Chapter 5.

I sink down the water like a rock.

As I sink, I look up the water above me. Distorted lights dance at the top of the water and it feels warm against my skin. It would have been peaceful, except for the fact that I swallowed in gallons of pool water already into my mouth and nose and is struggling for my life. 

How deep is this damn pool?

My lungs begin to ache for air as I use my hands to flap and yank myself upwards. I cough out water from my mouth like a fountain and take in a breath of fresh air, reminiscing how I could have could've died seconds ago I didn't know how to swim. 

With a hand, I wipe off the water running down my face to glare at an unconcerned looking Noah. 

"You pushed me!" I yell. 

"Tell me something I don't know." I'm still trying to gasp for air, not believing he's cool with almost killing a person. "It's smaller than I thought." 

I frown deeply. "What?"

"I can see through your shirt." 

I gaze down my body. The slight white fabric of a shirt I wore is now glued to my chest provocatively, the white bikini bra I wore under too isn't doing much covering of my flesh so I huff out a breath in frustration. 

"And to think you called me a pervert." 

"It's not really a pretty sight to look at. You should cover all that up." He gestures to my chest.

"There wouldn't have been any covering if you hadn't pushed me in," I say, trying not to yell. 

"I wanted to. We're even now." He shrugs. 

"So we're friends now, right?"

"I said we're even, not friends. I already have enough idiots to deal with, don't add to the list."

I feel slightly offended but I should've seen it coming. I should've known I had to grow a thicker skin to deal with him.

I must really look like an idiot right now.

A drenched one. With remnants of water pouring off her ears and nose.

"Don't cry on me and get out of the water, you'll catch a cold," Noah says and turns to walk away. 

"Well then, I'll see you tomorrow!" I call after him.

"I hope not." He says softly but loud enough for me to hear.

I step out of the pool and hurry into the building, moaning in relief as the cold air conditioning hit me. I tiptoe into the shower, not wanting to wake Simone and Lacey already in their pajamas and snuggled into bed. When I'm done scrubbing the chlorine pool water off my body, I jump back outside to change into one of Simone's big tee shirts and shorts. Not that she'd mind anyway.

I spend the next sleepless hour binge-watching new episodes of Game Of Thrones that I had recorded into my Laptop. I'm halfway through the last season's finale when I hear a soft knock on the door. I hit pause on my laptop and hop off from my bed, hurriedly walking over to open the door so the sound of the knocks wouldn't wake the two snoring sleeping beauties.

I open the door to see Cory standing in the hallway. "I thought you'd still be awake." 

"What are you doing here? It's past midnight." I say in a hushed tone. 

"Everyone fell asleep and I was bored," He enters the room and I close the door behind me. "Oh and by the way, I brought popcorn." 

"Just what I needed. I could kiss you right now," I grab the popcorn from his grip and pause, realizing what I just said. "I didn't mean that literally you know... not like I'd want to kiss you or anything... I just said that to show how great full I was for you showing up on my doorstep with popcorn and that just flew out my mouth... and..."

"Jesus Christ, shut up Allie."

"Copy that." I am the cause of my own problems. 

"Are you watching porn?" He points to my opened laptop and gives me a look.

"Ew, no. I'm catching up with new episodes of Game Of Thrones." 

"Really? Did you know that Jon Snow..."

"No spoilers!" Cory chuckles and plumps in beside me on the bed as I set my laptop on my laps for the both of us to have a better view of the screen. 

"So what went down with that dude?" He asks while the film plays.

"I'll tell you what went down. My body. At the bottom of the pool."

"You went swimming?"

"I wish that's what happened," I mutter. The film continues as we both go silent, the sound from my laptop filling my entire room but not loud enough to wake Simone and Lacey. 

I don't see Noah throughout the next day. Not that I was hoping to see him or anything.

I want to think maybe he's avoiding me but he doesn't seem like a person to do so. Ok, maybe a little. 

Cory, Simone, Alexa and I spend most of the day at the supermarket downtown trying to get supplies for the kitchen. The hotel management set out various works for us to keep ourselves busy most of the time instead of just laying around and tanning ourselves brown the entire day. 

Some people are assigned to the beach for clean keeping including Lacey. I wish I was assigned to the beach instead, then I wouldn't have to deal with Satan's incarnate who looks for ways to annoy the Frick out of me.

After a long day at the market and in the kitchen, I wrap a towel around my neck and walk to the pool to freshen myself up before taking a shower. The gate to the pool house is wide open and I turn on the lights, the brightness piercing through the darkness and my eyes. 

The place is empty, only a bunch of rubber ducks in the pool and floaters. I strip off my clothes and put on my swimsuit, stepping into the water and leaning on my back with my feet up. I close my eyes as the water rushes over my ears and dances on my skin.

I submerge deep into the water after a while and sit at the bottom of the pool, bringing my knees up to my chest and wrapping my arms around them. This is one of the reasons I don't like being alone. The racing obsessive thoughts won't stop so I try to surround myself with people to distract me and block them out. 

I can't help but let the guilt eat me up. It's been years already so it's normal I let it go. That's not what my brain is telling me. If I could just drown right now and right here and end it all, it'll be much better for me. All I have to do is just breathe in the water and let my body take over... it can't be so hard...

I emerge from the water with full force and breathe heavily, spitting out water from my mouth. What was that all about? I was just going to take a swim, what got into me? I should get out of here before I do something stupid. 

My clothes are missing when I get to the changing room and there's only one person capable of doing this.

"Very funny Alexa," I think aloud. "I'll get you for this one." 

There's a shirt at one corner of the dressing room she might've forgotten to take along. I pick it up and notice it's not mine but shrug it in anyway with the intention of returning it back tomorrow. Whoever had the shirt must be very tall because the shirt stops on my thigh when I put it on. Or maybe I'm just the one extremely short. 

I fling the dressing room door open and yelp in shock when I see Noah standing right in front of the door. 

"What are you doing here?" I ask, my hands on hips. 

"I'm in charge of the pool, I can come here anytime I want. What are you doing here? The pool closed minutes ago."

"Really? I didn't realize that. What time is it anyway?" I fake a yawn. 

"Past time for you to do some explaining," I don't miss the silky threat in his tone. "Breaking into the pool after it's closed is an offense. I could report you to the hotel management." 

"Leaving the gates open and unattended to after the pool closes is an offense and I could also report you to the hotel management, so it's a win-win." His eyes blink shut for a moment. "Let's both do ourselves a favor and not tell anyone about this."

"And my shirt?" Noah eyes the fabric on my body.

"Oh, for crying out loud! It's the middle of the night. You want it back? Fine."

I reach for the top button and wonder if he'd really make me take it off. Surely not. This guy is all but starched rigid. Still, his unwanted gaze on my body makes my usually agile fingers shake unacceptably. 

One button.

Two. 

"Stop!" 

Thank goodness! One more button and I'll be wishing for a belly-button ring to distract him. I wait while he mutters something under his breath and runs a hand through his hair. 

"I cannot believe you were about to do that."

"Me neither," I agree, redoing the buttons with much more speed than I managed to undo them.

"Keep the shirt. Not like I'd want to wear them again."

"Actually, no. I'll return it back when I want to and use it as an excuse to talk to you."

"Why are you trying so hard? I'm still not even sure if I like you."

"Save this conversation till when I return back your shirt," I pat his shoulder and walk past him. 

"I told you to keep it!" He groans. 

"Goodnight Noah," I sing in a cheery voice, skipping out of the pool house and away from the moody boy behind me.