Unsteady

Split

Outside by the pond, the sun blazed high in the sky, unrelenting in its heat. The air shimmered above the water, but the children didn't seem to notice—or care. Their laughter echoed across the estate, their joy untouched by the sorrow that lingered elsewhere in the house. Sophie's unexpected death had not yet reached them. For now, they were blissfully unaware.

Mia, Elias, Diana, Dylan, Nathan, and Ravenna took turns swinging from the thick rope tied to the old oak at the top of the small hill, launching themselves into the deep water below with wild whoops and splashes. Each tried to outdo the last, pushing further, higher, louder.

Valeriya stood nearby beneath the filtered shade of a tree, her arms folded loosely across her chest. Eden was beside her, her broken arm in its cast, quietly nursing her own frustration at not being able to join in.

Mr. Chetcher, Mr. Montenegro, and Dylan's mother had retreated to the house, satisfied the children were safe and supervised. For the moment, they were left entirely on their own.

"Diana, wait!" Valeriya called suddenly, her voice cutting through the air as her sister bounded up the hill again, excitement sparkling in her eyes.

Diana turned, breathless. "What?"

Valeriya's eyes flicked downward.

"Your pad..." she whispered, barely audible.

Diana followed her gaze—and froze. Her cheeks flushed red.

"Shit," she muttered under her breath, heart skipping a beat. She'd forgotten. The water had soaked through her swimsuit, and the outline of her pad was faintly visible through the thin fabric.

Eden noticed too but said nothing. Her lips pressed into a line of discomfort she didn't voice.

"Quick—cover yourself," Valeriya said gently, already turning to grab a towel for her.

But before she could reach them, Dylan sprinted past, catching the rope in stride and swinging wide over the pond before crashing into the water below—sending a massive splash straight into the pile of towels by Valeriya's feet.

The others whooped and hollered, racing after him. They didn't notice Diana's frozen stance. To them, she just needed a moment to catch her breath.

Valeriya hesitated only briefly. Then she sighed, slipped her thumbs beneath the waistband of her shorts, and tugged them off as she remembered, she had a swimsuit underneath. A modest gingham, one piece swimsuit in a matching pale yellow.

She hated doing it—her swimsuit underneath felt too revealing for her taste even though it was modest—but her sister needed help, and that came before modesty.

"Here," she said, offering them quickly.

Diana's eyes widened. "Thank you..."she whispered, pulling them on over her swimsuit with urgency.

Valeriya stepped back, slightly turned from the group to avoid drawing attention, her arms once again crossed over her chest.

"You've been wearing a swimsuit this whole time?" Eden asked, raising an eyebrow, her tone lined with annoyance. "You might as well take off the tank top too otherwise you're gonna tan like a striped melon."

Valeriya rolled her eyes faintly but said nothing, staring out across the water, wishing more than ever for a cloud to pass over the sun.

"Aren't you going to join us?" Nathan called out as he came running up the hill, his hair damp, his skin sun-kissed and glistening from the pond. He grabbed the rope in stride, ready to swing again—until he paused.

His gaze landed on Valeriya.

She no longer had her shorts on.

He blinked, confused—until his eyes flicked over to Diana, who was now wearing them as she slipped away from the group, cheeks flushed, head down.