During lunch, the three of us sat in the dining hall.
More precisely, we sat together, but ate in complete silence. Amalia carefully cut pieces from her omelette, I absentmindedly poked my fork at my plate, and Erica gloomily stared into her bowl as if it were her personal enemy.
"Maybe we should go to the lake today?"
The words escaped me before I had time to think.
Both the villainess and the heroine stared at me with equal surprise.
Amalia even stopped eating. Her blue eyes narrowed.
"Why did you suddenly decide to go to the lake?"
"And what's wrong with that?" I shrugged. "We haven't gone together in a long time. And today it's very hot!"
That was pure truth. Summer this year had turned out simply unbearable. Even in the shade of the orphanage's stone walls, the air seemed stuffy. And in our room... there you could suffocate.
Besides, after classes we had a whole free day left. There were few amusements in the orphanage: board games, books, sometimes walks in the courtyard. And that was all. So the lake seemed not just a good idea, but a brilliant one.
There was a large lake on the orphanage grounds. In hot weather, children always gathered there. Splashing in the cool water was much better than sitting in a stuffy room and fanning yourself with a notebook.
Amalia, as I expected, agreed almost immediately.
"All right. As you say."
I was delighted and turned to Erica.
"And you, Erica? Will you come with us?"
The girl sat nearby, her head lowered. Her dark hair fell over her face, almost hiding her red eyes. She was two years younger than us and always kept slightly apart. If Amalia was the sun, then Erica resembled the night. Quiet. Cold. And very lonely.
"Okay..." she squeezed out.
The agreement sounded extremely reluctant. I understood perfectly why.
The lake was a crowded place. And Erica hated crowded places. More precisely, she didn't hate them. She feared them. After all the bullying, after all the looks people threw at her because of her red eyes, she had gotten used to hiding.
But that wasn't the way.
If you sit locked up all the time, nothing good will come of it. Honestly, it was frightening to look at her! Pale as a ghost, with dark circles under her eyes. She needed fresh air. She needed the sun. And, to be completely honest, she needed to be a child at least a little.
"Then let's finish eating quickly and go!" I slapped my palm on the table.
It seemed I was the only one with more than enough enthusiasm.
***
When we came to the lake, the sun stood directly overhead.
As I expected, there were plenty of people. Children splashed near the shore, someone tried to catch fish with their hands, someone simply lay on the grass. The air was filled with laughter and shouts.
With difficulty, but we still managed to find a secluded spot. A small patch under an old willow, where there were fewer people and where shade fell on the water.
"It's fine here," Amalia said, looking around.
"Yeah," I agreed. "Let's stop here."
Erica said nothing. She only hugged herself tighter.
We hadn't brought swimsuits; we didn't have any anyway. So we had to improvise: we rolled up our sleeves, tucked up our skirts, and went into the water right in our clothes.
"And the water is just right!" I lowered my bare foot into the water and felt a pleasant warmth.
Not cool, not hot. Perfect.
I fearlessly went in up to my waist. Amalia followed me. A moment later we were already splashing, laughing, and sprinkling each other like children.
Amalia laughed when I splashed her and tried to get revenge. Her wet light hair stuck to her face, her blue eyes shone. She looked like a beautiful mermaid.
Only...
I turned around.
Erica still hadn't entered the water. She sat on the shore, hugging her knees, and silently watched us.
I frowned.
"Erica! Why aren't you coming to us? The water is very warm!"
The girl twitched her shoulder.
"I don't really want to swim..."
It sounded like an excuse. And an unconvincing one at that.
I decided to tease her a little.
"Really? Maybe you just don't know how?"
As I expected, Erica flared up.
"What... what are you talking about?!" she protested. "Of course I know how to swim!"
"Really? Then come to us."
She hesitated. Looked at the water. Then at us. Then at the water again. It was obvious that a real battle was going on inside her.
In the end Erica still stood up. Slowly, reluctantly, as if going to an execution. She took a few uncertain steps and entered the water. But, after going only a little way, she stopped at the very shallows. The water barely reached her ankles.
"I don't want any more!" she declared. "I'm fine like this!"
I couldn't hold back and snorted.
What a child. So stubborn.
Actually, admitting that you don't know how to do something is not shameful at all. Moreover, for a ten-year-old child not knowing how to swim is absolutely normal. Everyone learns sometime.
And then a great idea came into my head.
Why not combine business with pleasure?
I turned to Amalia.
"Could you teach Erica to swim?"
Amalia looked at me. Then at Erica. Then at me again. And snorted.
"Why me again?"
"Can't you see? She doesn't know how to swim. Only you can help her! Do a good deed."
The female lead sighed. Heavily, like a person on whom all the work had been dumped.
"...Fine."
She headed toward Erica. What she said to her, I didn't hear, but the younger girl's expression was extremely displeased. However, after several minutes of persuasion, she still gave in.
Amalia took Erica by the hand and led her deeper. I, watching this, smirked and decided to return to the shore.
From the outside it might seem that these two didn't get along very well. But that wasn't so. They simply behaved like an older and younger sister. Even if deep down they treated each other well, they still constantly reproached and teased each other. Well, children are children.
I went out onto the shore, spread out the blanket, and lay down. I was tired. After all, swimming is a strain. Especially when you're in the body of a twelve-year-old girl.
The sun warmed pleasantly. From the lake came splashes of water and Amalia's voice, explaining something to Erica. I closed my eyes.
And almost immediately realized that I couldn't relax.
My mouth was dry. It was as if a desert had settled in my throat. Today really was very hot weather. And we hadn't even brought any drinks with us!
At this rate I would simply dry out like a fish thrown onto the shore.
But, fortunately, salvation came in time.
"...Hazel, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
Amalia appeared beside me. She had already come out of the water and stood bending over me. Wet hair, drops on her face. She had always been observant.
"No, everything's fine," I squeezed out. "I just want to drink..."
"Ah, true. We didn't even bring anything with us."
Amalia scratched the back of her head, looking at my lifeless face. And then said:
"All right, then wait a little. I'll bring us lemonade!"
Oh!
Hearing that word, I immediately perked up. Lemonade. Cold. Sweet and sour. With bubbles. It sounded very tempting. But...
"...What about Erica?" I asked worriedly.
"Erica?" Amalia waved her hand. "She's fine. Look for yourself! She's almost learned already, so she can manage without me."
I shifted my gaze to the lake.
It was true. Erica was already swimming. Uncertainly, but quite decently. Her dark head now appeared above the water, now hid again. For a beginner, very good indeed.
That's what talent means.
"All right, then go," I agreed.
"Yeah, I'll be quick!"
Amalia ran off. I watched her go with a smile, and then turned back to the lake.
And my heart froze.
Erica, whom I had seen above the water only a few seconds ago, had disappeared.
I blinked. Once. Twice.
But the girl still didn't appear.
"...Erica?" I called.
Silence.
Only the splash of water and the laughter of other children somewhere in the distance.
"Erica!"
I jumped to my feet. My heart beat somewhere in my throat.
On the surface of the water, there where the dark head had just been, ripples were spreading. As if someone had gone into the depths. And hadn't returned.
"ERICA!!!"
I ran toward the water.