Four Weekends & a Photograph (WAYHAUGHT)

Chapter 4

The short ride to where we were diving I sat in silence, the others laughing at something. Probably me. The suit clung in all the wrong places, the rocking of the boat made me feel queasy, the whole experience not how I imagined. My dreams the night before had been filled with Nicole removing her top in the disco, taking my hand, pulling me outside where we found a secluded spot not still celebrating Christmas, indulging in a little of our own tongue tennis. The smell of coconut drifting across my nose as her lips made contact with mine, exploring in a way that didn't scream investment banking.

Okay, I'll admit, had Chrissy not made me aware of Nicole's preference for girls, I might not have indulged in such erotic thoughts. Then again, who am I kidding? My sister's friend was everything I wanted to be. Attractive, confident, and comfortable enough in her own skin to own her sexuality. At eighteen, I simply didn't trust myself enough to go after what I wanted. Or, know what I wanted was what I truly wanted. To summarise, I be confused.

As the boat slowed, Lexi called out who would partner who. No guesses who I ended up with. Nicole went through all the buddy checks first, I doing the same for her. We were a team, for now. Mask on, regulator in mouth, an OK signal, I slipped off the rear of the boat into the water, the temperature waking me up to reality. I had zero chance with Nicole Haught.

The dive was glorious. The water gin-clear, the beauty of what lay beneath the surface mesmerising, revealing itself slowly as we glided through a magical world. Pastel-coloured sponges, a plethora of marine life, octopus, squid, sea bream and sea horses dancing before our eyes. Nicole stayed with me the entire time, pointing out different things as we ventured further into unknown territory. I could have stayed there forever, content in this otherworld of calm and tranquillity.

We neared the remains of a vessel, its crew long departed, its metal shell bronzed from years under the sea. Limpets and seaweed clung to the sides, an artificial reef colonised by assorted sea life adding to its allure. A sleeping treasure left to rest in pieces while nature reclaimed it for its own. Lexi motioned for us to ascend, a feeling of disappointment washing over me until I realised we would have to remove our wetsuits.

The next few minutes were a blur. Having a panic attack underwater isn't pleasant, especially when trying to make a good impression. Strong hands hauled me over the side of the boat, someone pulled off my mask, then carefully removed my regulator. The buzzing in my ears made me dizzy, someone sitting me up, holding my chin, someone yanking at my BCD to rid me of the heaviness on my body. Wynonna's voice close to my ear, a hand stroking my hair away from my face.

"Waverly. Waverly. It's me." I could hear the panic in my sister's voice. "Waverly, open your eyes."

I tried, the buzzing in my head getting louder. Hands shook me, possibly Wyn's, my eyes still closed. "I'm okay. I'm okay. I'm okay."

"Waverly open your eyes," Wynonna shouted.

I did what my sister said, faces staring at me, fear etched across them. "I'm okay. It's okay."

"You're not," Wynonna insisted. "We're going back."

"I'm fine. I just..."

Concerned faces stared back. "Waverly, your leg," Nicole said, my attention turning to the red puddle pooling near my ankle. "I'm so sorry. I should have seen it."

The sudden stinging sensation caught me by surprise, watching as the puddle grew in size. "I'm...I'm bleeding."

Lexi had my leg up on a tank, forcing me to lie down again. "It's not too deep. Clean. What did it?"

"A piece of the shipwreck," Nicole said, her voice cracking. "Metal, I think. Near the stern."

"She has tetanus jab, yes?" Lexi asked my sister.