Everyone is still talking about the game on Monday morning and not just because we won. Anto had freaked out a bit that night and rode us back home at the speed of a pregnant tortoise so I invited her to spend the night and we ended up skipping school on Friday.

Point of view, the Instagram of Clayview, was blazing with pictures and videos,  presented with weird captions and an array of comments ranging from shocked to disturbing so we did our best to stay off our phones but there was no ignoring it. It was etched in my mind, just as it was in hers.

Anto had to go home for the weekend but she was back this morning, thankfully with her usual enthusiasm, promising to drive me to school everyday since I am still considered unfit to do so myself and have no intention of doing it for the rest of my life.

The stares begin from the parking lot and follow me to my locker where Apollo is leaned, headphones on and eyes closed, oblivious to the attention he draws.

"Do you sometimes stop and think; this boy is beautiful and he is all mine and just feel fulfilled?" Anto ask, also staring at him.

"Sometimes, I doubt that you are gay." I tell her with a small smile.

"My sexuality is as solid as a rock but as your friend, it is my duty to swoon on your behalf." She declare before going of to her locker.

I stand there for a few moments and let myself bask in the feeling of fulfilment that comes with waking up everyday to the reality of having Apollo Timon as my boyfriend because Anto is right, he is beautiful. I tap him lightly and he greet me with a smile and a tiny kiss before stepping aside so I can open my locker.

I am pulling out the last book I need when the hallway quieten uncharacteristically, then fill up with the familiar buzz of hot gossip. My eyes move to the main door which is ajar, letting in a flood of light that highlights her head of fire and I pause.

Dahlia hadn't responded when I knocked on her door this morning and I haven't seen her since the game on Thursday night. She march into school with her usual confidence that looks off, almost making me forget for a moment who I am staring at. Then I see her chin defiantly tilted upward and it comes back to me, confusing me even more.

I am aware that I lost a sister, it is getting hard to see which.

"Is this going to be a permanent look?" Apollo ask my sister as she try to open the locker on the other side of Daisy's. The locker is devoid of any form of tribute, I guess a week is enough mourning time on school ground.

Dahlia spare us a glance and shrugs. We watch her silently gather her books and disappear down the hall, turning almost every head as she go.

"Have you guys considered therapy?" Apollo ask as we walk to class.

"Ms. Andersen tried talking to me, if that counts. She said she'd talk to Dahlia too, everyone else."

"Yeah, there was this announcement Friday morning about a helpline or so and she had a group meeting with the cheerleaders and some of our classmates."

I hadn't heard anything about that. One of the perks of skipping school and going cold turkey.

"Was Dahlia there?"

"I don't know, I was with the team for our final meet of the season with coach but I don't think Dahlia was in school on Friday. I would have caught the hair."

"She told me it was a onetime thing to honor Daisy." I say to myself but Apollo stop at the door to homeroom and run a hand through his thick hair.

"I wish it was a no-time thing. It's like the fucking ghostwalkers, I can only imagine what it feels like for you."

He cover the space between us and caress my cheek and I lean into his touch, ignoring the glances of our mates as they file into the classroom.

"Let me know if you need an escape?" I nod even as I know I won't run away if things get uncomfortable.

     I try to block out most of the day, the sympathetic stares, the judging ones, the try-to-be-subtle ones and the murmurs but anytime I catch a glimpse of red hair, I feel a jolt shot through my body, even if it's just Carrie Fell.

Despite knowing that she won't sit at our table for lunch, I am grateful for a chance to not be in the same space as her, along with most of the student body. I walk down to the locker room but Anto catches up with me and slings a lean arm over my shoulder, towering over me.

"This is not the way to the cafeteria." The vibration of her voice almost get lost in my hair that I have in a lazy bun.

"I have swimming practice." She stop abruptly, jerking me to her side.

"What?" I look up at her icy blue eyes, the same color as her hair.

"I don't know Rose, are you ready?"

"I've been swimming all my life, Anto."

"I know. It's just_ after the bridge."

I understand her concern, in fact I share it. Since the bridge, it hasn't just been my water intake that has been minimized, my shower has been reduced to one very short one.

"I can't put my life on hold. Things have to return to normal and that means Rose Winter has to return to being a swimmer."

She eye me critically before nodding reluctantly.

"Okay, swanlake. I want normal too but if you_"

"If it's too much, I will stop." I assure her and she give me a satisfied smile.

"Alright then, I'm going to go have lunch with random strangers." I shake my head as she skip away.

   All my teammates are already by the pool when I get there and at the sight of the steady water, I almost turn and run back to the changing room.

"Rose." I look up into the beaming face of Bright Honeymoon.

His smile diminish only a bit as he pull me into a hug that I wasn't expecting but not surprised to receive. Bright is the sort of guy to show affection to everyone and lighten the atmosphere with his smile. Everyone knows him and it is easy to assume that everyone loves him.

"I've been trying to get a moment with you but it's like we are on different ends of this school, not even a single shared class and you weren't at practice last week, as expected, I'm even surprised you are here now."

"I just couldn't stay away." I say, managing a smile. He had been at the funeral, one of the few faces I registered.

"Anyway, I just wanted to extend my condolence and let you know that I've got you if you need anything."

I pat his right shoulder which is kind of hard to do seeing as he is at least 6 ft 3.

"That is really sweet, Bright. Thank you." He nod solemnly.

"Alright! Pick a lane." Coach Cooper bark at the six of us gathered by the pool and we move to do as instructed. She glances at me for a bit and when I see the concern etched on her face, I give her a small smile that takes it out completely.

"Individual technique today, as we discussed. When I call your name, you jump into your lane and show us what you've got, okay?"
We all nod.

"Okay. Priscilla Kennedy."

Priscilla catapult her lithe body into the body of water, creating minimal disturbance, immediately taking a forward stroke, slicing through the water with ease. I watch as one after another, my teammates showoff remarkable skills. Even with the tournament concluded over a month ago, they all appear to be in really good shape, swimming with a passion because soon enough, it will be too chilly to go out without gloves, not to mention going for a swim.

"Rose Winter."

I take in a deep breath and walk to the edge of the pool. Even with the cool breeze I still feel my palms get clammy and wipe them down my swimming trunks. Everyone is staring at me as I gently slip on my googles and I'm surprised that Mrs. Cooper hasn't yelled at me yet so letting out one last breath, I dive headfirst into the water.

The coldness takes me by surprise and I have to fight numbness from taking over. I am completely submerged below water and in a moment of panic, I forget and take a breath. Cold water rushes through my nostrils, burning my lungs in seconds, forcing my mouth open but I stay under, limbs frozen by the unusual temperature of the water.

Suddenly I'm at the bridge, enveloped by Justin Bieber's voice one second, gravitating the next and feeling the familiar touch of death again. I gasp as I go under but I'm not alone, she is there with me, fiery red hair dancing with the currents, glassy soulless eyes staring at me. They are here, my sisters.

     Someone pulls me out, someone with strong arms. They help me into the dry ground. Pressure is placed on my chest, squeezing my already trembling heart, forcing my burning lungs to release the water they swallowed and I cough violently as I sit up but the squeezing doesn't stop and I clench my fist over my chest in a futile attempt to calm my racing heart. By the time it slows, I can already feel the eyes on me and the hand gliding down my back in a soothing motion.

"Alright, practice is over. All of you, get out." Coach Cooper say in her stern voice and my teammates scurry out, looking over their shoulders to steal glances at me.

"Are you okay, Rose?" The woman ask when everyone is gone, safe for the person rubbing my back who I have realized is Laura, her voice a perfect contrast of what it had been thirty seconds ago.

I nod.

"You don't have to come to the rest of the practices, we have only two left."

Perhaps if I felt an iota of strength I'd argue but now, all I want to do is sleep and wake in an alternate universe. One where I am not haunted by the image of my dead sister in my mind and in the flesh of our other sister.

I wrap my hands around my knees as she leave and place my head between them, thinking of times Daisy used to call me a baby shark even though she could have been a better swimmer if she tried. Sometimes I was glad she didn't, I was glad she let it be my thing.

"You are shivering." My head snap up at the sound of Laura's voice.

Despite sharing several classes and being teammates for almost a year, it feels like ages since I last heard her voice, this close at least. I pick myself off the ground, my legs wobbling a bit.

"Let me help you to the infirmary." She offer, moving to hold me but I walk out of her grasp.

"It's fine. I don't need your help." I didn't mean for the cold to escape with my words but when I see her offended look, I force myself not to feel guilty.

"Right. Who needs Laura when Antoniette is there?"

Her words stab at a memory that I jab down because like most of the things that have happened in the last week, it leads back to Daisy and thinking about her now makes my stomach churn. So I turn around and walk faster than I thought I could to the nearest bathrooms. I stare at my ashen face in the clear mirror. My eyes look hollow and my lips still have a slight tremble to them.

"You were driving."  I hear the words in Todd's voice.

"You killed me." Her voice say right into my ear and I dash into the nearest stall, retching my guts into the toilet. It feels like the water is still pressing down on my lungs but after some time, nothing comes up and I'm left gripping the bowl, staining it with my free-flowing tears.

"Rose?" The familiarity of his voice takes some of the tremble off my shoulders but I don't get off the floor.

He knocks softly and call out my name again but I can't find the strength to respond.

"Laura said you were here." He say barely above a whisper and I get off my knees, realizing I hadn't even bothered locking the door.

His face meet mine as I step out but I step past him to the sink, quickly washing my hands and cleaning my mouth. I turn to see the worry written all over him and I manage a smile that he sees right through.

"I'm okay." I tell him but he pull me into a hug anyway and I let him hold me because I am having difficulty doing so myself.

"It's okay if you are not." He say slowly.

I shut my eyes and lean my head on his chest.