This piece was inspired by 'Never Let Me Go' – Florence and the Machine.

Never Let Me Go

Matthew watched the sunlight pucker and swell over him, caught in the motion of the water. It sparkled. The blue, chipping tiles along the bottom of the swimming pool refracted and reflected the sunlight and painted the world cerulean.

He rocked with the water, gentle, and listened to the silence roaring in his ears. It was peaceful here, under the water, and it cost him little more than his voice and his breath.

He never spoke much to begin with. What was the point if no one was listening? He was not pessimistic, just practical. As for breathing… It was a small price to ask for solitude.

Matthew kicked his legs and slipped forward. His blonde curls were burnished and floated around his head as he swam. He kept meaning to cut his hair but there were places he would rather be than the barbershop.

Places such as the swimming pool.

The swimming pool was part of his high school but it was seldom, if ever, used. There was a newer recreational area built on the other side of the science building with a high dive and swinging rope; no one bothered with the older, smaller swimming pool.

Except for him and the janitor in charge of cleaning it, of course.

Matthew flipped a couple of times underwater and revelled in the feeling of weightlessness. It was as if the water lifted his burdens and washed his soul clean. For one blissful moment, he could be himself. For one blissful moment, he could leave behind his worries and insecurities.

But then…

He needed to breathe and it all came crashing back down on him.

Matthew broke the surface of the water with a gasp, his soaking hair blinding him, and reached for the low diving board he knew was there.

Someone grasped his hand and he gasped for a whole different reason.

"Who's there?" He asked, still blind, as he tried to tug his hand back. The other person held fast. "What are you doing here?"

"You were under there for a long time." The voice belonged to a man and he ignored Matthew's questions. "I thought for sure that you were going to drown."

Matthew brushed the curls from his face and found himself face to face with Gilbert Beilschmidt.

He knew who he was, of course he did. The two of them had been in the same classes since the seventh grade.

That did not mean they ever talked.

"What do you want?" Matthew tried to sound threatening but he was more curious than anything. Gilbert did not let go of his hand.

He was perched on the diving board, still wearing his trainers, blue jeans, and zippered sweater. He was obviously not planning on swimming.

Gilbert watched him with a strange expression.

"Is this where you go everyday?" Gilbert ignored his demands and asked his own questions.

"I, uhm, what?"

"Everyday, after class, you disappear as soon as the bells ring. Is this where you go?"

"I… Uh, yes?"

"Why not use the other swimming pool?"

Matthew frowned. What the hell was this about? His classmate had never shown an interest in him before. None of them ever had; he was a wallflower and he was alright with that.

"I don't like the other swimming pool?"

"Why?"

"I just don't. Why do you care?"

"I'm just curious."

Gilbert was still watching him with that strange, thoughtful expression. Matthew had no idea what was going on behind that look.

He did not like it.

He did not like the idea of someone peeking behind his mask without his permission. He did not like it at all.

"Let go of me," he said without inflection or room for argument.

Gilbert argued anyway.

"No."

"Let go of me. Go away."

"No. I want to talk to you."

"Well, I don't want to talk to you."

Matthew tugged on his hand but Gilbert held on, tight and tighter, the more he pulled. So he did the only thing his could think of:

He pushed off the edge of the swimming pool without warning and dragged Gilbert into the water with a resounding 'splash'.

Gilbert spluttered as he broke the surface but he refused to let go of Matthew. His sweater was floating up around his armpits, exposing his stomach, and his white hair was sticking up at odd angles.

He stared at Matthew, surprised, and Matthew stared back, just as surprised that he had done something so impulsive. There was a moment of quiet, the water lapping at the edge of the swimming pool, before Gilbert started smiling and Matthew felt himself return the smile in spite of himself.

Soon, both of them were laughing and the sound bounced and echoed around them.

Matthew still had no idea why Gilbert was here, or what he wanted from him, but he was persistent:

He was still holding on.

He had not let go.

And that was reason enough to hear him out.

Author's Notes:

This was one of the requests from when I issued a challenge a couple of chapters ago, which is still open if others would like to volunteer songs. Tabitha Black requested this song. There were actually a lot of requests for songs by Florence and the Machine, but I addressed this one first because Tabitha Black has left me a right smattering of reviews whilst I have been in a bad spot and I have never had the chance to thank her.

Tabitha? Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for brightening my day on several separate occasions. This might not have been what you were thinking, but it is such a personal song (between the water and the singer) that Gilbert needed to be an outsider.

No, I have no idea why Gilbert was following Matthew either. I think he just sometimes does that. He is sort of a creature of instinct and curiousity. He does not need reasons, or at least, they do not have to be complicated.

And no, Matthew is not an 'oh, whoa is me' character here. He is just an introverted teenager and a bit territorial and suspicious. Mostly, he's thinking 'fuck off and leave me alone'. Which was basically my only thought throughout high school too...