Delusions
Sometime later we were back from giggling, gossiping, and eating treats at our favorite café. I pranced up the stairs two at a time, pausing occasionally for Ari to catch up. I froze beside the pool and she crashed into me from behind. She stumbled but I didn’t move. I’m too excited to move.
“I have a brilliant idea.” I spun to face her.
“Not again,” she groaned, making a face as I bounced on my toesies. I’ve been telling her great ideas all night.
“I’m gonna cartwheel into the pool!” I shouted. “It’s gonna be a new sport and I’m gonna cartwheel. Into the pool. Into the fuckin’ pool!”
“I heard you the first time. Stop shouting.”
“I’m calling it the mermaid division. Hold this?”
“No.”
“That’s okay, I’ll set it down.” I placed my phone on the ground. “Okay. I’m gonna start at the deep end so I won’t drown—”
“That seems like the opposite—”
“And then I’ll cartwheel in! Can you at least hold this?” I pulled the small wallet from my other pocket.
“Are you really doing this?” she asked. I nodded. “With your boots on and everything?”
“Yes,” I said. But then I changed my mind. “You’re right. I’ll take them off.” I undid the laces while she laughed.
“At least you’re making some kind of sense.”
“I always make sense.” I kicked the boots off and shoved my socks inside before straightening up.
“I’ll take my bra off, too,” I decided, reaching back to unhook it.
Ari tried to stop me but I dodged. “What? It’s brand new and it might get messed up in the chlorine,” I said, freeing my arms from the straps.
“Here you go.” I slipped it off to drop in her unsuspecting hands.
“Present for you. And look,” I adjusted my chest and threw my arms up, “you can’t even tell! ”
“I can tell. Put it back on.” She thrust it in my hands but I shoved it right back. “Emery—”
“Here I go!” I took off running and shouted ‘weeeeeeee!’ as I cartwheeled into the deep end.
There was a deafening splash. I opened my eyes and swam for the bottom, but then I noticed the pool was a million feet deep and panicked.
I did an about face and swam for the top, going at record speed.
There is no way I’m drowning in this ridiculously deep pool.
I need to die an awesome death, and that one would suck.
There wouldn’t even be explosions or monsters involved.
I grabbed the wall and hoisted myself to the surface, sucking in a massive breath the second I hit air.
I pushed my hair away to see Ari laughing uncontrollably.
She doubled over just in time to miss the wave of water I tossed at her head.
She squealed and ran back as the vampiric front door opened.
“What are you guys doing?” Sean asked, walking out to see for himself.
“Swimming,” I said happily, treading water in the deep end. “You should get in. It’s really warm.”
“Did you fall in?” Dennis came out to stand beside him.
“Nope. I’m training for my new sport,” I enthused. “You should know I don’t fall by now. I grapple with gravity and let it win.”
Ari snorted, falling into more hysterical laughter. She tried to say something but couldn’t stop crying.
“Is that yours?” Sean asked, looking at me and then at the satin bra hanging from her hand.
“That is most definitely mine. Isn’t it cute?
I took it off so the pattern won’t get messed up.
” I climbed out and squeezed my hair over the cement, making a small puddle.
I squished some water from my shirt and threw it at Ari, giggling when she screamed and ran behind Sean.
“Wanna see my new trick? It’s really amazing.
” I went back to fixing my hair as he and Dennis exchanged a look.
“I’m sure it’s spectacular,” Dennis said.
“It’s so bad,” Ari barely managed. She tried to imitate my cartwheel before falling into more giggles.
“Go ahead.” Sean put an arm around Ari while she took a deep breath and wiped tears from beneath her glasses.
“Kay, I’ll show you. I’m just gonna…” I took a second to grip my chest so I could run properly. “Emy Raine, away!”
I held tight and took off running, then let go to cartwheel into the pool.
Another water explosion happened as I fell in.
I swam underwater to the other end, which was still deep but not enough to kill me.
I surfaced and pushed the drenched hair from my eyes.
And then I felt a little extra freedom and looked down.
“Oopsie!” I fixed my wardrobe malfunction, pushing everything back inside my shirt before anyone saw. Not that I care if they do. Except Sean, he’s the only one who can’t and only because he’s Ari’s future man.
“I saw that.” Dennis laughed as I shot him a guilty look and covered my face.
“Shhh. Don’t tell anyone,” I whispered, peeking through my fingers to see him.
“You’re like a different person right now,” he mused. “It’s fun. As long as you don’t stay like this forever.”
I swam to the wall and climbed out to sit on the ledge.
“You know what else I’m like?” I asked him, leaning back on my palms to see them all.
“A superhero.” I giggled and adjusted my shirt, then spread out on my back with my legs bent and kicking through the water.
I started humming, marveling at the stars and moon.
“Do you think the people up there have a president like we do?”
I shimmied to the ledge and lowered into the pool. I should practice my breath holding skills because drowning during the mermaid division will be an automatic disqualification. I drifted underwater, then squeezed my eyes and started counting.
One…
Two…
Fifteen…
I could faintly hear someone calling my name from above. I swam to the surface and grabbed the wall, careful to avoid Dennis’ dark shoes.
“You should probably get out now,” he said. “You’re soaked. The chlorine might ruin your clothes.”
“You could get me a lot wetter.” I smiled, leaning forward to show more cleavage.
“Okay. I’m leaving. You guys have fun.”
I laughed as Ari snatched up my shoes and practically ran inside. Sean followed and shut the door. “Do you think I could make this a real sport if I tried?” I hoisted myself over the ledge and sat on the cement. “The mermaid division, I mean?” I crossed my legs and started finger-combing my hair.
I looked over as Dennis sat beside me. I wasn’t expecting him to do that. He played with his lip ring, falling into a thoughtful silence while his hazel eyes studied me. I shifted uncomfortably—he was watching me the same way as before, like I was a complicated puzzle he was determined to solve.
“Maybe,” he finally said. “If you really work for it.”
“Yay!” I almost knocked him over in a hug. He laughed and caught me around the waist. “I knew you’d have faith in me. That’s why you’re my favorite bind. Have I told you how much I love your hair?” I scooted into his lap to play with it.
“Do you really?”
“Mhmm. I love your hair and I love when it does this.” I pushed the black part to the side, running my fingers through the blonde at the same time. And then I let go to watch the black part fall. “I’m gonna tell you a secret but you can’t tell Dennis, okay?”
He gave me a weird look as I ran my fingers through his hair again. “You do realize I’m Dennis, right?”
“Don’t ruin the game. You’re supposed to go along with it,” I said, pushing his hair back again.
I reached up to do it again but he caught my hand.
“It’s okay, I’ll tell you anyway. I love when you do this with your hair.
” I ran my other hand through it and let it fall.
“When you do it yourself. It makes me melt every time.”
“I know. I can hear it in your thoughts almost every time.”
“You can hear my thoughts?” I asked excitedly. “How? That’s so cool!”
“You can’t be serious.” He stared at me. I tilted my head, patiently waiting for an answer. “You’re kidding, right?”
“No,” I said. “But does that mean you’re telepathic? Are you psychic?” I was so intrigued, but it faded when he refused to answer. “Are you okay?” I scrunched my nose when he wouldn’t stop staring.
“Yeah. Fine,” he mumbled. A few seconds passed before his attention was caught elsewhere. “I didn’t know you have curly hair.” He held up a lock of my soaked curls. “I like it.”
“Thanks.” I smiled and gently pulled the hair from his hand. “I always straighten it because the curls are annoying. Like now. Don’t do that.” I caught his hand before he could start playing with one. “It’ll frizz.”
“Don’t do what, this?” He ruffled my hair, laughing as I twisted and tried to escape.
“Okay, fine!” I squealed when he pulled me back down.
“I guess you can play with it. But be careful. Don’t make it frizzy.
” I settled into his lap, playing with the padlock chain around his neck while he twisted a loose curl.
“I need to practice,” I decided. I unwrapped my curl from his finger and got up.
He stood and took my hand. “Save it for tomorrow. Our complex has quiet hours and it’s getting late.”
I glanced over my shoulder as he led me away from the pool, half wanting to make a break for it and dive back in. In the end I decided to go inside. He opened the door for me and I thanked him, but five steps in I stopped. I touched my clothes and stared at them in horror.
“I’m all wet.” I pulled at the heavy fabric.
“Did you barely notice?” Dennis asked, searching my eyes for some type of answer.
“I’m gonna die in these shorts! I can’t get them off and they’re sticking to me,” I wailed, trying desperately to separate them from my skin. They’re too tight to budge. What do I do? I’m gonna die in these shorts. I’m really gonna die in these stupid shrinking shorts. Maybe I should cut them off.
“You’re really serious,” he realized. “You’re so cute.” He tried to pinch my cheek but I slapped his hand away.
“I am not. Stop it, I’m not cute!”
“You’re fucking adorable.”
“This isn’t funny.” I pushed him away, scowling as he laughed. “I’m all wet. I’m gonna ruin your carpet.”