"Asya," Arthur called to me. "Come join us!"
Smiling cheerfully, Arthur gestured for me to come into the water. I politely declined the invitation and made my way to the drinks table on the far wall.
"Break time?" Nik asked, and a few of the guys swam toward the stairs.
I removed my robe and tossed it onto the nearest lounge chair, then started examining the vessels on the table. All of them were made of smooth transparent glass, and their round sides reflected glints of outdoor light. The colored drinks stood out in bright patches against the white, crease-free tablecloth. No matter how much I searched, I couldn't find a label anywhere to identify what was in the pitchers. Soon, Dasha and Tanya approached me.
"Want some kombucha?" Tanya asked Dasha, grabbing the nearest vessel.
"Sure," Dasha replied, eyeing the cloudy contents of the pitcher with caution, where small sprigs of herbs floated, their scent likely detectable even by human noses. "I've never tried it."
Rostova tossed her hair over one shoulder, and I noticed for the first time a strange mole above her collarbone. It must usually be hidden under the pristine blouses Tanya loved to wear in school. The spot was dark, completely filled in, and its edges were so sharp and geometric that at first, I mistook it for a tattoo. Tanya grabbed a clean glass from the tray, filled it, and handed it to Dasha. She immediately took a sip, then winced and began to smack her lips, trying to taste the contents. A clear look of confusion appeared on her face, as though she suspected that, at this moment, she was being pranked.
"It tastes," Dasha started uncertainly, "like kombucha."
She paused, watching our reactions. Dasha was probably expecting us to burst into laughter, but not a single trace of a smile appeared on anyone's face.
"Yeah," Tanya shrugged, "that's exactly what it is."
"Kombucha is kombucha?" Dasha exclaimed with genuine indignation, hastily putting the glass aside with almost untouched contents. "What kind of deception is this? Why can't they just call things by their proper names?"
"Marketing. No one would probably want to pick up a bottle from the store labeled 'kombucha.' But 'kombucha' sounds mysterious and intriguing enough to make you want to try it. Kind of a Western thing."
Dasha grimaced and sighed with a hint of disappointment before declaring:
"Everything's a scam."
I definitely agreed with her on that one.
"Do you know what's in this one?" I pointed to the pitcher with dark, almost black liquid, and Tanya answered without hesitation.
"That's black currant juice," she began pointing at the pitchers and listing them: "This one's banana nectar, then fresh-squeezed orange juice with pulp, and homemade cream soda. Unfortunately, it's not carbonated."
"For some, unfortunately, for others, fortunately," I involuntarily smiled and grabbed a clean glass from the table. "I've always preferred sweet drinks, even after they've lost their fizz."
Tanya wrinkled her nose.
"Ugh, what a perversion."
I ignored her unsolicited judgment of my preferences and picked up the correct pitcher. Before filling my glass, I sniffed it and closed my eyes in delight, savoring the familiar scent of vanilla. Just like in my childhood.
This place was starting to grow on me more and more.
"How long have you been here?" I asked Dasha, savoring my first sip.
"About twenty minutes, or so. The guys were already playing water polo."
"I was really surprised that you joined in. You don't seem to be fond of water."
"Well, not that I had much of a choice," Dasha said mysteriously, touching the tablecloth with her fingertips.
"What do you mean?"
Dasha suddenly carefully took the glass from my hands, and I could only assume that she was about to pour me some more.
"You'll understand in a moment," she said, but before she could finish, an ominous shiver ran down my neck. I quickly turned around, but it was too late. In front of me flashed Stas's self-satisfied grin, and without hesitation, he effortlessly threw me over his shoulder and bolted toward the pool. I barely had time to glance at his bare torso.
The cold air hit my skin as I was submerged. The water softly muffled all sound, and Stas and I sank to the bottom together. I pushed off from his shoulder, and Stas immediately released me. I quickly resurfaced and took a deep breath. My eyes stung from the unfamiliarity, and my hair clung to my face. There was a splash, and Stas surfaced beside me, shaking his head. Drops of water flew from the ends of his unruly hair in all directions. He ran his hand through his hair, returning his cut to its usual sharp look.
I had never seen Stas without a t-shirt before. His collarbones stood out, like the perfect elements of a sculpture crafted by an experienced artist. The sun had come out from behind the clouds, and its rays reached the room, gently caressing Stas's skin, emphasizing his chiselled physique. Even wet, his hair shone with familiar amber tones in the light, and his eyes looked even lighter, like coffee with milk.
He was perfect, like an obsession. Like a dream I desperately wanted to stay in.
The splash of water brought me back to reality: Stas began splashing the water's surface, sending droplets straight into my face.
"Stop, stop!" I laughed, holding my palms out in front of me to shield my eyes. "Why did you do that? I wasn't planning to get wet today."
"If you'd stayed on land, you'd have missed all the fun," he tilted his head to the side, inserted his pinky finger into his ear, and shook it, as if there was still water inside.
"You know," I began a bit quieter, hoping no one else would hear, "this is dangerous."
Stas sighed in frustration.
"When will you stop denying yourself the chance to live?"
"When I'm sure I'm not putting anyone else's life at risk," I replied.
"That will never happen. You'll always be more dangerous and agile than mortals, but that's not your weakness. That's your strength. The strength that lets you protect them."
I looked away, not wanting to listen, and, of course, saw Nik pull himself up by the edge of the pool and rush toward Tatyana. I barely blinked before she found herself in the same predicament I had. The only difference was that when she resurfaced, she kept her arms wrapped around Nik's neck and laughed out loud, enjoying the moment. Nikita smiled at her tenderly in return. That's when I first noticed the way Nik looked at her, and something sharp stabbed inside me because I knew that look. Not too long ago, he had looked at me the same way.
I knew perfectly well that I no longer loved him, yet this picture wounded that part of me that desperately wanted to feel important to someone else. Needed and valued.