Chapter Text
𝟸𝟶𝟶𝟷
Michael Wheeler has always hated the ocean. 5 years running, he’s never been in it before, despite living on the beach. But of course, for Mike he never can escape what he hates.
Max Mayfield is the first person who really started the unfortunate obsession for him. She had been his friend ever since the first day of Kindergarten. Sure, he had to get used to her sharp mouth even as a kid, but they both loved each other, even if it went unspoken about.
So obviously, one day when school was over, they both snuck away from their older siblings, and sprinted towards the beach. Mike ran to the edge of where sand meets water, and Max dove straight into the water, making a splash.
It would make sense that she liked the water, Mike thought. Her brother was a surfer.
Mike sat down on the sand, piling it up, and random drawing lines with his fingers.
When Max emerged from the water, she looked confused.
“Mike, come onnnnn.” She droned out, sluggishly walking out of the water, leaving a trail of water droplets in her path. Her red, fiery hair, was drenched, sticking stubbornly to her shoulders and arms, looking stiff.
“Get in the water would you?” She grabbed his arm, attempting to drag the raven-haired boy across the sand.
“No, I’m actually really great here! The water is perfectly fine without me—Whoa!” He let out yelp as he felt the cold ocean water splash against him, and barely had enough time to gasp in air, before he was submerged under water. He squinted his eyes shut, trying to avoid the gross salt water getting in his eyes. Geez, he thought, Max is surprisingly strong.
But that impression of her didn’t last for long, because he was.. sinking? Weren’t people supposed to come up? To like, well, breathe? He flailed his arms wildly, finding it hard to move his limbs underwater. They weren’t even that far out into the ocean, surely the floor would be under his feet, and he could kick off of it, and rocket launch himself to the surface. Right?
He felt Max’s strong grasp on his wrist tighten significantly, as she tried to hoist him up, but he moved no where. Honestly, he thought this might be the end.
He opened his eyes, ignoring the sting of the salt water. Adrenaline recourses through his small body, and he thrashed wildly. He felt Max’s hand let go of him. Of course she was going to let him die. He should have expected it. I mean, why did she think that dragging a boy who can’t swim, who’s never even been in water before, was a smart choice.
He felt like he was sinking even more now. He tried to kick his legs, and it worked it small amounts, but it wasn’t going to get him to the surface in time.
His lungs were burning, and he felt like crying if that was even possible underwater.
He had lost all hope until he felt hands on his waist, bringing him up and up. He gasped as he reached the surface, taking in fast and frantic breaths.
He turned his head and saw Max, her wide eyes told him that she was scared too. But thankfully, she was a strong swimmer. She swam them both to the shore, which actually was just a few feet away.
She clambered onto the sand, then took Mike’s hand and brought him to the sand as well.
They both were breathing heavy, laying on their backs, Max’s hand still grasping his tightly, like she was too afraid to let go.
So they lay there, panting, exhausted, and Mike second’s away from death. They shared a glance: Tell no one of this day.
That should have scared Mike, especially at 5 years old, but for some reason, it didn’t. It should have turned him away from water forever, but it only brought him closer. And as he grew older, he wanted to explore it. He never wanted to leave the beach, he never wanted to leave the water.
After a month after he almost drowned, he decided he wanted to learn how to swim. He shared this thought with Nancy, and she signed him up for lessons, simply because their parents couldn’t be bothered with the idea.
So now, every Tuesday he goes to the community pool after school, and every Wednesday he goes to Max’s house to swim at her pool, and every Friday Max and him go to the beach, and every Saturday and Sunday, they tag along with their siblings, going to ice cream shops, and sometimes wandering off to the beach.