Mania

Lesson 8. Gratitude

Clemence felt the beads of sweat rolling down her neck, trickling into the bend of her elbow, the crease behind her knee. She stood up off her deck chair, stretching lazily, her bare skin pulsating under the heat of the sun. The sky was blue and clear, the air thick with the smell of salt, sun lotion and chlorine, bringing back nostalgic memories of her childhood summers in France.

She took a swig of water as she watched Abigail drift around the pool on an inflatable neon chair, eyes closed, limbs splayed. Clemence watched the ripples in the water, the small lapping layers of blue glistening under the sun.

Everything felt slow, soft and lazy and Clemence sighed appreciatively, stretching her limbs once more and feeling the heat beat down on her arms and legs.

'You okay?'

Clemence looked to see Erin had turned over on her chair, eyes covered by big bug eyed black sunglasses. Her hair fell in soft blonde waves across her shoulder, her skin golden, adorned in a black bikini and red nail polish Clemence thought she looked like an old Hollywood film star.

Clemence nodded. 'It's just so ridiculously hot.'

'Where else would you rather be in this weather though?'

A mini heat wave had taken hold and as soon as Erin saw it reported on the news, she had told the girls they were driving down South to spend the weekend at her house and, the fact that they were doing so was not up for negotiation. Living in an affluent area, it didn't take much convincing to get the girls to agree.

Abigail listlessly floated near, bumping into the edge of the pool and steadying herself so she could join in the conversation.

'Erin, you are my saviour. Our saviour. I can't ever leave here now. Can we all coincidently contract a hideous stomach bug and take the week off of school please.'

'I wish.' Clemence sighed, rolling her head back and feeling the sun beat down on her face.

Erin grinned approvingly. 'It's not bad is it?'

Abigail raised her eyebrows, climbing out of the pool to grab her bottle of water. 'Not bad? Can your parents adopt me?'

Clemence laughed softly, watching Abigail drink her water and tie her braids back behind her, water droplets rolling down her shoulders and running across her deep yellow bikini.

'Ugh, Abigail that colour is amazing on you. Hold on.' Erin muttered, rummaging around in her bag and pulling out her phone. 'We need some pictures please!'

Abigail grinned, flinging her arm around Clemence and pulling her closer. Clemence complied, fiddling with the straps of her navy bikini top and pulling up the waistband of her denim shorts. She offered a smile to the camera, trying to not be so consciously aware of the gap in her teeth or the skimpiness of her bikini top.

'You look so cute!' Erin cried. 'I need some more please girls! I should have been taking pictures earlier.' She pouted dramatically a she swiped through the images on her phone before raising the camera back at the girls.

Abigail laughed, jumping into dramatic poses and launching herself around the pool whilst Clemence hung back out of frame.

She sat at the end of the pool, rawing one leg up and letting the other leg dangle into the pool, wigging her toes around in the cool water.

She picked at a graze on her knee, small pieces of her dark blue nail polish flecking off as she scratched the skin.

It was so hot and heavy.