Losing My Life

Chapter 33

'Since it's a hot day today, Layla tells me that she has her swimming costume and thinks we should have a dip in the pool.' Kelsie says.

'Sounds like a great idea.' Ryleigh answers with a broad smile on her face and looks down at Layla.

She slips her bikini on, and seeing the bump sticking out in the middle didn't phase her. Kelsie wore a red bikini, and Layla wore a blue polka dot swimsuit. Layla helped Ryleigh apply lotion, covering her bump to protect the baby.

Ryleigh then started rubbing lotion on Layla's shoulders, and as she did, she found a dark spot on her right shoulder blade. Layla tenses a little as her hands brush over the mark.

'Does that hurt?' Ryleigh asks,

'A little.' she replies.

'What happened?'

'I fell over.' She says, terrified, and looks away. Ryleigh is confused, and Layla's reaction indicates that it may be something else.

'Come on, let's get in.' Kelsie yells, and Layla dashes over to join her.

Ryleigh remained seated to mull it over. Perhaps she was being bullied at school. Usually, if Layla had done it, she would have explained it, but she never went into detail, and it was bothering Ryleigh.

Standing by the pool's shallow end, watching over Kelsie and Layla swim around in the deep end. Ryleigh doesn't go over because she is unable to swim.

The house she stayed in on the TV show had a pool, and she never mentioned to anyone she couldn't swim until Rory threw her into the deep end playfully. He instantly noticed she was struggling to stay afloat and rescued her. That was the first time she saw some care in his eyes as he let his guard down.

She sensed a spark between them, and everything around them stopped. Her heart raced, and she was scared that he could hear it. He was holding her close, so she never slipped once. To distract herself, she asked about one of his tattoos by the side of his neck.

When the number of people in the house shrank, Ryleigh wanted to go into the pool by herself. She was attempting to grab a lilo but misjudged her gap and sank into the deep end. She was on the verge of drowning, but Rory saved her, and she became flustered and humiliated. He told her not to be, and he taught her to swim after that. He's now always conscious of her being by the pool on her own.

She slowly joins and breathes the bitter chlorine on her skin. Layla enjoys helping others and teaches Ryleigh how to improve her swimming skills. She smiles and explains that the baby is also swimming inside and helping out. When Layla had had enough of helping, she went back into the deep end with Kelsie. Ryleigh enjoys herself while watching Layla have a nice time, but the bruises on her back are causing her great concern.

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