Underwater Read Online Free PDF Page A

presence dominated the entire room.
    When she stood in the entryway, wearing denim skinny jeans and a white loose sweater, she looked like an angel. Her light brown hair fell down her back and her green eyes were bright and vibrant. I could tell their color from across the room. They reminded me of something long forgotten, but I couldn’t remember what it was. And I was intrigued to know the reason she was here.
    Suddenly, I was angry for noticing her. What good would it bring? I couldn’t do shit about it anyway, so what was the point? And it made me hate my life even more now that I came across someone that I couldn’t keep my eyes off of.
    She chose that moment to look at me. I knew she couldn’t see me clearly because I had chosen my seat carefully. I was surrounded by darkness, sitting in the corner of the room where the light didn’t reach. Ever since I started working here, it was my safe place. I could watch everything, but no one could see me. No one paid attention to me.
    Until now.
    Blue to green, our eyes kept finding one another. I didn’t want to scare her, but I found it difficult to look away. It had been so long since someone looked at me this way. It made me feel like a kid in an expensive porcelain store, wanting to touch, but only allowed to admire the beauty.
    “Okay folks,” Bennie said, clapping his hands together and standing to his full height. “As you all can see, we have a new addition to the group. Aria, please stand up.”
    Still watching her, I noticed her throwing him a death glare that could have set him on fire. She stood slowly and faced the group. I couldn’t help cracking a smile.
    She stood upright and gave a shy wave to the group. “Hey guys, as you all noticed, I’m new. My name is Aria Maier.”
    Thinking she was through with the introduction, she sat down. My smile stretched wider, knowing what was about to come.
    “Not so fast little girl, we’re not done, yet,” Bennie said.
    Daggers launched from her retinas. I could almost hear them whiz and slice through the air.
    Looking as though one of the daggers had actually hit its mark, Bennie asked with less bravado, “Would you mind telling us more about yourself?”
    “Yes, I would mind.”
    I stared at her, willing her to look at me. When her eyes finally met mine again, I couldn’t control my smile.

 
    L ittle girl.
    How dare he call me that? And why did people always feel the need to tell me how short I was? So I was 4’9”. So-freaking-what? When you spend all your life being called keychain, shrimp, squirt, half pint, and even Smurfette, you develop issues.
    You develop a lot of issues.
    Well, at least now I didn’t have to talk.
    I felt a tap on my shoulder. Startled, I jumped and whipped my head around. A beautiful, friendly-looking Asian girl stood next to me. She was probably in her late twenties and she held a pen and paper, shifting it my way. “You need to write your personal information here.”I gave her a why-the-hell-should-I-do-that look. She smiled, swinging her straight black hair to the side, and looking at me with kind brown eyes, she said, ”Don’t worry, we all wrote down our information when we first got here. It’s a contact page for the group.”
    Reaching out her hand, she said, “I’m Mary, it’s nice to meet you.”
    I extended my hand to hers. “I’m Aria. Nice to meet you too.”
    When I finished writing my personal information, I ran my eyes along the names on the list. When I reached the end, the last name wasn’t filled in nor was there any personal information.
    “Who is Dorian? There’s no information beside the name.”
    “You don’t know who Dorian Black is?” I shook my head. She sat in the chair next to mine. Dorian is Bennie’s assistant,” she said. “You probably didn’t notice him, but he’s the guy sitting in the corner.”
    Yeah, I noticed him.
    “Why was he sitting in the corner?”
    “He’s a veteran. He came back pretty messed up from his