Swim!

After awhile Alex and Liam came running out "We're going to go get the food and drinks," Alex said as he and Liam headed off. Diana got up and walked along the beach watching the waves roll in and out in a rhythmic pattern.

Walking further and further away from the others until she noticed she was at the bottom of the cliff.

"I better get back," Diana spoke allowed sweat starting to drip down her back, skin tingling with warmth from the suns rays. Walking back towards the others in no rush at all just enjoying the warm day. Until she heard the others yelling.

"I can't get my foot loose!" Maddy screamed a fair way into the sea. Her head barely above the water as the others kept trying to pull her foot free.

"I can't get it out!" Hunter called back as they came up for air.

Without thinking Diana's body moved on it's own her mind not catching up until she was running through the waves. Then jumping into them swimming as fast as she could over to them. "Stay calm," Diana told Maddy before diving under the water her hair flowing like tenticles around her. Fiinally, she reached where Maddy's foot is trapped and placed her hands either side.

'No way I'll get it out like this,' Diana thought before her hand flew to her sword. Grabbing it she chipped away at the rock her vision becoming blurry. As she became light headed, it finally loosened and Maddy finally pulled her foot free. Sheathing her sword Diana swam up to the surface. "Take her to the shore and check her foot and ancle," Diana instructed to which all three followed.

As she was about to join them Diana realised she was surrounded by water on all sides and panic set in. Etched deeply into her bones making her go stiff as her body seemed to get heavier and heavier with each second. Until Diana was dragged under.

Her lungs feeling like lead, a stone waying her down as Diana watched over and over how her.... parents destroyed her love for swimming.

Time and time again they hit and beat her so she was in agony and coughing up blood but they always stopped just to make sure she wouldn't die.

Her eyes becoming heavy surrounded by the embrace of the sea started to close but as they did all she can see is a crimson red flush of her blood.

Dianas hair swaying around her the tips pointing up to the waters surface as if trying to make her swim towards it. Dress flowing around her legs.

"Diana!"

"Diana!"

"Diana!"

"Diana!"

She could hear the others calling out to her from the shore so faint it felt like they were a world away.

'Swim!' Diana told herself 'Swim!'

As her eyes closed her sight filled with the blush of crimson blood. Her screams from back then filling her ears as Diana tried to get out of the water gasping for air.

But their grip wouldn't loosen as she held on as tightly to life as she could, feeling like all hope was gone.

Another memory filled her mind she was swimming happily when she felt herself being dragged out by her hair. Then thrown to the ground beaten time and time again and when they were done they threw her back into the water her blood pumping out and enveloping her like a cacoon.

"Diana!" she heard Alex faintly yell worlds away.

Her eyes slowly fluttered open as she saw Alex swimming towards her. 'Swim!' she told herself 'Swim! Now!'

Alex swam down to her, gripping her in his arms as he pulled her to his chest, holding Diana there with one arm as he swam them to the surface.

As they broke the surface she breathed in a lung full of air before coughing up some water she swallowed.

"Are you alright?" Alex asked still holding her close.

"I'm fine....just some bad memories came up," she explained vaguely.

Alex didn't push for any details and instead asked "Do you think you can swim back?"

"I'll be fine now," Dians replied honestly.

"Let's go then," Alex said letting go of her waste and swimming ahead. She quickly followed after him feeling somehow a bit safer in the water.

'No one would have ever tried to save me from the water before now but...my friends did they tried to save me today.' Diana smiled slightly at these thoughts before her face returned to its emotionless demeanor. As they walked up the shore the others came running over.

"It looks like your ankles ok," Diana said to Maddy

"Yeah just a scratch or two with a few small bruises," she explained.

"But that's not the point," Liam cut in.

"Yeah," Crystal agreed "what happened out there?"

"Your obviously a good swimmer," Hunter added.

"So, why did you end up under the water like that?" Kylo finished

"And, are you alright?" Maddy added

"Yes I'm fine, and all that happened were some old memories resurfacing," Diana replied nonchalantly before walking away to where our stuff is.

She peeled of her wet dress hanging it near the fire the others made, next shr took her shoes of laying them down near the fire. She grabbed the towel out of her bag and dried off before she started to dry her wet wavy hair.

"You sure your alright?" Alex asked as he came over grabbing a drink and offering Diana one she took it from him before having a few sips. He grabbed his and sat down beside her.

"I'm fine," she repeated before adding "you should probably dry off." She lent back and grabbed his towel passing it to him. He dried off while they sat there in a calming silence.

"Let's eat!" the boys exclaimed sitting down with them the girls following swiftly behind as they all started unpacking the food.

"Dig in!" Maddy exclaimed as they all started eating. Alex got up and grabbed some food before sitting back down beside Diana.

"Aren't you getting any?" Crystal asked taking a bite of a vanilla cake each of the three layers separated with a thin layer of chocolate icing the top coated in a smooth while layer of icing topped with a swirl of cream a strawberry laying at its centre.

"Yeah I am," Diana replied getting up and cutting a slice of all chocolate cake. Each layer separated by melted chocolate. The outer parts of the cake cothered in chocolate icing swirls. Small pieces of strawberry sprinkled over the top.

After grabbing a slice of cake, a fork, and a handful of strawberries she sat back down next to Alex and began to eat. When she looked up she saw the others staring while Alex just continued to eat.

"What?" Diana asked

"Nothing, we've just never seen you eat properly before," Crystal explained and they all went back to eating. The meal continued full of happiness and chatter.

"Maddy you have cream on your nose," Diana pointed out as she finished her cake wiping her face with a napkin before taking a bite of a plush red strawberry.

"Oh, hehe." Maddy giggled before wiping it off with a napkin.

"Can one of you please pass me a slice of cake," Diana asked nonchalantly while biting into a strawberry.

"Sure just pass your plate," Crystal replied so she did finishing of her last strawberry. Crystal sliced a slightly larger slice of chocolate cake for Diana and placed it on her plate as well as more strawberries before handing it back to her.

"Thanks," Diana said a slight smile pulling at the right corner of her lips as she took a bite of the delicious cake. Like a party in her stomach bursts of strawberry and chocolate.

"Hehe I'd never expect you to love cake," Maddy giggled.

"I would have never have known I did if it wasn't for Sara." Diana explained her smile disappearing but her eyes twinkling as she took another bite.

"Who's Sara?" Hunter asked his army green swimming trunks finally dry.

"An old friend," Diana replied "when I was younger I snuck out I was bored and know one else was around. I traveled through the streets like I always did, stopping to chat with the people there,0 of course they had no clue who I was just my name. One day I walked past Sara's shop she was there ebony brown hair in a plat, chestnut skin glistening under the sun and dull emerald eyes full of warmth. She was a young women I'd say around twenty two she offered me a piece of cake because I must have been staring. I was insistent not to but she was stubborn so I took a bite and I loved it. That was the first time I'd ever had cake and after that every time she saw me she gave me a slice of cake."

"That's so kind of her," Kylo commented grey swimming trunks also dry.

"Yeah it was, she has always been so kind I'm so glad she's living a happy life back in Malum," Diana said.

"Does she know you ran away?" Crystal asked.

"No but she knows I'm safe," she replied.

"How?" Kylo asked confused.

"Simple, she had more love and faith poured into me then anyone else ever had,"

"That's so sweet," Crystal squealed. They all continued to eat and laugh before Alex and Diana went to watch the sun set. The others helping themselves to generous servings of wine behind them.