As soon as we pulled up into the Lake Avalon Swimming Complex car park, I hopped out of the car, barely able to contain my excitement. I missed swimming a lot; I couldn't wait to be gliding back through the chlorine-soaked waves.

'A little excited, aren't we?' Arthur smirked teasingly.

I laughed freely for the first time in what seemed like eternities, allowing the little dig to pass straight over me. It was a nice feeling, but it quickly passed when I saw Valiant striding over to the Swimming Complex doors. My stomach dropped and I wanted to be sick.

'Hey,' I felt a reassuring grip on my shoulder. 'He's probably going to go to the gym, not the pool, ok?'

'Yea, ok.' I knew Arthur was probably right, but still, seeing Valiant made me feel sick to my stomach, and I knew that wasn't good. I swallowed the bile rising up my throat, determined not to go bulimic as well as 'emo'.

I gave my membership card to Freya, the sweet young uni student at the front desk. 'I'm back.' I smiled, but I couldn't hide the melancholy eyes I bore.

'I see,' she returned my sad smile with a bright grin of her own. 'Enjoy!'

Arthur paid for himself, and we made our way into the communal changing room. I snagged 2 lockers close to the entrance the pool, and grabbed my bottoms and made my way to an empty changing cubicle. Arthur followed suit, grinning at me before I closed the door.

I changed in a hurry, suddenly desperate to feel the silky smooth cooling water on my skin.

Arthur finished changing and stepped out of his cubicle only a few seconds after me. I grinned nervously, suddenly very aware of the fact that everyone could see my angry red cuts.

I rubbed a hand up and down my arm awkwardly, hoping to remove my scratches. Of course, it did nothing except make the rest of my arm red, too.

I shuffled over to the pool entrance, breathing in deeply the strong aroma of chlorine that hung thickly in the air. I continued to walk towards the deep end, and found a free lane so I could swim at my own speed.

My toes curled around the edge of pool, semi-cold water lapping against them. And then, I dived gracefully into the clear blue waves, feeling the stress be ripped away from me as the water rippled over my skinny form.

I loved swimming, always have, always will. I guess you could say it made me feel magic. The way the water forced me to breathe rhythmically calmed me completely.

I loved to think of myself as the personification of water; calm and steady, still and reserved when left alone. But, throw a pebble on the surface, and it rips straight through the the centre. Knock the tranquil façade, and the entire aura is ruined.

Throw one insult at me, touch the water ever so slightly, and it moves with emotion. And, the more you upset it, the more it'll fight back with angry waves and furious splashes

I guess that's why I loved swimming so much. Swimming, the water and I were one. It sent a sense of magic and power pulsing through my veins as I propelled myself through the water.

I was vaguely aware of Arthur swimming behind me as I glided, loving the pattern I'd fallen back into so easily.

After not swimming for 3 months, I thought it would be far more difficult to keep up my stamina, but it wasn't until I had stopped and began to tread water and get my breathe back after a particularly speedy lap that I realised it was nearly pitch black outside. I checked my watch, and noticed I'd been swimming for an hour, which is quite a while to go swimming without stopping.

Glancing over at Arthur, it struck me that he was exhausted, but hadn't wanted to stop, possibly in fear of stopping me in my 'element' as he said. I felt a pang of guilt hit my heart as he pulled over to the wall, gasping for breath.

'We can go now, unless you want to keep going?' I smirked at the horror on Arthur's face as he thought of having to continue to strain himself to keep up with me.

'Gods, it was like the water was trying to hurt me for disturbing it.' Arthur said, unknowingly contributing to my infatuation of being one with the water.

I simply smiled as we clambered out, secretly yearning to be able to dive back in and swim for another thousand years.

But, I didn't want to talk advantage of Arthur's amiability, so I walked with him to the near-empty changing rooms, not talking, but reflecting upon my relaxing swim.

I happened to catch a glimpse of my arm as I reached into my locker to pull out my clothes, and saw it was bright red again, in very distinct sharp lines across the pruned flesh. I wanted to cry.

'Hey,' Arthur must've seen my forlorn expression, because he wrapped a comforting arm around my toweled shoulders.

'Do you think anyone noticed?' I was on the verge of tears.

'I think people were too mesmerized by your swimming, to be honest.' Arthur smiled sadly down at me, his plump lips shriveled from the chlorinated water and in a thick pout.

Gods, how much I just wanted to kiss that perfect mouth. Before I had a chance to make a fool of myself, however, I shook my head, clearing all inappropriate images of Arthur from my mind, and pulled myself away.

I changed hurriedly, wanting to get back to my house and scratch myself again for being so stupid as to allow people to see those horrid scars. I wanted to make myself feel the pain for being so ridiculously idiotic.

The relaxed sensation and calm, free state of mind I was in when I got out of the pool was completely gone now.

I was still shaking from the adrenaline rush, but it now felt more like the sort of adrenaline rush you get from running away from a monster, instead of the sort you get when you're overwhelmed with happiness.

Arthur noticed something was wrong as we made our way to his car. He stopped as grasped my shoulders gently, forcing me to look at him.

'I know it doesn't seem like it is getting better, but it will. I promise. You've just got to keep trying.' And then I was enveloped into his strong arms.

I'd been trying to hold the tears back, telling myself I wouldn't cry until I got home, but the sudden display of love from Arthur was too much. I let the tears fall unwillingly hoping he wouldn't mind wearing a tearstained t-shirt home.

'I'm sorry,' I sniffled. I really was. I didn't know why I was crying. I just was. There was nothing that had happened in the pool to make me upset yet here I was, blubbering like a child. And I hated myself for it. I had been so sure I was getting better. But, now, I wasn't so sure.

'It's ok,' Arthur stroked my damp chlorine-soaked hair, clearly knowing exactly what I was going through. It was comforting, to know that someone had once been exactly where I was and had managed to become such a wonderful person.

I offered him a watery grin before peeling myself from his grasp and clambering unsteadily into the car, wiping my downcast eyes as I went.

We drove along in amicable silence, smiling at each other occasionally. Arthur broke the silence after a few minutes with, 'so, now that we've done what you love, let's have a normal conversation.'

I was confused for a couple seconds, before remembering our previous decision that I'd try doing things I loved and not talk about my 'issues' and try to have actual conversations except for half an hour a day.

'Well, I'm not so sure I can have a real conversation with a Pendragon.' I snapped and then immediately blushed furiously, unsure of where the sudden outburst had come from. 'I'm sorry. I don't know why I said that.'

'It's ok. I know it's hard to deal with my awesomeness.'

Wow. He was really keen on keeping the conversation away from my pain. So, I decided to go along with it. That is, I was going to, until he decided to get too friendly too fast.

'So, I know you and Gwen are friends, but is there anything more?' He winked cheekily.

'No!' I was shocked. 'Gwen's my best friend, and that's all she'll ever be! Trust me.'

'Right, well, is there anyone special? How 'bout that girl, Vivian? She's actually quite a close family friend, so I can try to get you two together.'

Gods, was he a total idiot? But, I would not tell him I was gay. I would not have him turn against me.

'I don't fancy anyone, ok?' I growled. 'And even if I did, I would most certainly never tell you.'

The rest of the car ride was spent in confused silence. I could tell Arthur had no idea why I was so upset, and I had no intention of telling him.

When we pulled up outside my house, I grabbed my gym bag and swiftly exited Arthur's car without as much as a good bye. I fumbled in my bag for my house keys, and let myself into the house.

As soon as I heard Arthur's car screech away, I burst into tears. I slid my back down the wall and sat in the hall, tears pouring down my face for what felt like the millionth time in the past two days.