NEVERLAND ✧ Louis Partridge

13 | 100%

Y/N

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"I THOUGHT YOU told me you couldn't swim," I said, staring at the crystal pool before me, "so why are we going swimming?"

After the whole 'disappearing act' Louis pulled on me half and hour earlier, the aura surrounding our friendship somehow grown tighter. I guess I just felt more comfortable knowing he thought what we had was worth something.

"Honestly?" The boy said, kicking off his shoes.

I nodded, "honestly."

"I taught myself how to swim the day you fell," he explained, turning to look at me, "just so I can save you properly next time."

It was humid in Skulls Rock, the clear pond's warmth drifting out around the stone chamber, but those words still sent chills down my spine. Good chills. The ones where you didn't see it coming, but was glad it did.

"Hopefully there won't be a next time," I smiled, "but thank you."

Glancing down at my bare feet, I took a cautious step into the shallow end of the water, the cold liquid splashing against my ankles as I walked in.

Something about this pool felt different, like I would submerge myself for seconds at a time, and come back a different person. Maybe I was just trying to come up for an explanation as to why I agreed to go swimming in a ice-cold pool in the middle of the night.

"Hey Louis," I said, wading around to find the boy, "what exactly are we—"

Cutting myself off, I widened my eyes at the sight of the boy running full speed ahead towards the stone ledge diving the rocks from the water.

His brown hair flying behind him, he let out a jumbled 'COWABUNGA!' exclamation, before cannonballing next to me. A wave of the salty sea water slapped me in the face, and I went hurling back towards the center of the space.

"Oh, it is on!" I yelled, wiping my eyes dry.

Louis had barely been given a chance to get onto his feet, before I leapt towards him and shoved him underneath the freezing waves.

The next thing I knew, we were in an epic battle of the Atlanteans, both of us desperate to get revenge on the other for their mischievous tricks. Wet hair, gritted teeth, and various curses infiltrated the cave, and anyone walking by would have thought someone was being drowned from within.

They would be right; I was trying not to drown, while also drowning Louis (oh for gosh's sake, not actually! I wouldn't dare hurt him).

"To your left!" I yelled, whipping my arm out and spraying the boy with a handful of water, "take that, Partridge!"

Oh, he took it, but not well.

As if his inability to win finally took over him, he dove underwater and snatched me up by the waist, attempting to toss me off to the side.

But he slipped.

That would have seemed like an obvious observation, considering we were in a pool of water, but I didn't exactly have the time to worry about that. Why? Because if Louis was slipping, so was I.

He was still holding me by the waist, remember?

In fear that he would drop me, Louis tightened his grip around my waist as we stumbled back, but we still crashed into the rocky ledge behind us. I winced, the feeling of collision shocking me.

"Hey, hey, hey," the boy said, his voice panicked, "are you okay?"

"Yeah," I mumbled, opening my eyes, "I'm okay—"