Chapter 8: The Pool

(Crystal POV)

"So how was it? Did you kiss?" Bailey asked excitedly the next day.

"No, we were about to, but Zack came and interrupted." It feels good to let it out, I'm glad I am talking to Bailey. She is really easy to talk to.

"No way! How rude," she said with a scowl.

"I know! We were so close, I could feel his breath…" I remember his minty breath on my face. I was brought back to my bed, where me and Bailey were sitting. Sigh. I wish we did kiss.

"Oh my word, why would he do something like that? I never thought he would… Well, actually I would, but still!" She slammed my pillow on the bed and got up. She walked up to an egg chair and sat down. She began to spin. "Ahhh, I love these…"

"I know! They are too cool. Mr. Tipton sent me a catalogue and said I could have anything in there. I was so happy! He takes pity on the poor." It's true, at least he did for me.

"Wow, maybe I should send him a letter!" We laughed for a while, when we calmed down and got back to business.

"I hope he asks me out again. I really like him," I say. It's true, I really, really do. (teehee that rhymed!)

"Well, I'm not going to lie. He is really cute. You are lucky to have him, Crys." She smiled at me warmly, and I returned it. I knew she meant this. I know I'm lucky.

(CODY~ I know, short. Crys will be back.)

"Take a chill pill, man." Zack was watching me pace back and forth. I was trying to figure out how to ask Crys out again. Last time was blind luck, and I want to make sure I am ready this time. "You're going to make a hole in the ground if you keep this up." He was partially true. I was already starting to make marks where my feet have been shuffling on the waxy floor of the sky deck. I wouldn't make a hole but I could make a line where I've been pacing.

"Yeah, I know. I just don't know what to say! I need it to be just right, it needs to be perfect…" I trailed off in thought.

"You sound like a girl planning a wedding. C'mon, lighten up! Let's play shuffleboard or something. It may be an old person thing, but it is surprisingly fun," he said. Shuffleboard? I don't think so. I have better things to do than play a Granny-game.

"No thanks. I have other things I need to get done. You go ahead," I say. He shrugs and walks toward the fiesta deck to join the senior citizens of Boringsville, population: Zack, I know that sounds mean, but he plays shuffleboard everyday. It's ridiculous.

Suddenly, I see Crystal and Bailey walking towards me. Uhh… I am totally drawing a blank here! I don't know what to say to her!

"Hey," She says smiling at me.

"Hey…" I say nervously. I am so lame.

"So, what's up? Whatcha doin'?" She says. Uhhhhh

"Not much, just chilling out. You?" I say, thanking the lord that I can finally speak. My hands start to fidget, since they can't figure out how to stay still

"Mmm, not much." She looks into my eyes and I nearly melt. It should be against the law for a girl to be like this.

"So, umm, I've got something to do. I'll leave you love-birds alone!" I forgot Bailey was even there, but she was already leaving.

"Soooo," I start.

"Yes?" She looks at me hopefully. Uhhh, I don't know if I can do this…

"Do you want to, you know, see a movie or something tonight?" I ask. She looks super disappointed. Uhhh…

"I would love to, but Moseby's got me working late today. But I'm open tomorrow, is that OK?"

WHEW! "Yeah, that's fine. I'll see you later than?"

"Most definitely." She smiles and kisses my cheek. It tingles where she kissed, and I have the urge to pull her close. I smile and walk away, deciding to save it for later.

I need to cool off. I go to my room, change into my swimming trunks and head to the lap pool. I don't do this everyday, and I am definitely not the "star swimmer" type. Just sometimes swimming helps me out of a tough situation. It's a good way to clear the mind, you should try it sometime.

I dip my toe into the water and clamber in. Once I adjust to the temperature of the water, I start swimming. Swimming was one of those few things that came really naturally to me, like math or science. It's the only athletic thing I'm good at, so I do it a lot. Zack is more of a dry land person, so he never swims with me, unless we are in the kiddy pool, or if he is trying to impress a girl.

Sometimes I'm not so sure that Zack and I are really twins. The only thing keeping us to that name is our parents and our birthdays. Other than that, we are polar opposites. He is athletic, I'm not. I am scholastic, he is not. Our taste in girls is even different! No matter what the hospital may say, I'm not convinced.

After doing around 27 laps, I feel a lot better and climb out of the pool. I grab my towel off of the bleachers nearby and shake my head violently, like a dog does after getting wet. I look up and see a head suddenly disappear around the corner.

(CRYSTAL POV)

"OMIGOSH I think he saw me!" I say in a whisper, looking wide-eyed at Bailey. We have been watching Cody swim laps for the past 15 minutes. He is really good, which I wasn't expecting. I guess his arms are the strongest part of his body, because he is good at climbing trees, too.

"Shoot, run for it!" She exclaimed, already sprinting away from the pool area. We slam into Bailey's door, open it, and flop on her bed. Then we burst out laughing at the face London was making at us.

"It's a long story," Bailey started, still giggling slightly at London.

"Well, I don't want to hear it." London walked out of the room with her head held high.

"Well, I don't want to hear it…" I say mockingly, not noticing that she wasn't out the door yet. She turned and gave me a nasty look. I straighten up and look at her with wide eyes. Oops! She storms out, slams the door, and leaves us to our outburst of laughter.

"OMIGOSH I thought she closed the door!" I was, trying to contain myself but failing miserably.

"Did you see her face? I've never seen her that nasty!" She laughed into her pillow for a while and we calmed down slightly.

"Whew, do you think Cody knew who it was?" I ask, a little embarrassed that I blew our cover.

"I doubt it. We were out of there in a flash. If he saw who it was, he must have like, x-ray vision or something." After a moment of thinking, we look at each other.

"EEEWWW!" We say in unison, then bursting once again.

There was a knock on the door… Oooh, all mysterious like! Actually, not really.

"Come in!" Bailey shouted. The door opened and in came Zack.

"Hey Zack," we say in unison again. We giggle.

"Hey, Bailey. Hey Crystal. I was hoping you'd both be here." He looked super serious. Umm…

"Welcome to Bailey's Dorm, how may I help you?" I ask, wondering why he is being so serious.

He took a deep breath and started. "Well, I'm not sure where to start. It's… It's about Cody."

"What happened?" I say, jumping up. Bailey, who hasn't spoken in a while, suddenly sighs. Sighs?

"Great, Zack. He said to wait until they get more serious." What? Wait about what? What is more serious?

"She needs to know, Bailey. She deserves to." AHH! This is driving me crazy!

"GUYS! Just tell me, I can handle it!" I am almost sweating. Why can't they just tell me?

"OK, well… Cody, he's got this thing where…" Zack starts, but then stops himself.

"Where…?" I say to urge him on.

"Where he can't breathe." Uhhh… excuse me?

"Pardon? He seems to be breathing fine," I say, seriously confused.

"OK, not that kind on breathing. Like, his body can't breathe. He is still living and stuff, but his body gets all, you know… weird." He looks at me nervously.

"Ummm, you lost me. What does this have to do with anything?" I ask

"Look, Crystal," Bailey says. I look at her with wide eyes. "Don't look at me like that. What Zack is trying to say is that Cody has athletic problems, unless he is in water. It's like a disease type thing. Only 1 in every 100 children are born with it." I stare blankly at her. What?

"Uhhh, OK?" I chuckle slightly. "Why does this matter?"

"Whew, you're taking this well!" Zack said. "When we told Barbara, she flipped out!"

"I mean, come on. So, he isn't athletic. Who cares? He isn't required to do sports! Frankly, I suck at sports, and I don't have a disease to blame." I say. I am really surprised that this matters so much to them.

"Good, you're definitely not pshyco," Bailey said.

"Was there ever a doubt?" I ask jokingly. We all had a laugh and headed off to lunch.

AN: I AM SO SORRY, I HAVE NO TIME ANYMORE! I know this took forever, and I'm sorry I made you wait. I know, Cody's condition is strange, and is never mentioned, but is one of those things us super fans can figure out. ;D R&R and I'll try to write faster!