-Intro-
The pool. It was a beautiful sight; the marble walls towered high above you and curved into a magnificent glass ceiling. The swimming pool seemed immaculate; it's turquoise surface barely rippling, and yet the cosy alcove of deckchairs and towels gave the place a feeling of a frequent presence.
Lara's visits here were mostly spontaneous; she usually discarded the idea of changing into her swimming wear just to take that cold plunge that cleared her head, or so I heard.
I never went there. Going there felt like I was invading her personal space. Her sanctuary, if you like. 'Going for a swim' was her release of episodes of stress and tension. Just like settling down with a cup of coffee and a good book in the light of my table lamp was my remedy. Or the way Zip consoled himself with his trusted computers and other mechanical devices I had no understanding of.
One time we both encountered at the pool. It was rare I'd ever spend any time there, having adopted a strong dislike of water since a young age, but I figured that the best light came from the huge glass ceiling. This was a week after I'd moved to Croft Manor.
She came in with a purposeful stride (she was hardly ever seen travelling from one place to another at an average walking pace) and flung down her towel on one of the wicker chairs. My pulse quickened as she began to strip off at the edge of the pool, revealing a sleek black costume. Panicking, I wondered if she's failed to notice me. At that time I suspected she would have thought me a complete pervert. But, she looked up and smiled, pulling her long chestnut coloured hair into a ponytail. I smiled back foolishly, pushing my glasses further up the bridge of my nose because they constantly slipped down.
I watched over the top of my book as she dived into the water, barely making so much as a ripple. She disappeared under the surface and appeared seconds later a few feet away from the edge. I admired how unfazed she seemed. I'd learnt more over the past year I spent at Croft Manor, and discovered she was a courageous, athletic, independent woman. Frankly, she put Zip and I to shame. More Zip than myself. He was a character who challenged Lara's abilities for fun, whilst I was happy enough to provide research and feed my brain with knowledge whether it was required to Lara or not. By that I adopted nicknames like 'bookworm' and 'nerd.' It didn't bother me in the slightest. It felt good to be valued enough to acquire her pet names.