Diving at Last

      It was when I was 8 years old. My friends and I went to a pool where there was a diving board, about 10 feet high. I guess I was fooling around a little, but when I jumped off, I ended up landing on the side of the pool and fracturing my leg. I was injured bad. From then on, I haven't dived into a pool. I haven't even tried. But today, I was forced to go to the pool and dive off a 20 feet high diving board.

     My friend, Bruce, called me earlier today and asked me if I wanted to go swimming. I personally like swimming, and people tell me I'm great at it, so I said, "Yeah, sure. Where are we going?"

     When Bruce told me we're going to the pool around the corner, I didn't want to go anymore. I bit my lips.The diving board. The diving board! I hate diving now. And Bruce knows all about what happened. Because he was there when I fell off.

     "Uh, umm... " I thought of an excuse to not go. "Oh, my mom just told me I have to go to New York this afternoon, so I can't..."

     "No way dude! You just told me you can go swimming with me, not even a second ago! You are totally lying, Terrence. Liar! Liar! So, I'll see you at the pool at around 2:00 PM, today. And if I don't find you there, I'll come pick you up."

     "Okay, I'll go then," I answered nervously.

     "Ha hah! Hope you can dive this time!" Bruce was happy and excited. I was mad and scared. I wanted Bruce to stop acting all like that.

     Now, I have to go swimming, and then eventually diving into the pool. I couldn't let Bruce come to my house and tease me in front of Mom.

     "Hey, Mom? I have to go to the pool over there to go swimming with Bruce. K?" I said, while pointing towards the corner.

     "Okay, Terrence. Be careful, though! And don't forget to have fun!!"

     So I went to the pool after I got my swimming suit on and grabbed my towel. When I got there, I saw Bruce waving excitedly looking directly at me, like he has been waiting for hours. I waved back weakly.

     "Hey man! 'Sup? Let's go swimming!!"

     We fooled around splashing water towards each other. We had a lot of fun.

     But the trouble came later then.

     "Now," Bruce rubbed his hands together. "time for diving!!" Oh, no!!!! Diving.

     "You know that I'm-" When I looked forward, Bruce was already running toward the diving board. "scared of diving," I finished what I was going to say anyway.

     I followed him quickly, thinking what can happen to myself when I jump off that 20 feet diving board. I didn't want to get teased. I held the ladder that leads up to the diving board.

     Bruce was already about to jump off. "Com'on Terrence! Hurry, hurry!"

     I looked up at him. I couldn't say I didn't want to dive. "Coming!" I tried to sound excited.

     I climbed up the ladder while Bruce watched me with a grin.

     "Ready?" Bruce said. I shivered. "I'm jumping off!!" Bruce bent his legs and flung up in the air, then fell all the way down into the pool. SPLASH!!!

     It was my turn. "Your turn, Terrence!"

     I froze to death. I grabbed onto the diving board as if I was hugging it. A drop of sweat ran down my cheeks.

     "Com'on dude!!" my other friend, Joshua, who was also here, screamed.

     "Scardy cat!!"

     "You're too scared, little baby?" I heard voices from all around the pool.

     I couldn't help it. I had to dive. I'm going to be just fine. How would that even happen again? Do the best you can. Just.. just... JUMP!!

     I decided to close my eyes while diving, so I wouldn't see what was going on around me. If I had my eyes open, I thought I would just go crazy and something would definitely happen.

     I jumped. I fell, fell, fell. Down into the pool. SPLASH!!!!! Finally. Success.

     "Finally! I thought you'll end up going back down the ladder!"

     "Nice move there!"

     I guess diving isn't bad as I thought it would be.

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