Aqua Acadamy

Chapter 19

"What are we going to do now?" Toni asked  curiously as the  adventure movie flicked over to the credits. She popped the last of the plain popcorn into her mouth, and tipped the bowl over, patting it regretfully. "What I would give for some butter on these" Toni groaned.

"Or icing sugar" Ora suggested. I nodded with her. It had been a long time since I had eaten popcorn with icing sugar.

"Well what about that game of truth or dare?" Kazani suggested. Everyone nodded and began rearranging the sleeping bags so they could sit in a circle. Grudgingly I joined them.

"Hey Lucy. Truth or dare?" Kazani asked curiously. Lucy pondered for a moment.

"Dare although we can't wake my parents up" She decided then looked scared. "That wasn't a particulary good choice was it?"

"Nope" Toni grinned. "I will be right back" We watched her ascend the stairs in a quiet jog. I checked my watch. It was past 10pm. It would be perfectly acceptable to go to sleep now wouldn't it?

"I am back" Toni returned holding a cup. "This is something we dared my friend to do once although I had to improvise a little as what we used you don't have" She held out the cup, coloured so we couldn't see the contents.

"And what if I refuse?" Lucy asked, glaring at the cups contents. Everyone was silent for a moment then Casey grinned wickedly.

"Got it. Whoever forfeits their dare has to hold a plank for 10mins without breaking" Casey suggested and we all groaned. We had all done 10mins and over before, but that didn't mean any of us wouldn't suffer miserably through it.

"That is terrible" Ora shuddered. "I love it. Bottoms up Lucy"

Lucy took a deep breath then sculled the glass, finishing it in about ten seconds which was way faster than I would have been able to. She looked disgusted as she finished and shuddered. "That was absolutely vile. What did you even put in there?" She groaned.

"Water, Tomato sauce, Vinegar, milk and pepper" Toni pronounced wickedly and Lucy looked like she was going to be sick. Wiping her mouth she stood up and disappeared with the cup.

"I don't think she particulary enjoyed that" Toni shrugged.

"Well since I definately need this, I decided the rest of us do to. And before anyone protests remember we are on holiday" She held out mini Hershey's dark chocolate bars. I eagerly took one and broke off a tiny piece, letting it melt in my mouth. The game continued.

"Ora truth or dare?" Lucy asked, looking over at the spanish girl.

"Truth. There is no way I am choosing dare with you lot" Ora declared shivering.

"What was your first kiss like" Lucy asked.

Ora blushed "I do not understand your english" She spoke, averting her eyes. We all roared with laughter while Lucy told us to quieten down.

"Ok Ok, My first kiss was when I was thirteen. He turned up at my house the day before a school dance and offered me flowers while asking me to the dance. We talked and I said yes. As he was leaving he kissed me then took off before I could react" Ora explained and we all awwed.

"That is so cute" Toni smiled and Ora looked away.

"Do we have dances at Aqua Acadamy?" Casey asked curiously and Ora looked relieved to be out of the spotlight.

"There is one at the end of the year. It's part of celebration week" Toni explained.

"What is celebration week?" Kazani asked curiously, sitting up a little anc cocking her head not unlike a dog.

"It begins after the end of year testing finishes. We have a whole week of school where the whole Acadamy plays games, tries out each others sports and has a good time." Toni explained.

"So what exactly are we celebrating. It can't be passing the year because reports come out over the holidays" Kazani questioned and Toni shook her head

"It is supposed to celebrate a year of hard work and pushing yourselves to your absolute limits" Toni quoted

"Or surviving a year" Casey put in and we all laughed

"Right! On the second last day there is a large dance. A bit like a school ball, or what you Americans call Prom. Everyone dresses up in their very best and dances the night away" Toni finished.

"I am so glad. One thing I was scared about missing was the Ball so it is so cool that we have one here" Ora smiled dreamily.

"For all we know we could be kicked out in time for our  School Balls at home" I piped up and everyone glared at me. My comment hit home though and everyone was silent for a minute. I felt a bit guilty but I was right of course. Not everyone was going to make it to senior year at Aqua Acadamy.

"Ana truth or dare" Ora spoke roughly. I knew what was coming and was going to avoid it as much as possible.

"Dare" I replied. Ora looked slightly crestfallen, but then Lucy opened her big mouth

"Prank call your parents" she raised her eyes at me, daring me to argue.

"And we want to talk to them as well to check that they actually are your parents" Toni added afterwards. That squashed all the plans I was making in my head.

"Fine then" I opened my phone and searched the apps for the timer and set it to ten minutes.

"Don't be boring Ana" Lucy groaned as I assumed the plank position. I gave her my worst look I could possibly muster.

It was up to me to continue the game, which I had no intention of doing. No one else took up the game and one by one they all disappeared to get changed and brush their teeth till it was just Toni and I.

"Don't shut us out Ana" Toni pleaded, her eyes meeting mine. I looked away and watched the decreasing numbers on my phone.

"You did that all by yourself" I spat at her.

"We can't help you unless you let us in" Toni tried again, but I was deaf to her pleas. How on earth did she expect to help me. It wasn't boy trouble or to much homework. My beloved sister was in hospital. My best friend who I left behind to go to this school in the first place. And I couldn't even see her or talk to her anymore. If only I had been there to protect her like I used to be.

The others returned and I finished my plank, my abs screaming in pain. Not that I was paying any attention. I went through the robotic movements of brushing my teeth and changing into my pyjamas. The lights were out when I crawled onto my mattress, blocking out the muted whisperings around me that were probably in anger over my ending the game in such a way.

For the first time since Emma's accident, I let the tears come. With my face buried into the pillow, I cried silently, a task I perfected from the moment I started high preformace training at the age of twelve. As the tears ran down my cheeks I pictured my beloved sister lying in a cold hospital bed and wished for the millionth time I had never left her to go to Aqua Acadamy