Don't Hold Your Breath
Ada dove into her pool, swimming down to the bottom. She sat there holding her breath and counting.
One, two, three, four...
Life had overwhelmed her as of late. There was Jill's silence. Ever since the monster had done what he had done, she hadn't spoken in more than a whisper, and even when she did, she rarely strayed from one syllable words, let alone spoke sentences.
And then Ada's father. He was gone. Taken away from her by sickness, leaving her alone with her mother and her power hungry relatives. Her mother was stuck in the old ways and wanted her to marry once she had graduated. She was sure that within the next year, a marriage would be arranged, stopping her from going to college, studying law and becoming a crime scene investigator or a forensic scientist.
Thirty-one, thirty-two, thirty-three...
She swam up to the surface, taking in a deep breath, almost regretting surfacing. She was glad, in one way, that she had an olympic sized swimming pool. It helped her practice for the swim team at school. She could hold her breath for almost two minutes now, and her laps were ever shrinking in time. Tryouts were soon and she was sure she'd make the team. Swimming seemed to tone every inch of her, but she didn't do it for that. She swam because, when she was in the water, there was nothing but her, melting into the cool liquid. Cold silence, wiping away every worry she'd ever had, every fear she'd ever known. Ada climbed out of the pool, grabbing her towel and wiping the water off her face. The day was hot even though it was late november. Just another benefit of living down south. She walked back to her room and changed, putting on a pair of tight jeans and a crimson red tanktop. She collapsed back onto her bed and sighed.
Her boredom was quickly interrupted by her phone ringing. "Hello?" She answered dully.
"Hey, Ada."
She smiled weakly. "Hey, Leon..."
"How are you?" the blonde asked.
"Okay, I guess."
"Okay? Well, do you wanna go hang out somewhere?" he asked.
She was silent for barely a second before replying. "Sure. I'd like to be around someone sane for a while. But won't your girlfriend be angry? She seemed weird about that..."
He didn't hesitate in his reply. "I broke up with her. She didn't like how just about all my friends are girls. I'd choose you and the others over her any day. Unless of course it was like pokemon and instead of battles, there were bitch-offs. I'd be sure to win with her."
Ada laughed and then asked, "Where do you wanna hang out?"
"I don't know. We could go to the park, I guess. The small one though, so less people," he suggested. She was happy with it.
"Sounds good. Meet you there in a half an hour?"
"Okay. See you."
Ada hung up and slid her phone into her pocket. At least it was something to get off her mind off of, well, off of everything. She had just felt so lethargic since her father's death. So slow. Except when she was in the water, where she could be as fast as she wanted.
She climbed into her car and drove to the park. It wasn't very far away, so she'd have to wait around a bit before Leon got there.
She leaned over the railing that surrounded half of the pond, staring down at the fish swimming in lazy circles in the cool, clear water. She leaned farther over, letting the tips of her fingers graze the top of the water, making the fish scatter.
"Careful. You don't wanna fall in," a voice spoke, causing her to jump.
"Leon! Don't, don't do that!"
The blonde laughed as she straightened herself out. "I didn't mean to. I was just watching you and you looked like you would fall. But I shoulda known better. You're good at balance." Ada huffed, but smiled. Leon walked over and leaned on the railing besides her. "Looking at the fish, huh?"
"Yeah... Maybe they'll give me good luck at tryouts."
"You don't need good luck. You've got talent," he reasoned, all while smiling gently at her. "Besides, I don't think you'd be much of a fish."
"But water is my element. What would I be then?" she asked, genuinely curious.
"Well, I see you as more of a butterfly." He nodded his head to a crimson butterfly that had landed on a rose. It had a colorful pattern of black and white over it's wings. Ada looked down at the fish again, not sure what to say now. She felt like the fish down in the water, slow, barely moving. She wondered if they could move faster out of water just like she did in it, wondered if they only stayed in the water because they could breathe down there just like how she only stayed on land for the same reason.
"You wanna go to the swings?" he asked.
She stood and nodded. Her steely gold-brown gaze met his deep brown eyes for a moment before she tore her eyes away. He frowned and followed after her. She had changed a lot in the past few months. Leon felt he would never be able to tell her what he desperately wanted to.
She led the way to the swings and sat down in the center one. He took the one besides her and began to swing back and forth. She followed his lead, swinging gently.
"And where have you been?" Ada's mother's voice grated against Ada's ears.
"At the park, Mother," she replied, no emotion in her voice.
"With who?" She was tempted to lie, but decided against it. If her mother found out...
"Leon Kennedy."
Her mother's face contorted to one of rage. "What have I told you about hanging around with boys?"
"We are only friends, Mother." Ada held her composure. She was used to this. She was usually able to hold in the anger, unless her mother went too far.
"I don't care! You are not to be around a boy unless I approve! I will take you out of school if I have to! You will be homeschooled and keep away from that boy and any others!"
Anger over took over and Ada's face contorted into that of rage. "I am not bound by the rules you were at my age, Mother! I can be around who I want! I am not going to let you take me away from my friends!" She spun around, exiting the house and slamming the door behind her. Her wheels screeched as she pulled out of the driveway. She saw the black marks of the tires left behind as she looked in her rear view mirror. She drove as fast as she could. She forced her little corvette into the sixties as she sped down the long open stretch of road that was infront of her house. She slowed as she turned onto the main roads, but only because of laws. If she got a ticket, her car would be taken away. Her phone began to ring. "This distance, this dissolution I cling to memories while falling..."
She didn't bother to see who it was. Her mother didn't care enough to call. "Hello?"
"Hey, Ada-... Are you okay?" A familiar voice asked, hearing the anger and frustration in her voice. It was Leon again.
"I... I had a fight with my mom," she mumbled.
"What happened?"
"She threatened to take me out of school. So I left the house," she explained.
"Well, where are you now? You can come here if you want."
Ada let herself smile. "That'd be nice, Leon. I'm only a few minutes from your house right now."
"I'll see you when yo get here. Or do you want me to stay on the phone 'til then?"
She steadied her voice by taking a deep breath and spoke. "Stay on. Please?"
"Of course."
"Thanks..." She was glad she had a friend like Leon. Sometimes she wasn't sure what she'd do without him. She was more often going to his house and being around him(and their other friends) than ever being around the people that claimed to be her family.
She pulled into his driveway and climbed out. "I'm here."
"Come on in."
She hung up the phone and went inside. "Hey, Leon." He was sitting on the couch. She sat down next to him.
"Bad day, huh?" He pulled her into a hug which she gladly accepted. She leaned against his chest and took a deep breath.
"Ever since I left the park, yes," she mumbled. He kept his arms around her, not used to her being like this.
"It was worse this time, wasn't it?"
Ada nodded. "She tried to take me away from you... guys... I don't want to leave." Leon tightened his hold on her as tears started down her face. "I won't make it if I can't be around my friends."
She had to sneak back into her room later, during the night. She quickly changed and collapsed on the bed. She felt a lot better after talking to Leon. As far as best friends went, he was the best. Always there for her when she needed him. She was lucky to have him.
Her door was flung open suddenly, her mother entering. She had a cold look on her face. "You're finally home." The two stared at each other, niether speaking for a few minutes. "I've made a decision."
"And that is?" Ada asked, voice returning to the emotionless void.
"Bording school. You will go to the all girls Prepretory Bording School of California."
Anger flaired. "I won't. I will not leave my friends."
"You will. You will wear the uniform, attend classes, and stay away from boys." Her mother turned around and walked with slow precision out of the room.
Ada was at the door in a moment, slamming it shut. "No... No, no, no."
"Hey, Jill. Have you seen Ada?" Leon asked from his usual spot in Global History I.
The brunette shook her head. "No."
"I haven't all day. And she won't answer her phone." Leon sighed. "I'm worried."
"Did something happen?" Jill asked, quiet as usual.
"She had a fight with her mom on Sunday. I haven't heard from her since last night, when she left my house," he informed. "I think I'm gonna skip lunch and go see what's going on."
"Okay. Call when you find her..." Leon nodded and left the room.
He drove his crappy little car out to the Wong household. He parked it on the side of the road instead of the driveway.
He knocked and stuck his hands in his pocket. The door opened to the woman that he recognized as Ada's mother. "What do you want?" she asked harshly.
"Is Ada home?"
The woman paused. "Oh. You're that Kennedy boy, aren't you? Yes. She's home. She's up in her room, packing."
"Packing? For what?" He asked, ignoring the tone of her voice.
"She's going to a bording school. In California. I won't have here around people like you."
"Well, can I see her?" he asked. "To say goodbye?" That part was a lie. He wanted to see her, have her explain why she was leaving.
There was a moment of silence before Ada's mother finally spoke. "Fine. I'll give you five minutes. Go." She stepped back, letting him pass by her.
The door of her room was closed. He knocked gently before opening it. "Ada? You in here?"
There was a crimson stain on the carpet. And another. "Ada?"
"L... Leon?" She lay collapsed on the ground, blood pouring from her wrists. The last thing she saw was Leon kneeling by her side and the last thing she heard was him calling her name.
Ada rubbed her thumb over the bandages on her arm. The cuts went up to her elbows on each side. Leon sat silently in the chair besides the bed. He wouldn't look at her and hadn't said anything as of yet. The TV in the room blared some show she didn't care about.
"Why?" Ada jumped. She hadn't expected him to speak so suddenly. "Why the hell would you do that?" He looked up at her. His eyes were watering.
"Leon, I-"
"You were trying to kill yourself. Right?" He rubbed his hands over his face. "You scared the fuck out of me."
"I'm sorry..."
"Are you?"
She reached over and grabbed his hand. "Yes." He shifted so he sat closer to her. "Do... Do you want me to explain?"
He squeezed her hand. "No. I want you to never do it again. Do you know how hard it'd be if we had lost you? If I had lost you? If you died?"
She sighed. "I don't know."
Leon leaned in and kissed her, quickly and softly. "Never hurt yourself again. Okay?"
"Yeah... Okay..."