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“That’s a great idea!” I said, trying to be encouraging.
“I’m glad you think so because I signed you up, too,” she announced. “You have to sign up in pairs, and I knew you’d be up to going.”
She didn’t know me at all. I didn’t even like swimming in a pool—and she wanted me to go underwater in the ocean where sharks lived? The anxiety burned my chest up as I listened.
“When?” I asked.
She checked the time on her phone.
“Half an hour,” she said.
“Half an hour?!” I screeched. “Jessie! I just ate so much food!”
“And you have half an hour to let it settle!” Jessie said. “That’s the rule, right?”
“Jessie, I don’t know if I can do this,” I said timidly, trying not to look like a scared animal.
“Don’t be stupid!” she said. “Get your swimsuit, and meet me back here. It’ll be fun!”
With that, she bounded away down the stairs to get changed herself, leaving me head-spun at the table. I couldn’t even explain why I didn’t want to. She was gone without me having a moment to plead my case.
It was typical of her, though. I stood up, knees shaking, and made my way down the steps to my cabin. I thought about just locking the door and refusing to come back out. I knew I wouldn’t get away with it, though. Even if I successfully avoided the dive, I’d have to face her at some point—and the longer I waited, the more angry she’d be.
I slipped on my swimsuit, took a few deep breaths, then made my way back up on deck.
Jessie was waiting at the table, just as she said she’d be.
“Hurry up!” she said. “We’re going to be late. You’re taking forever.”
I was so dizzy I could barely walk. I didn’t even feel like I was in control of my own body as we walked toward Smithy on deck. He had our wetsuits pulled out and open, ready for us to be fitted into them.
“Hi!” Jessie said. “We’re your next appointment!”
“Yes, hi!” Smithy answered, extending a hand to shake hers. “I’m Smithy. You are?”
“Jessie!” she said.
“Jessie! Perfect!” he answered, then turned toward me. “Then you must be Heather.”
As his face met mine, his friendly smile dropped into an expression of concern.
“Are you okay, hun?” he asked.
“Yes,” I lied, my voice quivering. I started to nod.
The next thing I remember is waking up, lying on my back on the floor. Smithy looking over me, spritzing my face with a cold water bottle.
“It’s okay!” he said. “There you are, doll! It gets hot up here on deck. Heat and nerves get the best of us sometimes, don’t they?”
I whimpered, embarrassed I had apparently fainted and begun to cry.
“Ugh, here go the dramatics,” Jessie said, rolling her eyes and walking away. She turned back toward Smithy. “I’m so sorry. I was really looking forward to diving with you. I should have known she’d be this way. She acts like everything she doesn’t want to do is killing her. Some friend, huh?”
“A lot of people faint,” Smithy tried to explain. “Diving can cause a lot of anxiety for some people. She’s not the first I’ve had this happen with.”
Jessie glared at me over his shoulder and shook her head. “You always ruin things,” she mouthed, and my tears welled up harder as I turned to look away from her.
“Give her space!” I heard Matteo’s voice call out. The scene had drawn a crowd, including him and some of the kitchen staff. “You need to be letting her breathe. To faint is a dangerous thing! She does not need to feel bad it happened. A good friend would lend her support!”
