6

My breathing stops immediately as I realize that there is nothing for me to grab to help stop myself from falling. The initial shock didn’t have as big of an impact on me as the freezing cold water did. The pool enveloped me and I started to sink, deeper and deeper, making my attempts of trying to gain traction much more difficult. I didn’t know how to swim. I was never near water so there was not a reason to get trained.

The chlorine burned my eyes as I looked up at the slowly disappearing light from atop the balcony. I didn’t know pools could be this deep and my arms are starting to feel tired from flailing around. My lungs feel as though they are being tortured by my desperate attempts to take in air from the water as though I were a fish. I thought that I saw movement from the surface but my vision started spotting so it must have been that.

How deep was this pool?

What did it matter, I'm going to die in it. I'm going to die without knowing what it feels like to be loved. Suddenly, I am pulled roughly up and my hair sticks to my face as I am laid on my back on the balcony. My eyes are glued shut thanks to the mixture of tears and chlorine so I don't know exactly who pulled me out but the faint jumble of voices tells me that I am still alive.

I feel painful compressions on my chest and I turn over to cough out the water, throwing up in the process. I have never been more humiliated, the pool should have killed me when it had the chance. I force my eyes open and see Hestia breath a sigh of relief, tears of her own leaving streaks on her cheeks.

She takes me into her arms, "My God, Violet, I'm so glad you're okay."

"You're," My voice croaks, "You're glad I'm okay?"

She nods, "Of course! I don't know what I would have done if it wasn't for Gregory."

Gregory? I turn and see a smaller boy bundled up in a towel of his own, a small smile on his face as we meet eyes. He couldn't have been more than 17 years old and yet, he had saved my life.

I smile back, "Thank you."

He waves me off, "Don't worry mention it, I just wanted to help."

With that, he goes back inside and Hestia helps me dry off. She gestures to my clothes, now soggy and sticking to me and takes me inside, drawing a bath as we get to my room.

"How about," Her voice echoes from the bathroom, "We get you all cleaned up and then we go shopping? Does that sound like something you'd like to do? I want to ensure that you are happy here."

My heart twists at the thought of shopping, it's never been my favorite thing in the world but if Hestia wants to take me then I guess I wouldn't mind.

"Sure," I say after a moment.

~~~

I regret the decision to leave the house at all. Hestia has taken me to multiple designer stores, all with brands that cost more than a paycheck from the restaurant. Only girls that like to flaunt their wealth shop at stores like this, and I am most certainly not one of those girls. As Hestia disappears once again to bring me more things to try on, I quickly slip out and enter the mall once more.

A small home and garden shop catches my eye and I quickly enter it before Hestia has a chance to see me. I smile at all the different hanging pot designs and pick up a small basket. Since my bedroom is bare, it is up to me to bring it to life and it starts with a little bit of greenery. I pick up a plethora of fake plants and put a few in the basket, deciding that I should spoil myself. I did almost die today, I think I deserve a bit of spoiling.

I make my way to the back of the store and my eyes widen with excitement as I see matching sets of pajamas and bedspreads. I immediately take them and put them in the basket, humming with satisfaction of finding so many things for my room.

"Violet!" Hestias hushed yelling interrupted my mood, making me frown as I turn to look at her.

A frown of her own is on her face as she marches through the store to reach me. She looks in my basket and raises an eyebrow.

"You left me for this?" She asks.

Her tone wasn't incredulous but instead genuinely curious.

"Uhm, yes," I say, furrowing my eyebrows at her question, "My room is bare and I want things that I like to decorate it."

Hestia's expression softens, "Well you should have told me. We would have come here first if I had known. I don't know anything about you Violet. I hate to admit it, but I had assumed you were like all the other girls Anthony has encountered. Hence the reason why I took you into those clothing stores in the first place."

I pick up the pajama set from the shelf beside me, "Would any of those girls like this talking cactus?"

Hestia laughs, "Not at all. It's good to know that you aren't like those other girls at all."

I smile and turn back to the other assortments, "I'm sorry for leaving you like that. I'm not the type of person to like those kinds of things."

"It's all right," Hestia says, looking at my basket, "I'm just glad you're safe."

I nod absentmindedly as the rest of the clothes do not interest me. I move along to stationary sets and pick out a few before deciding that it is time to get some food.

"Where do you want to eat?" I ask as I put my things on the counter to check out.

"Whatever you'd like is fine with me." Hestia says.

"Thank you," I tell the cashier as I take my card back and turn to Hestia, "I almost died on you, the least I could do is eat whatever it is that you want right now."

Hestia chuckles slightly, "Well, when you put it like that, I'd like to get some pizza."

"Pizza it is, lead the way to the food court." I say, gesturing to the open mall in front of us.

Hestia chuckles and we make our way through the long halls, hearing children scream in one store and teens laughing in another. I look at Hestia and realize that maybe she really could be a good friend to me. I don't have a lot as it is and it would be nice to put my trust in someone. We reach the food court and I save us a table while Hestia goes to order the food. 

I look around and see some other stores that I want to go to, making mental notes of them before Hestia comes back to the table. She sets down a pepperoni and bacon pizza, extra crisp from the smell of it but I didn't mind at all. 

"Oh," I say as I swallow, "What does Gregory do? Why haven't I seen him before?"

"Ah!" Hestia's eyes seem to light up, "He's my son. He works as a janitor of the condo and helps me out sometimes. It was a blessing that he was there to help me get you out of the pool."

I stare at Hestia in disbelief, "Y-Your son? Hestia, do you mean to tell me you are older than 30?"

Hestia smiles and nods, "I am 37. Gregory's father and I had him when we were quite young, but looking back, I wouldn't change a thing."

I noticed her tone change when she mentioned Gregory's father but I wasn't about to push it as I was still in shock that she's in her late 30s.

"You have to tell me your skin care secrets, I thought you were my age!" I say.

Hestia laughs and waves me off, "Goodness, I wish I was 27 again! You flatter me."

I smile along with her and finish my slice of pizza. We had finished the rest of the pie together and as we stood to leave, a vaguely familiar voice catches my attention from nearby. I turn to see Anthony with a smile on his face. It's a sight I've only seen once and I wish that he would smile more, it makes him more handsome than he already is. 

Wait, don't think that, why am I thinking that way?

I open my mouth to call out to Hestia that Anthony was in front of the jewelry store when a woman comes up to him. I hear her tinkling laugh from where I stood, thanking him for the necklace he bought her.

His response came at me like a knife, "Of course, what else can I do for my one and only?"