Cresswell: The Lunar Chronicles

Chapter Ten

Cress sighed, leaning back against the warm sand and closing her eyes. She could hear some kind of bird chirping in the distance—sea gulls, she guessed—and there was a gentle breeze dancing through the overgrown grass and trees.

"Hey guys."

Cress blinked her eyes open, squinting against the bright sun as tears automatically sprang to her eyes. Scarlet and Wolf were walking towards them. Scarlet was wearing a new floral bathing suit and Cress grinned in vicarious excitement. Was there anything she didn't look good in?

Without even pausing, Wolf tugged Starlet straight into the ocean; scooping her into his arms and diving right under the waves. Scarlet's screams of mock protest were drowned out in the roaring waves.

"You want to go in?" Thorne asked.

Cress smiled, embarrassed. She shrugged. "I can't swim."

"I'll teach you."

A rock dropped in Cress's stomach and she glanced back out towards the crashing waves. The ocean hadn't ever looked this crazy from her satellite. Somehow she had always pictured it as... softer and gentler. "Out—out there? It's kind of... rough, isn't it?"

"Yeah, that's true. Let's check out those rocks over there and see if the water's calmer."

Swallowing, Cress nodded and stood up; following Thorne down the coastline. She brushed her hands down her shorts, knocking the sand off. The rocks he indicated turned out to be an inland that went in pretty far, leaving a wide section of the ocean that was almost completely still.

"Isn't it um, shouldn't we wait until it's not... less crowded."

"There's no one around. Don't be scared, I won't let you drown," he added, hiding a smile as Cress's grip around his hand tightened and she tried to slow down.

Rather reluctantly, she let him pull her farther out into the ocean until it was around her waist.

Cress's teeth started chattering despite the warmth of the weather.

"Okay, first things first—you gotta know how to float. Our bodies are naturally buoyant, so if you're ever stuck out in the middle of the ocean, or lake, or swimming pool, just turn on your back and float." He gently tugged her hand, nudging her to crouch down and helping her onto her back. The death grip she had on his hand didn't let up.

"Relax, Cress. I won't let you drown."

Cress nodded a little awkwardly, relaxing only the tiniest bit.

"See? You'll float. Easy, right?"

"Y-yeah."

"Kay, I'm gonna let go."

"No!" Cress involuntarily jerked up, her feet touching the squishy ocean floor. She almost fell over as she tried to quickly stand. Thorne caught her without batting an eye.

"Cress..."

"I know, sorry."

"Even if you do sink, you're in shallow water and can just stand up—as you just did."

"Yeah, okay."

"Try again?"

Cress gulped, but she nodded. Sinking back down, she managed to float again. Thorne squeezed her hand and she forced herself to let him go. She felt herself beginning to panic at the sensation of drifting unattached, but she quickly reined it in.

"There, see?" 

Starting to feel more comfortable, Cress managed a nervous smile. "Yeah."

He showed her how to move her arms in order to travel forwards or backwards until she was comfortable standing up and getting back down to float on her own.