It wasn't like last time where I felt restrained and surrounded, but also at peace and in control. I found myself thrashing and losing breath much quicker than last time despite being under for much less time. I was barely under the surface before I was pulled up, but it really felt like I was drowning. I wondered if that was how David had felt.
I heard laughter from around me. That made my skin stand on end more than being pulled under did. I bristled as I heard the mocking words.
"I got you!" Russell was laughing his head off, not in the least scared or panicked. He looked like he hadn't been under for a minute. His dark head was tossed back, leaking drops of water. "You totally lost!"
I felt myself blushing. My cheeks heated with both embarrassment and anger. Everyone around me was laughing. There was a small part of me that was more dumbfounded than angry. I couldn't believe I had lost, or that he had managed to stay underwater for so long. He had to have been cheating in some way.
"Hey, it's okay, Adelaide," said Russell, grinning. "Not many people can beat us. You can go against Liam if you want."
"No thanks," I muttered bitterly, turning away. Their laughs still followed me as I swam away, cutting my arms powerfully through the water. I saw Celeste up ahead.
"Adelaide, are you okay?" she asked, helping me out of the water even though I was trying to stay in. "I saw you slip under."
"Didn't slip," I muttered darkly. Rachel hurried out of the lake and came over as well, in a blue bikini with her wet hair coming loose of its bun and showing the choppy locks at the ends.
"Those boys pushed you, didn't they?" she asked.
"Is it that obvious?" I said.
To my surprise, Rachel grinned. "Don't take them too seriously," she said. "They love playing tricks like that. They do it to all the new campers. Don't let them know you're riled up. That's what they want."
"It isn't just that they pushed me," I said. "It's that... well, one of them was floating underwater. I was as well, but when I resurfaced—"
Celeste groaned, slapping a hand to her forehead. "I told them not to show off! We're all great at staying underwater for long periods of time."
"You... you are?" I asked.
"I could do the same," Rachel agreed. "So could Celeste. We've had lots of practice."
For some reason, the way she said that made me shudder, like how Amber saying Caroline had had lots of practice made me.
"Uh, yeah," Celeste agreed. "We love to go swimming, and we've been at this camp for a long time. We've learned to be able to hold our breath for long periods of time."
"Would you like to sit out the rest of the swim, Adelaide?" Rachel added. "You don't look well."
I told myself their explanation made perfect sense as I sat underneath a tree trunk like David had. But doubt still lingered in the back of my mind. I couldn't believe not just Russell, but everyone at camp was as skilled as him. Could they really stay underwater for so long without getting weak?
I watched the swimmers in the lake, shielding my eyes from the sun poking through the tree. They were all having a great time, splashing and pushing each other. They didn't seem to care about water safety. I watched as Caroline pushed Amber underwater, annoyed by something she said. Amber resurfaced immediately, but then Caroline decided to go under. My heart skipped a beat as I watched her stay under for several moments without resurfacing. Amber and Natalie didn't seem in the slightest bit concerned, wading over where she had gone under and splashing each other.
Several minutes passed, and my heart started pounding, my fingers finding themselves tangled in my wet hair as I pulled it out of its ponytail and fiddled with the strands. When Caroline finally resurfaced, laughing and splashing as if nothing had happened, I didn't feel relieved at all.
I saw several other campers do the same thing. It got less alarming for me each time, but it was still shocking. I didn't think I'd ever be impressed with somebody else staying underwater for a long time, but they could give even me a run for my money. A childish part of me felt disappointed. Maybe how long I could do it wasn't as impressive as I thought.
I immediately squelched that childish thought. How could every camper have this ability? I could buy one or two, but almost all of them? I didn't think anyone could stay underwater that long without passing out. Even when I resurfaced, I needed several moments to catch my breath and draw in air. When they did, they dove up laughing like they had been under for a second.
Well, I knew one thing for certain. Something very strange was going on here.
"I see you decided to sit out the rest of the swim," Liam, one of Russell's friends, called over to me. "You're just as wimpy as your brother."
I glowered, lowering my head as I headed for my cabin to change. I was less wet than the others, since I had been in the lake for less time.
"Just ignore them," Amber told me, touching my shoulder lightly. "They're just a bunch of idiots who want attention."
I did as she instructed, but heard David yell to them. "Leave my sister alone! She's braver than any of you."
"Is that why she couldn't bear being in the lake any longer after seeing our awesome swimming skills?" Russell mocked.
"That's not true," David insisted. "I bet she just wanted to take a break. Right?" He looked at me.
"Uh, yeah," I lied. I quickly entered the cabin before they could say anything.
"Did you see my awesome moves in the lake?" Caroline beamed, shaking her blonde curls from side to side and sending water all over the cabin.
Amber let out a squeal, wrapping her towel tighter around her head. "Watch it!"
"I should be in the Olympic swimming tryouts," said Caroline, drying her hair just as firmly and making Amber escape to the bathroom.
"You'll never get the chance to do that," Amber scoffed as she entered the bathroom. It was obviously to mock her, but there was also something sad about the way she said it.
"I wanted to ask you something," I started, but Caroline walked up to the bathroom to confront Amber.
"Who says you get the first bathroom turn?" She banged on the door.
"I do!" Amber replied. "You got it last time."
"No, that was Natalie!" Caroline insisted.
"Well, Adelaide's going last," Natalie said, which they agreed with, including me. I was barely wet after lying in the bright morning sun under the tree.
"I saw you—" I started.
"Adelaide, you missed out on a lot," Caroline interrupted. "We had an awesome time in the water. Why did you sit it out?"
"Uh..." I hesitated.
"Oh, I know," Natalie interrupted, making a face. "Was it because of those boys?"
"Uh, yeah," I said.
"Oh, you should just ignore them," said Caroline, taking her shorts off and shaking the water out. "They're just a bunch of immature doofuses."
"Were they picking on your brother as well?" added Natalie.
I had a feeling they were trying to change the subject on purpose.
I ended up telling them all about my trouble with the boys. They stared at me in awe as I described how I had rescued my brother and then pulled one of them underwater to get back at them.
"You sure showed them," Natalie grinned. I was about to tell her how they had actually ended up showing me, but Caroline interrupted.
"He's lucky to have such a cool big sister," said Caroline. "I wish my sister was like that."
"You have a sister?" I asked.
"Yes, but I haven't seen her in ages." Caroline looked melancholy. "She's never come to camp."
Natalie put her arm around her as she looked dismal. I had a feeling I was missing something, but I didn't push it.
They kept aweing over what a hero I was and telling me about camp and the fun things we'd do later. I had a feeling that they knew what I was about to ask them and were trying to make me forget. But that was ridiculous. Right?