving her a goodbye.

//to be continued//