I would've lived in peace, but my enemies brought me war. These enemies... they stalk me, they mock me, they hurt me, but the WORST PART IS—they are angels, and one of them is staring at me, right now.
...
"The hypotenuse of the blah blah blah."
I looked to my right as I felt a gaze seer into my side and caught a girl's eyes. I don't know her name and she must have been just peering out the window next to me waiting until she gets to leave just like me because she tore her gaze away bored and dull-eyed.
As I turned to the window myself, I thought to myself. Nothing made sense to me right now, but not because I was bored at school. It was because I finally got to see my sister for her birthday! She was coming home from college abroad, far across the world.
I pulled out my phone and eagerly looked at the time, but was met with disappointment.
"10:32 A.M." UGHH, still five more hours. I can't wait that long!
Time always passes slowly when you have something to look forward to. It's like a curse on everyone who is happy...
"BRRRRRRRINGGGGGGGGNGNGGNG," the bell rang.
As I headed to my next class, P.E., I checked my phone again... "2:55"! I was so close. Only one more class left! My sister was in sight. We had planned so many things: first, lunch at our favorite cat cafe hidden behind the cinema; then, a trip out of the city to search for seashells on the beach; next, a visit to Mom and Dad to clean their tombstones and buy new flowers; and finally, hot fudge brownies topped with vanilla ice cream while we watched our favorite movies.
They died a long time ago, so it's just been my sister and me for a while now. She raised me like a mother, but I never let her know that. If she knew, her ego would skyrocket! She'd never let that compliment die.
I sighed as I entered my last class and heard the announcement.
"Change into your swimsuits! It's pool time!"
I couldn't swim. Even as a 15-year-old boy, I couldn't stand the water. It scared me beyond measure.
Drowning is what killed my parents, after all. I never saw them die, but my sister did. I don't want to think about that right now. Just the idea of getting in that pool sent shivers down my spine. I did what I always did when we had swim class.
"Teacher, I—
"Stop right there. You've done this too many times. I don't care how afraid you are, this is swim class, so you will swim," he said sternly. "This is a beginner's class; it's not like we're racing in the Olympics! So, kid, just hop in and I'll look after you."
"A-alright..."
I did as I was told. I was too scared to fight back against the giant bear that Mr. Strong seemed to be. He had muscles in places you wouldn't think muscles could form. Every time he spoke, his eyes seemed to flex as if he was deliberately working them out at all times. It made sense because it seemed his eyes could see through steel; they literally gouged out of his face like a cartoon character, yet they paled in comparison to the rest of his insane bodybuilder physique.
My first steps were hesitant, but the major anxiety of all my classmates seeing me as a scared baby kept me going.
Eventually, I made it neck-deep into the frigid water. The summer air was warm just a minute ago, but the cold water removed all heat from my body. Why would anyone ever want to swim in this for fun?!
My hands clasped the edges for dear life, but I hid them behind me. I couldn't let anyone see how scared I was.
Unfortunately, the class was further out in the middle of the pool, but fortunately, not everyone was in the pool yet. I had time.
This is everything to me. My sister left my mind, and the pain subsided as my eyes focused on my goal. I studied the way the other students were swimming toward Mr. Strong. They all did it differently, but the easiest seemed to be bringing my arms over my head and pulling down in the water to create a current that propelled me forward. Yes, this is what I would do. I would not fail because I couldn't have my classmates see me this way. "Water is not my enemy; it's my ally," I muttered to myself, eyes closed.
Focused and motivated, I pushed off. My legs sent a burst of energy down my body and I took off. For a moment everything was going perfectly—until it didn't.
I couldn't stay afloat. I hadn't foreseen this problem. When I looked at everyone else floating so easily, I never thought it was something I actually had to do!? My arms kept pulling me forward—but I was sinking. Slowly but surely, I was going under to the depths where my parents died.
My arms flailed and just as my head was about to go under, I took a deep breath, preparing my lungs for the worst.
It was dark down here.
It was scary, but also peaceful. The water was cold at the surface, but when it surrounded me, it became an embrace, like a warm hug.
Now that I'm here, the same place where my parents perished, fighting against the same enemy, I realized the water isn't what killed my parents. They killed themselves... and I don't blame them.
It wouldn't be too hard to open my mouth and let the warm water rush in, filling my lungs. I almost did it, until I remembered: what I had, what was happening, and what would happen to me if I died.
All those questions could be answered with one singular person, a happy thought: my sister—Evangeline.
As the light finally faded out—it distorted.
The light was getting closer, and closer, and closer and cl—
FWOOOM!
My body clambered for air on the edge of unconsciousness.
My brain started to refuel itself with oxygen and the color returned to my eyes. Then, I saw them—looking at me.
It wasn't just my classmates. It was every. Single. One of them. They were all looking at me, children younger than me peering through the elementary wing windows, and people older than me, including a group of friends on the roof of the building. The next P.E. class had flooded out of their locker rooms to see what was going on.
As more and more people filled my vision, my eyes darted to each of their faces. My face wore a look of worry and anxiety. No, no, no, no, NO! I couldn't handle it. My hands became a hoodie of despair, covering my eyes as I wrapped myself into a fetal position. "Please... go away," I muttered.
"Child, look up."
I didn't. My mind was collapsing in on itself. I wanted to die. Please, someone, kill me.
"Child, if you do not look up, I will drop you back in the water," a divine voice said.
Processing this person's words, I finally removed my hands from my eyes and realized what everyone was staring at.
It wasn't me, the damsel in distress, that caught everyone's attention. No, that wouldn't make sense. My mind was so clouded that I couldn't think logically in the situation I was in. Why would almost EVERYONE in a school that holds thousands watch a kid fail at swimming? It's not like they would know I was drowning and every single one of them got the news that fast?!
My anxiety—it made me a dog, animalistic with no other emotions but dread. I am mad. I'm mad at myself, but this anger faded out instantly as my mind spiraled for an explanation first.
I was 30 feet in the air, cradled like a kitten in its mama's arms. The person holding me had long, divine white wings that flapped like God's grace itself. I could spend years just watching them. Then, I looked up. It's a... her. Her face wasn't just angelic; it was demonic too. Her horns spiraled up into her beautiful white hair, creating such a contrast of good and evil it made my eyes water.
I was dreaming, but I wasn't.
Because I was falling.
Back into reality.
Back into the water.