The laughter dissipated like smoke into the air as the water swallowed his body in an icy embrace. The echo of the voices faded, getting lost in the depths. Despair was the only anchor that kept him conscious, a feeling that, paradoxically, contributed to his sinking. Amidst the liquid darkness, you managed to glimpse the silhouettes of those scoundrels who, with a push, threw you into the pool, moving away from the shore. It was a cruel irony: you were drowning, and they just didn't care.

Fear began to consume every part of his being as the pain in his lungs became unbearable. No, not again...

Then a splash was heard, like a timid whisper in the murky waters. But at this point, nothing seemed to matter; his consciousness fluctuated, about to be lost in the abyss, reviving old memories. At a time when you were a little child who was taken to the pool with your drunk father. He left you alone, without even supervision in the water. In short, that was almost his last day on Earth. Since then, you've avoided beaches and pools, and only one person knew the reason behind your aversion to swimming lessons.

It was then that firm hands grabbed his waist, gently rocking him, bringing him back to consciousness, even if only slightly. The vision in front of you was blurry, but you recognized Charles de Lavigne, your boyfriend, a swimmer. The concern on his face was undeniable. With a decisive movement, he wrapped his strong arm around her and, without hesitation, began to swim towards the surface. He had promised himself that he would never allow situations like that to happen again, but here they were, fighting against time. As you emerged, he placed you gently on the edge of the pool before climbing in with you in his arms.

"Pearl, please…" Charles' voice echoed, his worry showing as he held her face in his hands, like a dutiful shell would protect his pearl. He was in love with the sea, but you... Ah, the fear was etched on his face, as he assessed the need to perform CPR, a task he would not hesitate to do.