We All Lie Sometimes

Allergy

"NOOOOOOOO!!!" I screamed as Ethan pushed Sam into the water.

We didn't know what was in there. There could be sharks for all we knew. I grabbed Ethans arm and shoved him forcefully out of the way but he didn't seem to notice. Something was wrong, instead of swimming to the edge Sam splashed around like a crazy person.

"I c-can't s-swim." Sam choked through a mouth full of water.

I drop to my knees and mentally prepare myself for the cold water. A loud splash broke me out of my trance. Ethan had jumped into the pool before I had the chance. Apparently he had multiple personality disorder. Why would he save the very person he endangered? He was saving Sam instead of me. I wanted to be the hero for once. Ethan dragged Sam back to the side, got out and offered him a hand up. Sam hesitated slightly before taking it. Good I thought firefly. Ethan didn't deserve Sam's kindness. 

He could have killed Sam, for all we knew he was the one who locked us here and planned to murder us too. I pulled my hair back off my face and dipped my feet in the pool, splashing the water slightly as they shifted around. It was calming, it helped me order my thoughts and try to figure out what just happened.

"Hey Ethan." Sam said, pulling my thoughts back to them. "Sorry for being such a jerk earlier. You saved my life, and I am forever grateful for that."

Why was he apologizing, he did nothing. It was entirely Ethans fault. Sam was so kind, even to people who did deserve it.

"You wouldn't have needed to be saved if I hadn't pushed you." Ethan said, trying to play the guilty bad guy turns good.

"Nah, it's fine dude. I deserved it and I sure as heck would've done the same thing if someone treated me the way I have been treating you." Sam insisted.

Sam was kind, funny, friendly and Ethan was just a bully. I wanted to push Ethan into the water but I resisted the urge knowing it would only bring more problems to the already chaotic situation.

"That was insane Ethan." Jasmine spoke up, breaking the silence. "What the hell happened?"

"I don't know. I just... lost it. But I couldn't let him drown." Ethan said without looking up at us.

After a minute or two the silence became too much. These people have obviously forgotten what we have to do. I didn't want to spend the night here.

"Okay," I started "now that's all done and sorted," I glared at Ethan and then looked at the others in turn, "we need to try and find a way out of here, remember?"

I splash the water alittle more vigorously.

"Yay... Swimming." Lydia says with half a ton of sarcasm.

We all split into different parts of the pool.  Except Sam. He had gladly explained his allergy to chlorine. I smile and slip into the cold water.

I shiver violently, my body enveloped in the icy waters. I thought again about how we were going to dry off.

"Hey, Sam. Do you think you could find us towels?" I yell over my chattering teeth.

He nods and heads of his face was in deep in concentration. 

Normally I liked swimming but swimming in PJs kinda sucks.

 Especially since I knew I had no method of getting dry, unless Sam managed to find something. Sending Sam to find towels was a great idea on my behalf. No one wanted to stay wet in these chilly rooms, most of which looked like they should be warm but weren't. 

The water here was colder and deeper than any pool I had ever been in.. It was terrifying watching everyone dive in and not surface for a bit. It was especially hard to watch little Jasmine. It was hard enough for me to reach the bottom and touch the rough concrete, and I was quite a bit taller than her. If we drowned getting this damned key I would personally murder the sicko who put us here.

 I dive deeper than I was comfortable with, the chlorine stinging my eyes. I imagine the pain this would cause Sam and suck it up. I come up for air without reaching the bottom. Jasmine makes a small yelp of excitement and dives. Her arm is perfectly streamline.

 After a bit I worry she's drowned. She looked so professional I forgot to worry about her. The water breaks revealing a gasping Jasmine with a massive grin and a key in hand.

I push myself out of the water and Sam hands me a light blue towel he claimed he found in a locker. Whose it is.. Or meant to be I didn't want to know. I duck into the girls changing room and dry myself off, using one of those swimsuit dryers to dry out my Pjs. I make a mental note to throw them straight into the wash when I get home, the chlorine was going to destroy the fabric otherwise. I quickly redress. When I reach the others Sam had dumped the towels on a bench and the others are shivering and wet as they talk about something.

"Why aren't you getting dry?" I ask the still dripping crowd.

"Why, there is no point, is there?" Ethan asked blandly.

I roll my eyes and shove a purple towel into Jasmine's shivering arms. Her lips were a shade of blue, a little too dark for comfort.

"Get dry...there's a swimsuit dryer in the changing rooms. They work well enough." I gesture to my mostly dry PJs. Jasmine slumps by bringing a reluctant Lydia carrying an orange towel with her. Now only Ethan stands wet in front of Sam and I.

"Don't be a fool." I say harshly "You'll get sick."

Sam picks a mint towel from the bench and hands it to Ethan. 

Sam and I are then left standing awkwardly together a small distance from the pool. Sam's dirty blonde hair covers his eyes so I can't tell if he's looking at me or something behind me. I take to fiddling with my hair as we wait, winding it around my finger.

 I want to move closer, to stand beside him. But my legs refuse to move, instead they shake. I stare down at them in distaste. I've never been this nervous with someone.It was now I was learning the intense effects of extreme nervousness. I felt like a mess. My insides blitzed into mush, my heart slowly emerging from its frozen state. The effect Sam had on me in the ballroom was nothing compared to now. The ballroom had other affects, affects that turned me into a terrified mess. Sam's presence was both calming and nerve racking at the same time.

 It was strange to fall in love with someone you met mere hours ago. True love at first sight truly could exist. He protected me without really knowing me, he held me together when I fell apart. He made me feel whole after I had been broken beyond repair.