A Dip in the Pool

It wasn't that I didn't like the water; I just didn't like to swim. I hated getting my indigo hair stuck to my face, and the smell of the chlorine made me gag. But most of all, it was from a past experience one year ago…

.:FlAsHbAcK TiMe:.

I curled into the empty seat on the bus. Seriously, people would rather sit on the floor than sit next to me. Even the seat next to the gross kid was taken. Surprisingly, today wasn't the most ordinary day. A boy with a blonde mullet tripped over one of the kids on the floor and crash landed into the seat next to me. He regained his poise and looked at me with big sea green eyes. "Are you new? I've never seen you around before? My name's Demyx! What's yours?"

I flinched. Even though I'd been in the Hollow Bastion independent school district for as long as I remember, I never spoke to anyone. "Zexion," I muttered, shifting uncomfortably in my seat.

"Ooh! Can I call you Zexy?"

"Please don't."

"But it's soooo cute!"

"No. Just drop it."

We sat in silence for a couple of minutes until he asked, "Are you excited about the senior pool party? I can't wait!"

I shook my head. "I don't like swimming. And I don't plan on swimming."

"But why not? It's loads of fun! What will you do all day if you don't swim?"

"Read."

"But Zexy! We do that in school!"

"So? I like it."

We sat for another few minutes in silence. I tried to find a comfortable position to fall asleep in since we still had 45 minutes to go. Demyx tapped me on his shoulder and whispered, "If you want, you can lean on me. I'm ok with it!"

"But that'd be awkward! I don't…"

He pulled my head down onto his shoulder. Demyx's shoulder wasn't bony. It was soft, and somewhat pudgy. I buried his nose in the soft material of Demyx's t-shirt. And I fell asleep to my new favorite smell.

"Zexy, Zexy, we're here!"

I rubbed my eyes and looked out the window. The sun was beginning to set, and the enormous pool came in sight. When the bus finally came to a stop, Demyx grabbed my wrist and pulled me out of the bus. Demyx pulled off his t-shirt and cannonballed into the pool. "Are you sure you don't want to swim?" he asked once he had resurfaced.

"Positive," I said, pulling out a chair and opening my book to the right page.

A few minutes later, a large shadow blocked my only source of light. I squinted up at none other than the two kids in my class I hated. The brown haired guy laughed and said, "Look Kairi, it's the emo kid. Wonder what he's up to?"

Kairi, a girl with short red hair, replied, "Well, all I know is he's not swimming Sora!"

Sora smirked, "That can be changed…"

Before I knew what was going on, I was being picked up by my arms and ankles. They dangled me over the water. I struggled to get loose, but their grip was very tight. "Put me down! I hate swimming! Let go of me!"

"With pleasure! We'll let you go… into the pool. But we need to count off first!" he laughed. "Riku! Count off!" he yelled twords a silver haired boy who grinned and yelled, "With pleasure! One…"

Sora and Kairi swung me over the side, but didn't let go.

"Two…"

They swung again; I whimpered.

"THREE!"

Sora and Kairi let go, sending me flying over the water. Fully clothed, I crashed into the water. I was sinking fast. I bobbed in the water, unable to swim. I was drowning. "Help!" I screamed. The lifeguard, a guy with spiky blonde hair, was too busy flirting with a girl with long dark hair to hear my cries. I tried to get the attention of someone, anyone. I bobbed, and was about to become unconscious when I felt myself being lifted from the water. Demyx dragged me out of the pool and sat me down on the patch of grass by the gate. He wrapped his towel around me, seeing that I didn't have one, and sprawled out next to me. He gave a sympathetic smile, and asked, "Who did that to you?"

I mumbled, "Sora and Kairi…"

He put an arm around my shoulder. "Will you be okay Zexy? Or do I need to stay here?"

"Would you?" I asked, leaning my head against his arm.

"For you, I'd do anything."

When the sun had completely set, and Demyx and I lay on our backs and watched the stars. He pointed out almost all the constellations. "How do you know all of them?" I asked in awe.

"I love studying astronomy. The stars are so beautiful! I want to know everything I can about them!"

I gave a small laugh. He sat back up, and I followed. "Zexy, why couldn't I have gotten to know you before now?"

"I dunno. I'm kinda anti-social."

He smiled, "I'm glad I got to know you!"

"Me too," I said, leaning over to give him a kiss on his cheek. He wrapped his arms around me, pushing me to the ground, and kissed me passionately on the lips. I turned a bright shade of pink, but nevertheless, I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed back, loving every minute.

I looked at the empty pool from my place on the side. I wondered, "What would have happened if Demyx had never tripped and fallen into my seat? What if Sora and Kairi hadn't thrown me in?" I sighed, and stood up, about to leave when a familiar blonde haired person stopped me. He grinned, and said, "Don't worry, I won't let you drown."

I raised my eyebrow. "What are you do-"

He picked me up in his arms and ran into the pool, both of us wearing our uniform. I spluttered, "Demyx! I'm going to kill you!"

"He laughed, "You love me too much!" he said, giving me a quick kiss. And he was right. I loved him too much to kill him, but that didn't mean I couldn't dunk him.