Body of Water Read Online Free Page B

out. Shaun cried out and let me go, clutching his face.
    "Bloody hell!"
    I disappeared below the water; my lungs filling with fluid. Coughing wildly didn't help; I was drowning. I bucked and kicked out, hoping to feel tile beneath me. I felt the current again, stronger this time. I was going to die in this pool, just as Ruth had always feared.
    Then I felt hands under my arms and a sharp yank upwards. The cooler air meant that I was above water now, but I still coughed and gasped for air.
    Shaun hauled me up to the steps at the shallow end and collapsed into a heap beside me, holding his face.
    "What's wrong with you? You poked me in the bloody eye!"
    "I'm sorry, OK?" I shouted, angry with embarrassment. "I freaked out."
    "You're a nutter."
    We sat on the steps, both breathing hard. I reached out to him. "Let me have a look."
    He batted my hand away but I tried again, prising his hand from his face. His eye was pink and streaming, but I didn't see any damage.
    "You'll live."
    Shaun looked back at me, one eye open. "Until the day you drag me under."
    "I told you I couldn't swim."
    Beth stuck her head around the door, looking miserable. "We're off now. Play nicely, you two. Oh, and Shaun, remember that I found Leven first, okay? He's my friend."
    He made a rude gesture in her direction then she was gone again.
    "Shaun, can we talk-"
    He stood up and reached out to me. "Come on. Let's try again."
    I felt like I had no option but to accept that he wasn't ready to engage just yet. For now he was content with teaching me. I took his hands and prayed that I'd keep my cool as he walked slowly backwards so I only had to kick my legs.
    Determined to impress him, I put all of my concentration into his instructions, putting my head in the water a few times to get the feel for it and practicing holding my breath with my face submerged.
    After a few minutes he seemed happy with my progress.
    "Do you want to give it a try without me? Just kick off and see how you get on. You'll be able to touch the bottom for ages yet, if you get into trouble."
    Right then, this was it. I stood with my heels against the bottom steps and crouched down into a tuck. In one movement I put my head down into the water, pushed off from the step, and concentrated on swimming.
    I felt the water split before me and rush down my sides as I kicked. Much faster than I'd expected my hands touched ceramic and I was moving so fast my head hit the tile too. A sharp pain travelled down my jarred neck and I clutched my head, breaking the surface.
    "I'm so shit at this."
    "Are you winding me up?" Shaun's voice sounded further away than I'd expected. "You swim like a fucking fish."
    As I opened my eyes I discovered that instead of veering off to the side I'd hit my head on the opposite end of the pool.
    Shaun stomped angrily out of the pool and wrapped a towel round his waist, yanking it tight. Scared at his reaction, I stayed in the water.
    "You're honestly telling me that you've never been swimming in your life? Do me a favour. I'd kill to have your technique. You swam a length underwater and didn't even use your arms!"
    "I swear to God I've never swum in my life." He didn't look convinced. "Maybe you're a better teacher than you thought?"
    "The only thing I'm good at is rugby, trust me. I fuck everything else up."
    We showered together in his parents' shower which was big enough for four people, let alone two. I wished I was built like Shaun, with proper muscle. Sure, I had a six pack but I felt skinny compared to him. He didn't speak to me or look in my direction.
    Back in his room, he fired up his games console and slumped onto an oversized floor cushion. He still looked irritated.
    "Have you played this before? No? No doubt you'll be the best player ever. It's pretty simple, just shoot the zombies and don't shoot me. Go for head-shots if you can or shoot them in the knees and stamp on their heads."
    I took the remote out of his hand and switched off the television,