I was so happy when school let out because I was totally psyched for my swim meet. Mom was there with her loser boyfriend and even Grover said that he would stick around. I really appreciated that he would do that. Moving around a lot, I wasn't exactly a social butterfly. Every time I made a new friend, we would move and I'd have to start all over again, so I just gave up. But having someone like Grover that would stay to watch me was pretty heartwarming.
I stood on the starter block poised to dive right in. I could do this. I loved the water and swimming was my passion. There was no way that I would lose. The gun echoed out and I took off. I lost track of time, my surroundings, everything. I barely even broke the surface for air and when I did I could barely hear the roar of the crowd. I was so focused on the race and I kicked off the far wall the final time. I touched the wall first, winning in record time, and climbed up from the pool grinning like crazy. Charla Reese, one of the other girls on the team came in second nearly three full seconds behind me. Her eyes narrowed dangerously at me in pure jealousy. I opened my mouth to tell her off but she gasped and her head bobbed under water. "What the-?" I started just as another girl from the rival school was pulled under. Three more girls got sucked under and the crowd was starting to panic.
I stared in horror at the water but I couldn't see anything. I mean, literally. I couldn't even see the girls. The only sign that anyone was still in the pool were the mini whirlpools that their thrashing made.
Mom and Grover ran up to me while everyone was in a panic. I took a step toward the edge, getting ready to dive in, when they each caught one of my arms. "No, Naida, you can't. We have to get you out of here."
"Mom? What are you talking about? Do you know what's happening to them?"
"Yes. I do but you need to go now. Come on, baby, please."
"I can't just leave them. I-I have to do something."
"It's Cetus down there. I'm sure of it. If you get anywhere near the water, it'll kill you," Grover explained.
"I don’t know what you’re talking about, Grover, but I can't just leave them down there," I snapped at him. I didn't have any idea what a Cetus was but I didn't care. That ADHD side of me was just aching to jump in the pool and do something to help.
Grover grabbed both of my shoulders and made me look straight on at him. "Listen to me, Naida. That thing down there is a sea serpent that usually likes to eat princesses and it’s after you. You won’t be able to beat it. If we don't get you out of here, you'll die and so will they. Come now and the monster will follow. If you stay any longer, none of those girls will have a chance."
I glanced between him and the pool. I thought he was full of shit talking about monsters but something was definitely up. I nodded once. "Okay, let's go before I change my mind. Where are we going to go?"
Mom and grabbed my hand and started running from the pool. We’d almost reached the door when Trevor caught up. “Amara, where are you going? Were you seriously going to ditch me at this stupid swim meet? And what’s going on in the pool?”
I gritted my teeth and my hands balled up into fists. “Sorry, Trevor, but something came up. I’ve got to get Naida out of here.”
“And what about me?” he demanded like the big baby he was.
“What about you?” I hissed. “You’re a big boy. You can get out of here just fine on your own. Stop being a spoiled little bitch.”
“Little brat,” he muttered so that my mother couldn’t here.
I flexed my fingers so I wouldn’t hit him. My glare was murderous but I didn’t lash out like I so wanted. He held my gaze for about a second before his feet started sliding under him. He was standing on a patch of ice that had somehow formed in the humid room. He landed on his ass and I couldn’t even enjoy the moment because my mom was pulling me out into the hot parking lot. She didn’t even care that her boyfriend was sprawled out on the ground which was perfectly fine by me.
"We have to get to New York City. I'll explain everything on the way but we have to find a ride first."
"Let's go back to your place, Amara," Grover suggested to my mom. Wait, how did he know her first name? "I'll make the call from there and you two can pack. We'll find someplace for you to stay while we get Naida to the camp."
"What? What camp? What the hell is going on?" Ever had your friends go out and do something without inviting you and then talking about it in front of you, like you’re being left out of some big inside joke? Well that’s how I felt while Grover and my mom were making plans. I was being left out of the loop almost like I didn’t even exist. It was annoying as hell and I was honestly getting ready to blow a fuse.
"Explanations are going to have to wait. We've got bigger problems," Grover said.
I looked in the direction he was staring at and thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. Unfortunately, they weren’t.