My heart beat faster in my chest when she moved closer, her body gliding smoothly in the water. I suddenly became aware of her hand wrapping loosely around my waist.
"That's not the story goes," stuttered, hoping she'd have mercy on me and move away. It wasn't that I didn't like Charlotte, but I'd been too focused on Ms. Duval that I hadn't paid attention to anyone else.
"I've told you to let that story go," she whispered, her eyes flickering from my mouth and back to my eyes. "Your world is far behind us."
Her eyes tightened around me and a low moan slipped from between my lips. The smile on her face was instant, satisfactory. She enjoyed getting that type of reaction out of me.
"And how am I sure that you like me for me? After all you told me it was Mary you liked, and you confessed to her before she died. I'm sure you're just transferring your feelings for her to me."
She shook her head. "Believe me I'm not. And before you think I'm replacing her with you, I'll have you know that you too are nothing alike."
It made me remember what Ms. Duval had said previously. That she was obedient but cold, and couldn't be anymore different.
"Mary never paid attention to me. She was this quiet girl that moved around like everyone else could die and she wouldn't even notice. We were roommates but I was pretty much insignificant to her."
"Don't say that. Maybe she was just shy, or introverted."
"You see…you're being considerate of someone that's not with us anymore. But, Mary would never put anyone's feelings before her own. She was always so out of reach and all I could do was pray she'd spare me just a glance."
"But what does it have to do with me?"
She sighed. "What I'm trying to say is that you're different. And I like you."
"But you know I like Ms. Duval. I don't want to use you as a rebound."
"Well, I don't mind. I just want to be closer to you than others. I'll get to know you, your favourite color, your favorite food." She put her forehead on mine, the moment turning even more intimate as we breathed the same air.
Charlotte was the kind of girl I never thought would like me. She wasn't popular but she was beautiful and a lot of people loved her the same. The guys at my old school would go feral for someone like her—I would go feral for her under different circumstances.
"You deserve to be more than just a rebound," I said, my voice low. "You're the kind of girl that should be worshipped. But—"
She gave me a chaste kiss that went faster than it came. "Don't say no just yet. Tell me you'll think about it."
"Charlotte…"
Her big doe eyes turned to me.
How was I supposed to say no with that expression in her eyes? Like I was her world and the universe would shatter if I rejected her.
"One week. And if I'm not able to convince you to be with me, then I'll accept my fate and keep being your friend."
I felt relieved. "Okay."
"But for tonight, I'll be okay if I can just kiss you."
She kept her gaze on mine, waiting for a sign of approval. I was about to decline when the image of Ms. Duval and Isadora flashed through my mind. If she can be with other people then surely I can do the same.
It was me that initiated the kiss, pulling her flush against my wet skin. Her lips were warm, very different from Ms. Duval's cold ones.
Compared to Ms. Duval who was a full grown woman, Charlotte was much smaller. My palm rested on the curve of her waist as I took the lead.
Usually Ms. Duval made me a submissive mess, but when Charlotte whimpered…I wanted nothing more than to own her, to dominate and take much more than she was willing to give.
I squeezed her ass, pinching softly when she moaned into my mouth. I pulled away to kiss the smooth curve of her neck, delighted when it earned me another moan. It made me feel like I was doing something right for once.
Her nipples were right in front of my face, pink and hard. I wanted a taste.
"Go ahead," she said in a hoarse voice. "I'm all yours."
I was uncertain. "But I've never done this before."
"I thought you'd have turned a pro considering Ms. Duval—" she broke off when she saw the frown on my face. "I won't mention her again."
"Good," was all I said before I dipped my head and bit her nipple. She squeaked, her voice bouncing off the water around us.
I held the other nipple in between my fingers, pinching and rolling it while Charlotte's reaction turned my brain to mush. She was very vocal.
Something hard touched my ankle. "Charlotte…let go."
"What?" She asked between moans.
"My leg…" I pulled away briefly to look at it.
But what I thought was Charlotte's leg touching mine was a hand coming from deep underwater. I screamed trying to swim away but it held onto my leg.
Slowly, a face started to surface, and it was no other than Mary. The more I struggled to set myself free the tighter she held onto my leg.
"Mary! Look at me!"
Everything else around me was reduced to a blur, and all I could see was the sneer on her face. Then I felt cold hands shaking my shoulder, trying to snap me out of this nightmare.
"She's right in the water holding my leg!" I cried. "She won't let go!"
"Look at me, Mary. There's nothing around your leg."
Still I was frantic, the water distorting her face for a while. It wasn't until Charlotte hugged me tightly to her body, her hand rubbing circles on my back, that I snapped out of it. I looked down but the ghost was gone.
"Mary was in the water, she was holding my leg. I saw her." I explained, goosebumps spreading down my arms. "I saw her."
"I'm here, nothing is going to hurt you," Charlotte said in a soothing voice. "Let's get you out of the water."
My skin was like jelly by the time we got out of the water. Charlotte helped me put my clothes back on while I stood there in a daze.
"Why is she still coming to me? Ms. Duval is not even talking to me right now. I don't even get it."
Charlotte led the way back to our dorm room. "Maybe this isn't about Ms. Duval."
We both ditched the wet clothes for warm ones, then dried off our hair.
"Then what is it about? I can't think of any other reason for her to hurt me." I sighed, falling into my bed then suddenly getting up and going over to Charlotte's. What if the ghost came to my bed next?
"I don't know, maybe she's trying to warn you? Or she's pissed you're alive and she's not?"
I remembered her diary. "Actually, hold on. I picked up her diary from Ms. Duval's apartment days ago. All the pages in it were blank except one. She wrote 'help' inside. Let me show you."
I'd kept it under my pillow. But when I lifted it the brown leatherbound journal was gone.