The family of four had finished dinner a few minutes ago, and the two girls, around the ages of five and three, were now sitting on the carpeted floor while their parents sat on the couch behind them, all with their eyes focused on the TV in front of them.

The television was playing the children’s favorite shows, and the couple found joy in watching along with them. But an hour later, three out of the four individuals seated in front of the TV had fallen asleep.

Except for the five year old girl, who had picked up the remote and begun switching through channels to find something else to watch while the rest of the family slept. After a few minutes of searching, she was ready to give up, but just as she stopped, the TV landed on a sports channel, a replay of a swimming contest that had taken place a few days earlier. 

Sora, the five year old girl found herself mesmerized by how elegant and pristine the entire sport looked. The sleek bodies cut through the water like arrows, each splash sparkling under the bright lights and in that moment, Sora thought it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen and she found herself wanting to do exactly what she was seeing on that TV, and so when her parents eventually woke up to take them to bed, Sora immediately pointed to the TV. 

Sora: Mom! Dad! I want to do that! 

However, her wish wouldn't be granted until a few years later after she had turned ten. After her tenth year old birthday, her parents surprised her that they had signed up for swimming classes so she would be able to fulfill the desire and dream she had been constantly telling her parents about for the last five years. 

And so on her first day of her swimming lessons, she was the most excited child in that gathering which made the other kids wonder what was happening to her. Soon enough, everyone changed to their swimming trunks, wore their goggles and matched towards the swimming pool.

Since they were learning how to swim for the first time, they were required to stay in the shallow side of the water and learn the basics from the instructors who were there. This went on for the first week but by the second week, Sora was tired of the normal routine and so when no one was looking, she swam towards the deep end of the pool. 

After she swam down a bit further , she turned and looked up at the sun from the bottom of the pool and she was amazed by the beautiful scenery that befell her eyes in that moment and the goggles she had on, made the entire experience more fulfilling. 

As she continued to stare, a big smile appeared on her face as something had awakened in the mind of the young girl. She wished that she could stay and observe this moment forever but like every human being, she needed air to breathe and she was caught by the instructor the moment she came up to the surface. 

Though he scolded her in front of everyone else, he also commented on how she was a "natural" considering that she had been the only child in that class that had gone to the deep end and didn't drown. 

“If you're already doing this great at the age of ten, then who knows how good you'll be when you're all grown up?” 

The years would go by and Sora would begin to participate in swimming competitions hosted by different schools across the country while also training and improving her skills at the same time. And in all those competitions she would always come out on top thereby solidifying the goal she had set up when she was five years old. 

However…. Things didn't remain the same for long.

Sora had gone for another swimming competition just before the beginning of highschool and she was told that she am has to rely on her teammates as it was going to be a collaborative effort to get win the contest. 

This had Sora worried because she knew no one was as passionate about swimming as her and she feared that she would be the only one who took this contest seriously.

And her fear turned out to be correct as they ended up losing that competition because their swimming form was sloppy and it played a very big role in their downfall. 

That was the catalyst for her sudden change in attitude which went on to define her character and how people viewed her from that day onwards.

She began to stop herself from caring about people, and forced herself from communicating with people and with time, it became as easy as breathing. Teachers had called her parents about this as they were genuinely concerned to her and even though they had talked to her, she firmly stood her ground that this was what was best for herself. 

"Your actions… your attitude… they affect everyone around you. Whether you realize it or not, this is what happens."

Those were words her mother had repeatedly told her but that did nothing to change her mind and attitude. 

But despite everything that was going on, her younger sister Naomi still looked up to her and tried to communicate with her as Sora had become a source of inspiration to be a swimmer as well.

And contrary to how her parents were worried about her, Naomi seemed to not care about it and continued to brag about her sister every moment that appeared and defended her when people bad mouthed her. 

Maybe it's because she cared about her that much or she lacked situation awareness but this didn't stop Sora from treating her like she treated everyone else which made most people feel sorry for Naomi at times. But she continued all the same. 

******

The sun had dipped low, painting the sky with streaks of orange and violet. Sora had been sitting by the pool after her own training, towel draped over her shoulders, staring at the fading ripples. She was tired of carrying the weight of expectations, tired of hearing her coaches say, “You’re the prodigy. You’ll take us far.”

Behind her, Naomi’s small footsteps padded closer.

Naomi: Hey big sis… can you watch me swim one lap? Just one lap. I want to show you I’m getting better.

Sora didn’t even turn around.

Sora: Go home, Naomi.

Naomi did budge and then spoke again 

Naomi: You never want to watch me or see how much I've improved. 

Sora: (sighs) No, you're wrong. I do watch you and that's how I know that what you want to show me isn't as good. 

Everyone around them heard this and began to feel bad for Naomi and began to whisper which Naomi noticed but she ignored them and continued talking to her sister.

Naomi: If you say I'm not as good, then please teach me. Please tell me ways I can improve on myself!! Please Big sister!! 

Sora sighed and stood up and then faced Naomi as she responded. 

Sora: The answer is still no. 

Naomi: Why? 

Sora: Because... no matter how hard you train, you can never be as good as me.

******

Later that night, when their parents went to bed and the house grew still, Naomi quietly slipped out the back door with her small training bag in hand. The community pool wasn’t far.

Naomi: If she won’t help me, I’ll show her I don’t need it. I’ll prove I can be just as good.

Sora, however, wasn’t asleep. She’d noticed Naomi sneak off from her room window and hissed. 

Sora: She must be heading to the community swimming pool. This late at night? 

Then she briefly recalled when Naomi begged her to teach her to be better at swimming and sighed.

Sora: …Always chasing after me.

At first, she didn’t care, she was tired of Naomi shadowing her every move. But something in her chest gnawed at her; an unease that pushed her out the door as she followed the faint glow of the pool lights.

When she arrived, the scene froze her blood as she saw Naomi was in the deep end, her body falling slowly and almost vanishing beneath the rippling water.

Sora: Naomi!!

She threw herself into the water, her strokes cutting through with desperate force. She reached down, grabbed her sister’s hand, and pulled with everything she had. But Naomi was limp by the time Sora dragged her to the surface.

On the pool deck, Sora laid her down, water streaming from her small frame.

Sora: Come on… breathe! Please!

She pressed her palms against Naomi’s chest, tried to remember the CPR instructions she’d once overheard. Her hands trembled, tears blurred her vision as she pumped again and again.

Sora: Naomi, don’t do this! Wake up! Please, wake up!!

But Naomi never opened her eyes. Only the sound of Sora’s choked sobs and the stillness of the night filled the air waking up all the neighbors who loved around the community pool. 

By the time their parents, alerted by the people who had gathered at the community pool, it was too late.

Naomi was dead.