Kelsey Rivera hates being a new student. She hates school. And most importantly, she hates people.
Growing up, she had a terrible life. Her mother would force her to go to different schools until she got herself kicked out for being bad. She didn't...
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After the gym teachers explained what we were doing today (a free day in the pool since our first unit was the swim unit), they allowed us to go into the locker room to change. I was the first one in and the first one out, wearing my old ratty swimsuit. There wasn't a place to go that was in between the pool since it was outside, so we had to meet up in the main gym area, wearing nothing but our swimsuits. Great. Not that I was self conscious or anything, but it was weird being surrounded by my classmates while wearing one little thing that hardly covered my private parts.
Soon enough, most of my classmates were out in the main gym, waiting on the gym teachers to lead us outside. The female gym teacher (I wasn't sure if she gave us her name or not) came out first, and she said, "Coach Keller just got called off by the Dean, so I will be supervising you all while you guys are in the pool."
Were there going to be lifeguards? Even though I was an amazing swimmer, I was wary of a pool without a lifeguard.
The female gym teacher led us out of the gym out into the warm sun. If only I had put on sunscreen before coming out here. The pool was shining in the sun, blinding me for a second as I walked toward it. I quickly blinked the dark spots out of my eyes, stumbling over my own feet. I probably looked like a weirdo, which was what I definitely did not need. I was already new, and now people associated me with the title of weird, too.
The concrete burned the bottoms of my feet, but we soon made it to the pool. The female gym teacher stopped next to one of the lifeguard chairs, which actually had a person sitting atop of it. "There are a couple of lifeguards sitting around, just in case something happens." She flashed a grin at all of us, her blonde hair flying in the wind. "Otherwise, you all can do whatever you want."
Was she serious? I knew that we were going to have a free day today, but I didn't think it would be that free. I wasn't complaining, though. This way, I could be by myself without having to be forced to talk to others.
Sitting down on the edge, I dipped my toes into warm water. It lapped against my ankles, making me smile. One of my favorite memories of my father was in the water. I remembered him teaching me how to swim at our old house. I was a little girl at the time, but I remembered it like it was yesterday.
The sun beat down on me just like it did today. I was wearing my favorite pink swimsuit, running around the backyard through the sprinkler. Since I was an only child, I could only play with the things around me, and fortunately, my dad had bought me that sprinkler. He wasn't supposed to be home, but he was, and told me he would teach me how to swim in the pool. He made sure to never let me drown, to never let go of me. That was one of my happiest memories, but the happiness didn't last long.
Before I could delve deeper into my painful memories, a voice rang out in the air. Even though there were kids splashing around in the water around me, I heard the voice as clear as day. "Kelsey!" Logan Reese called out. My gaze flicked over to him, wondering how he knew my name. Oh, right, attendance. He was on the shoulders of another guy, a cocky grin on his ugly face. "Come chicken fight me! Unless, you're too chicken."
