Swimming Fool*

I could smell the scent of chlorine and freshly mowed grass surrounded us. My feet slapped the wet concrete as I nervously eyed the water markings showing pool depth.

There was nobody but us.

Good that we were alone. It felt like I was on display, watched and judged by others, by groups of people at the beach. Here at the pool, it made me a bit comfortable to take off the long kimono I was wearing to reveal the swimsuit I borrowed from Katrina underneath

Leif rose from the slatted wooden bench he was sitting on and took an unconscious step towards me.

"You know, Cassandra?" Leif's tongue flicked out, tracing the seam of his lips, outlining the shape of my body with his gaze, as if the picture in his mind made him hungry. "I've been watching you lately."

I raised an eyebrow. "And?"

"You're hiding something." He stuffed his hands into his pockets, his skin flushing, as he tried so hard to keep his hazel eyes on my face and not stray from the rest of me.

"Surprise. Surprise. Everyone else is hiding something Leif including you." I replied sarcastically as I crossed my arms on my chest. Leif's gaze roamed to my chest for a split second before his gaze remained fixed on my eyes.

He whispered. "You are not what you appear."

"Touché."

Out of the blue, he asked. "Do you like Gabriel?"

"Excuse me?" My eyes widened and I sputtered, "No way in hell dude!"

Hell to the No. We were supposed to be swimming and all that. I don't need this kind of interrogation. "Why?" I shot back, teasing him. "You interested?"

How close we were to flirting, I didn't know. How far would he take this? This silent guy who had no idea who I was or what I will become in the future.

Leif's pupils dilated, the only sign I'd noticed. Let's see, shall we?

"I thought you were gay." I blurted out.

Leif shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. He cleared his throat and continued, "You sure have a strong reaction against Gabriel. You just met him the moment you met me, Lysander and Raven. I don't see any interactions between you but something is off."

"Oooh. I lurve some conspiracy theories." I said in an undertone as I clapped my hand slowly. "Why don't you share your psycho-analysis with me, huh? You must be an expert at human behavior when all you do is observe people. Keep 'em coming, Leif. Tell me!"

His jaws clenched in anger, probably mortified by my sarcasm. I thought he wouldn't rise to my bait but instead, he said quietly, "Here's what I have learned, so far. You are infatuated with Gabriel and it does not love at first sight kind-of-way. It's like that fine line between love and hatred as if you had known each other for a long time. You are jealous of Lauren and she is more jealous of you because even she has noticed her boyfriend isn't acting the same way he acts around with Lauren when you're around."

"You are amazing, Leif. " I sneered. "You have that potential of creating story bestsellers. I didn't have any idea about this talent of yours. You should try creative writing and be a famous author someday."

Leif was now furious.

"I also noticed you don't want to touch us. I'm aware of what we looked like so naturally girls would flock around us, talk and flirt while touching us whether patting our hands or caressing our biceps unconsciously, flashing coy smiles at the same time. You. You are different."

"So you just want me to touch you, that's it?" I asked, the question emerging shakily. I wasn't still used at how tall he was and so intimidating, menacing.

A scowl darkened his dark features and I could hear a low growl on his throat. "That's not the point. I noticed you reacted badly every time Lysander touches you accidentally or not as if you are in terrible pain."

Leif stalked to me. There was a lethal power in every step and for a moment I could have sworn I was transported in a jungle, the swish of trees and the howls of monkeys in my ears.

Suddenly trembling, I backed up a step. My heart skidded out of control, beating so hard it was like a hammer on my chest. "You're imagining things, Leif."

"And now, your body language tells me you don't want to be with me within touching distance." He was a whisper away, his body so close to mine. "Why is that?"

"I respect your personal space." I hastily added. "I am contented with my personal space."

"Really?"

"Really." I gave one hysterical laugh. Well, it was either that or started crying. "I should go if you're going to keep wasting my time." I turned on my heel and walk away.

"Sometimes, I wonder why you are not like other girls," Leif said as he grabbed my shoulders and spun me around. "Maybe you are special." He shoved me away from him hard.

"What the fuck, Leif." I hit him on the shoulders. "What is wrong with you?"

"Just testing my conspiracy theories," Leif said softly. He moved fast as he covered me from behind. Leif took my head between his hands and wrenched it to the side trying to break my neck.

I grabbed on to his wrist and pulled them outward, trying to get him to release his grip but he had leverage on his side. My neck muscles strained dangerously and I panicked.

I was still trying to focus my eyes before Leif grabbed me, threw me over his shoulder, and jumped towards the water. Enraged, I pushed until I unlocked myself from his grip with all my might.

He grabbed me again and dragged me slowly into the deepest part of the pool.

I tried to break away to the surface but Leif trudged down, down, down until we were completely submerged under fathoms of water. I struggled uselessly, bubbles streaming out of my mouth with a lack of oxygen.

I finally understood why Leif terrified me so much as I looked into his blank eyes.

I knew I was right. He was deadly.

I buckled and squirmed under his relentless grip. Bubbles flew from my mouth as I screamed in soundless panic. I scratched his face and kicked my feet but there was nothing I could do to make him let me go.

I was going to drown.

I kicked and struggled. I felt that familiar electric current start in my belly growing stronger whenever I touched either Gabriel or Lysander. If I didn't know how to release this outwards I was going to be electrocuted from the inside, killing myself in the process. All I had to do was release this.

New to this as I was, I let the bolt go and it shot down my legs in vain, making me shudder. In my desperation, I got the last few volts to run up to my hands and jump across my skin to Leif's wrist.

Blue sparks lit up with a flash and I saw Leif's eyes widen in surprise. Half my body's energy emptied out of me, leaving me weak as a kitten.

Then I felt Leif shake with the current and heard him scream as he was electrocuted. The scent of burnt hair and ozone filled the air.