Secrets of the Deep [Wattpad Featured Story]

Chapter Five

Unfortunately, I didn't get the chance to go swimming for the rest of the weekend. A fierce storm hit Shady Cove, pelting the small town with rain and rumblings of thunder. The ocean swirled and boiled like a giant foaming whirlpool. I spent most of my time indoors unpacking and watching raindrops skid down my window. The exhilarating feeling that the ocean had given me slowly dissipated until it was only a faint memory in the shadows of my mind.

I didn't even realize I had to go to school until Monday morning rolled around. I moseyed into the kitchen to find that Dad had made me a steaming plate of pancakes and sausage. "Here's a big breakfast for your big day at school!" he announced.

It took me a few seconds to process what he had said. "Huh?"

"It's your first day at Shady Cove High, remember?"

My eyes grew wide. "High school? Today?" I had completely forgotten.

Dad's smile vanished. "I'm sorry, Rayne, but you have to go. You can always finish unpacking after school."

"No, it's not that." I sighed and glanced down at my bare feet, which were slightly covered by my trailing pajama bottoms. "I just don't want to go." It would be like walking into a room full of strangers. I wouldn't know anybody, and they wouldn't know me. There would be no Kimmie to say hi and laugh with while eating lunch. There would be no one to mess around with on the pool deck or in the locker room. I would be all alone.

Of course, I didn't dare speak my thoughts aloud to Dad. But they drifted across the forefront of my mind nonetheless. For the next ten minutes I pushed my pancakes and sausage around my plate absentmindedly until I was bored. Might as well face the inevitable, I thought grimly, heading back upstairs to get dressed. I wasn't exactly a "fashionable" person—my usual clothes consisted of jeans, a T-shirt, and my trusty Converse. So I dressed quickly and did my hair up in a sloppy bun, then stuffed my swim cap, goggles, and racing suit into my backpack with my other school items. Dad was already in the car by the time I walked out the front door.

"I don't start work until tomorrow," he said as I slid into the passenger seat. "So when we get to the school, I'll walk you to the office and help you get situated."

"Okay." My stomach was queasy with anticipation the entire drive to Shady Cove High. The school was only a few miles from our house, so Dad said tomorrow I would have to start riding my bike because he had to work. I wasn't exactly looking forward to bumping my way down a pothole-ridden dirt road.

After the highway took a sharp dip, the sleepy town of Shady Cove came into view. With the glittering ocean as a background, I saw multiple neighborhoods nestled around shops, schools, and a few green parks. Dad coasted down the long hill until we were eye-level with the entire town, the ocean no longer visible behind the many houses and buildings. A short drive later, we pulled up in front of a gleaming gray-and-white school with a neatly trimmed lawn and freshly paved parking lot. The entire structure appeared to be brand new, from the spotless double doors of the main entrance to the stunning track and football field. Even from a distance, Shady Cove High looked impressive.

Dad pulled into a parking space, turned the key, and jerked it out of the ignition. To my surprise, though, he didn't unbuckle his seatbelt.

"Um...aren't we going to get out of the car?" I asked, my gaze flickering to the dozens of students streaming towards the main double doors.