DROWNED
It’s done. “I did it,”
” And then there’s a thief. Give it to me.” I heard Crystal’s harsh voice. My hands started shaking. I ost the grip on her phone but managed to catch it before it falls.
” I’m just here to delete my personal information. Deep inside your heart, you know who’s the thief?” I managed to speak in all the bickering noises coming from all side in the dressing room.
” Give my phone back, bitch. Where is beck? Beck? I couldn’t have trusted her. I should have thought that the stupid girl is your friend.” Crystal shouted, making a scene.
” She’s not stupid and she’s not here. I won’t give your phone unless I know you don’t have any backup of these photos.”
” Do you think I will wait and watch until you find the backup photos? Who do you think you are dealing with? You can’t over-smart me, bitch. Don’t test my patience.” She shouted at the top of her lungs. The one thing I’m so sure of is that I won’t start a silly fight. She can scream as loud as she can.
” Just think I’m testing your patience. Do whatever you can. You are not getting this back.” I shook her phone and smirked. The next movement, the women coach entered the room.
” Attention everyone. You all did a great job by practising well. I’m glad that you are taking this competition seriously without thinking that you have more than a week. So, I want to mention someone’s name who helped a lot in building up a team and motivating the whole team. Do you want to know who it is?” The coach said happily. This union has nothing to do with me. I have to leave now.
” I already told you this. You are messing with the wrong person. Give it back or the whole scene will be different.” Crystal shouted without giving a care about the coach and her speech. Everyone becomes silent and turned towards Crystal.
” What the heck are you thinking, Crystal? I don’t care about your interest or contribution in this class which you clearly don’t give. Can you atleast stay quiet? You are such an embarrassment to this class.” The coach scolded her in front of everyone.
” I didn’t do anything. You can continue with your speech instead of listening to me.” she showed her anger to the coach. That’s not going to end up good.
” Get out of here. Take your things and go, Crystal. If you talk to me without respect again, I will kick you out of the team. I wouldn’t even have allowed you in my class if it isn’t for your father’s request. Do you want me to remind you of everything?” The Coach almost broke some of her personal things out of anger. Well, I can see she’s not capable of anything other than spoiling others life. Actually, it’s trying to spoil. She’s just trying. I won’t let her win.
” I’m sorry, madam. You don’t need to talk like this… I just…” she started with apologizing and continued arguing. I used that time to leave the room. When I got outside, the whole pool is empty. All girls are inside the room. I can’t any boys or Jason. Did Beck get the autograph? That’s not important now.
I started looking into Crystal’s phone to delete the backup photos. I opened the iCloud and looked for any backup to find.
” Are you satisfied now? I got kicked out of the team. Now, give my phone back.” Crystal rushed outside breathlessly.
” You got kicked out. Wow. Now, you should know this is how Karma works.” I smiled at her as I found the backup photos.
” You caused this. If Karma’s real, it will pay you back for what you are doing right now.” She approached me. I took some steps back, trying to delete all of the backup photos.
” If I have a gun with me, I would kill you without a second thought.” She muttered. That’s an evil thought.
” Before you do that, I will kill you first. It will be self-defence. I don’t even need to go to jail,” I said without taking her words seriously. Soon, I realized that I’m one inch away from the pool. She’s about to snatch her phone from my hands. I don’t know whether I should protect it or stop me from falling in the pool. Oh, god. It’s a 6 feet pool. If I fell, I might drown. I don’t even know the basics of swimming.
When the fear crossed my mind, my feet slipped. I know that I let out a scream. The last touch I felt is, Crystal’s hands pushed me while her other hand made her way to the phone. Now, all I could see in the darkness. I’m blackened out.
Beep… beep… beep… beep… beep…
My eyes are still closed. I’m lying in some mattress. I don’t even remember my name or what I’m doing or where I’m. Slowly, I started getting the memories of the incident that happened today. I blinked my eyes, trying to adjust my eyes to the brightness.
” Thank you so much, dad. I was afraid it might be something serious.” A voice spoke and I can feel that someone is holding my hands.
” You are welcome, son. This is my job. I would have done it even if you didn’t request. Anyone who doesn’t know swimming will drown after some minutes, but she hit her down due to the force she fell.”
” Yes, I know, dad. I can’t believe what would have happened if I wasn’t in that place. It freaks me out.”
” It was already late, son. But I’m glad it wasn’t way too late.” Finally, I found the strength to see the person I hear. I already identified the voice. Jason saved me. Jason’s father is a doctor. He saved me too.
” Jason…” I murmured, looking at him.
” Emily, you are awake. Thank god. Are you feeling better?” Jason asked me with so much fear in his eyes.
” I’m alright, Jason. What happened? Why am I in the hospital? I have to tell you something important.” I urged and got up from the bed.
” Don’t strain yourself. We got all the time to talk.” He said, letting me lie again.
” No. We don’t have time.” I don’t even know the time. How long have I been unconscious?
” Dad, can you give us some privacy?” Jason asked his father who nodded and left the room without a word. I should have thanked him. His father helped me.
Before I could say anything about Crystal, Jason spoke.
” Don’t worry about Crystal. Her embarrassing secrets are out and she’s grounded too,” He calmly said.
” What? I don’t get it. I didn’t tell you anything. Do you know about the photos?” I asked him in confusion.
” What photos? I don’t know about any photos.” He said cluelessly. He doesn’t know. Then what happened to her phone. Did she snatch it back?
” Okay. Then tell me what happened, Jason? I will tell you the rest.” I asked with an urge to know it all.
” Yeah, I was caught outside the hall with a fangirl. She told your name and requested an autograph. When I finished signing, she told me that you are waiting for me and also lost your locker key. When I got back, I spotted Crystal who started running wildly away from the pool. I approached the pool to find you drowning. I jumped in to save you. You even lost blood from the force you fell down. We couldn’t help you get your consciousness back. I called help and almost got everyone’s attention. I didn’t even have time to curse Crystal or think anything. I carried you in my arms and booked a van straight here. For god’s sake, it wasn’t too late. I have no idea for how long Crystal has been watching you drown. She only ran after spotting me.”
” I can’t believe I was too careless. I don’t know how to thank you, Jason. Without you, I would be…” Formally Thanking someone who’s so close to us isn’t good. But I do feel grateful to the core.
” You don’t need to thank me, Milly. I can’t imagine a situation of losing you forever.” He kissed my forehead and hugged me.
” I’m here, Jason. Because of you.” I whispered in his neck. After a minute, he broke our hug. Before getting too sentimental, I need to talk seriously about the issue.
” Then you didn’t tell what happened. Before that, I have to ask you something. Did you find any phone in the pool or in Crystal’s hand?”
” Oh, yeah. I did.”
” You did? Where it is? What happened to it.”
” I know that’s Crystal’s phone. You need to explain what happened with Crystal, Milly. That bitch pushed you, right? I know her game is over but my brain is killing me without knowing what exactly she did to you.” He said furiously.
” I will tell you every detail, Jason. Just tell me where the phone is?”