Every Girl's Monday
England, 2020
The water is a glassy clear blue, she's sitting on a bench on the side, watching me. Book greedily in hand, I crawl towards the wall, brush the water from my eyes and look up. My hands are folded on the ridged wall, leaning as I glance up at her. She has one eye on the book and one eye on me. My long hair is slicked down my back as she notices my stares.
"Jane Eyre, really?" I say, biting my lip, she gives me one of those looks, that can kill. It's a look that says, I like it, so leave me alone. I can just about reach the bare tops of her feet. I flick cold water at her, she flinches, puts the book down and gets up.
"Right now you're really gonna get it." She jumps in the pool, making a splash next to me. Swimming under the surface she comes up to me, snaking her palms over me. Her hand is on my back, she's kissing my neck, peeling my hair from my back as she soaks up the moisture. The water blue on her lips, sliding over her skin like rain does in summer.
"Mmm, if I knew I'd get this sort of treatment if I annoyed you, I should annoy you a hell of a lot more." I lean back into her, placing my head on her shoulder, she is warm to the touch, a stark contrast from the water.
"You better not." She replies, as I turn around and take her hand. The water passes between us, a slow transfer of the cold stream, I look at her, she stares back. She has a cheeky grin on her face, I can tell she wants to dig me in the ribs and for me to squirm and run away. But I won't, she's my warm spot in a dark pond.
"I think, maybe we should get out of here and go home." I turn around and pull myself up and out of the pool, my knees hitting the side with a sting. A small graze, nothing major, I make for the bench and pick up a towel. It's got those crunchy edges after being washed a dozen times, I wrap my hair and turn back to her. She is smiling, that wide smile she does when I'm not looking. Lending a hand I pull her slowly out of the water. We walk to the changing rooms, her long legs stretching out in front of me, as she walks, a grace in her step.