Jo ended up staying three weeks, she had quickly fallen into a routine. She ran from school to the hospital and stayed for afternoon visiting hours, Rick then picked her up and they had dinner before either Elle took her to the gym or she headed out for a long run. And then she spent some time with her dad on the weekend.

Elle's gym buddies were all amazed at the weight she lifted, unlike at school the gym Susan's mum went to had weight machines rather than free weights. This was both good and bad, it meant that she didn't need a spotter but she had to change her routine entirely. Susan had come with them a few times but had found she didn't enjoy weight lifting, and she certainly didn't enjoy her mum's centergy or body balance classes.

She had been a little annoyed at herself, having really wanted to join in this aspect of Jo's life.

"It doesn't matter." Jo had said, "it's probably healthier not to be in each other's pockets 24/7 anyway!"

She was probably right but at the moment, even though they were living together it seemed she hardly saw Jo! She did enjoy getting serenaded every evening though, as did her parents and the bedtime kisses were nice. Somehow they were never alone. All she wanted to do was have a nice long snogging session, perhaps a little more, but her parents were always there, always watching, it was so unfair.

"So swimming tomorrow." Susan commented, knowing Jo had been nervous about it. "Did you get the swim shirt from Kelly?"

Jo stopped plucking the guitar strings, "Yeah, it's a little tight around the shoulders though."

"But you're comfortable in it?" Jo asked gently.

"Yeah, it looks pretty cool with my board shorts. I'm looking forward to this, I haven't been swimming in years." She assured her girlfriend.

"Cool, we're going to the big pool with the water slides too. I love that place." She smiled, "perhaps we can go down one of the slides together?"

Jo smiled back, "I would love that, I've actually never been to that pool. We always went to the local one for swimming lessons."

"So, you haven't been on the slides?" Jo shook her head, "What never? Any slides?"

"Just that open topped yellow one they used to have at the side of the little pool. The one they took down after a couple of kids fell off it." Jo admitted.

"Oh this is going to be so great! You're going to love it!" Susan said, almost vibrating in her seat.

The next day they all met at the pool in the morning, they had timed it for the slides opening at ten. Mae was last to arrive and when she finally showed up they went inside the huge complex, it seemed about ten times larger than the local pool and had three interconnected pools, one of which had a wave machine, and a gym, a sauna and steam room, hot pools and of course the slides which you could see weaving in and out of the building from the outside. There was even a set of indoor courts for netball and badminton and a couple squash courts.

"We should totally play squash some time! It would be so much fun to play with you guys!" Heather squealed.

They made their way through to the changing rooms, to a number of the girls' relief there was actually a small line of changing cubicles, not that they needed them on the way in, everyone had their swimsuits on under their clothes.

They hurriedly threw their belongings into lockers, everyone in a rush to get to the pool.

"Come on, that noise means the wave pool's about to start!" Kelly said, dragging her sister's arm.

They all followed along and jumped into the lovely warm water. Right enough, just as they got in the water it seemed to retract, everyone falling by about a meter then with a brief delay there was a surge. They all screamed as the water lifted them high in the air. Jo grabbed at her girlfriend in panic, feeling instantly out of her depth.

"It's okay, I've got you, just tread water." Once she got over the panic, Jo realized it wasn't that hard. "Okay, let's go to the wall over there, we can hang onto the rope."

Holding the rope felt safer but it highlighted the difference in depth when the waves peaked and troughed. Both Jo and Susan squealed riding the waves then Susan screamed for real as Kelly surfaced unexpectedly from under the water right in front of them..

"Holy crap Kelly, you scared the shit out of me!" She complained. "I can't believe you swim underwater in the waves." Kelly laughed and used the rope to jump backwards high out of the water as the wave receded.

Abby and Anne were holding hands out in the shallow end, enjoying being able to put their feet down when the waves receded.

"Your sister certainly loves the water." Abby said, seeing her jump into the air.

"My sister just loves to be the centre of attention." They weathered the next wave, "where did Heather and Mae go?"

They looked around but didn't see the pair anywhere. "Perhaps they don't like the waves?"

They looked around and saw the reason their friends had disappeared, boys. They were floating around the river ride with Brian and one of his friends, "I suspect it wasn't a coincidence those two being here!" Anne said to her girlfriend, whooping as the next wave unexpectedly lifted them both off their feet, an undertow current pulling them into deeper water.

They played in the waves until the machine shut off, all of them gaining confidence as they got used to the waves but still using it as an excuse to hold hands.

"This is so cool, come on Anne, let's go down the slide together!" Kelly insisted, once again hauling on her sister's arm.

"Okay, okay, I think everyone wants to go on the slides, there's no rush!" Anne said, giving Abby an apologetic glance.

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"Yes there is, we can get there before the queue!" Kelly said, still hauling her arm.

Anne allowed herself to be led to the steel steps up to the slides, there were already people in front of them but Kelly had been right, the queue at the top was minimal but looking back there was a line of people climbing the steps behind them.

"Let's go on the dark one, and let's turn so we're going backwards on our backs! It's super scary that way!" Anne laughed at the exuberance but conceded to Kelly's wishes.

As they entered Kelly whispered, "Wait till the first bend, if they can't see they won't tell us off!"

They started out sitting with Kelly sitting in front of Anne, sitting bolt upright. As they gathered speed and passed the first bend Kelly demonstrated the turn only just visible in the gloom, ending up heading downward stretched out head first. Anne did her best to emulate her but managed to get a foot in the face, she did get the right orientation though and Kelly clamped her legs around her, whooping in the dark tube. She had been right, it was the scariest slide she had ever been on.

They hit the water at the end full tilt, their heads plowing under the foot deep water. Anne got up coughing and spluttering. "Wow, that was so cool!"

"I know right? Don't let them catch you doing it though. My friend got kicked off the slide when they caught her."

"I'm totally taking Abby on that slide, she would love it." Anne said, just as Jo and Susan came shooting out the other tube beside them.

"That was awesome!" Jo exclaimed, "Man, I didn't know what I was missing out on! Let's go again!" She pulled her girlfriend up the stairs in front of Kelly, to her annoyance.

"Races!" Kelly called, "There are four slides, we each take one and first out wins!" She called.

"You're on!" Jo said as the girls ran up the stairs.

By the time they tired of the sides Jo was the only one not complaining of aching legs from climbing the steps. "You guys need to do more trail running!" She boasted.

The girls had planned on all sitting in the hot tub but the sign declared '16 and over', they tried to smuggle Kelly in but a nosy obese man complained. In the end they took turns to soak in the jacuzzi, whilst some of them played on the inflatables in the big pool with Kelly.

"We should sit in the steam room." Susan suggested, "I would quite like to see Jo all sweaty." She teased "We'll make her glisten,

And gleam,

And with massage,

And just a little bit of ste-e-eam, haha,

She'll be pink and quite clean,

She'll be a strong woman" she paraphrased from rocky horror. "Seriously though, I would love to see those abs all glistening."

"Get a room!" Heather said, not that she was one to talk, all cuddled up to Brian in the hot pool. Mae seemed to be getting along well with his friend too.

Jo gave a shifty little look around and smiled before leading her girlfriend to the steam room. It wasn't as fun as Susan had expected though, it was exceptionally hot and fairly crowded. After about five minutes sitting side by side in silence they gave up and tried the sauna. They failed completely at the sauna, neither of them having brought a towel and realising the wood was so hot you couldn't sit on it.

"Well that sucked." Susan admitted, I had a completely different idea of how that was going to go!"

Jo grabbed her hand before she could walk off and pulled her into a loose hug. "I think someone needs a cold shower!" She said cheekily before surreptitiously pressing the button on the cold shower they were standing under. Susan screamed and tried in vain to escape, squirming in Jo's laughing embrace for a few seconds before the shower shut off.

Fortunately she saw the funny side and she enjoyed jumping back into the pool which seemed so much hotter after the cold shower.

Eventually they had to leave, everyone's fingers and toes were wrinkled like prunes and they were all hungry and thirsty. Agreeing to meet the boys outside they traipsed into the showers, Abby however held back Anne and Kelly.

"Now, I said there would be a test, this is it. I want you both to shower and change in the communal area, I'm going to be watching you, no staring and no obviously averting your gaze. Remember, eye contact, act natural." She whispered to them before letting them go.

The girls all showered together, Abby kept an eye on her students and was very pleased with their progress right up until Jo took off her shirt. "Kelly! Stop drooling, shut your mouth." She hissed.

Kelly quickly averted her eyes and apologized, "But you're like a bodybuilder, you can see every muscle." She said shyly.

"Well, that's because I am a bodybuilder, I just don't go to shows and paint myself bronze!" Jo explained, surprisingly not seeming too self conscious.

"Strike a pose!" Kelly asked excitedly.

"No!" Jo said but she turned around and flexed her broad shoulders anyway, her muscles standing out under her skin.

"Wow! That is so hot!" Kelly exclaimed before flaming her hand over her own mouth. "Sorry." She squeaked.

"Hey, that's my girlfriend your ogling, I'm the only one allowed to lust after her!" Susan laughed.

"Seriously though Jo, would you consider modelling for me?" Abby asked, "Clothes on, or at least underwear on. You just don't get to draw muscles like that in real life."

Jo was quite obviously blushing now and rather than answer threw her scrunchy at Abby before rinsing off and heading into the changing rooms with her towel.

"Wow, I wish I had her body." Abby said wistfully.

"I've seen what she does to get those muscles. There's no way you could have the willpower to keep that up." Susan said, "But god I do love her body!" She said in a low voice before chasing off after Jo.

The rest of the time in the changing room went well, Anne and Kelly managing to maintain a normal level of decorum.

After meeting up with the boys they took the bus to their normal cafe.

They came through the door laughing and having fun only to fall silent when they caught sight of their friend sitting alone at a small corner table. Lucia looked small with the large cast still on her arm. Looking around to make sure Lucia's parents weren't around Susan ran over to the table and gave her friend a big hug, tears leaking from her eyes. Lucia winced at the hug, the watchers couldn't be sure if it was pain from the broken ribs or the fear of being spotted with her friend.

"Oh my god I've missed you so much." Susan sobbed, not letting go of the hug. "I'm so sorry. My timing was awful and I should have told you first. You're my best friend and you deserved to be the first one I told. This is all my fault." Susans words devolved into unintelligible sobs. As Lucia just rubbed her back, unshed tears glistening in her eyes.

"Come on guys, let's give them some space." Abby said, leading them through the shop to a large table at the other side of the room.

As she passed Jo squeezed Susan's shoulder and said, "Both of you come join us once you're ready. If you want."

It was about ten minutes before Susan returned to the group alone, tears still in her eyes. "Her parents are coming to collect her soon so she can't come over." She sniffed and accepted a tissue from Mae. "She starts school with you on Monday Mae. Can you look after her? Please?"

"Of course." Mae said, gripping Susan's hand on the table. "We're already good friends, perhaps she can come hang out with me and Heather after school too."

Susan nodded. "We talked about university. Her mum wants her close! What irony! Perhaps you two could share a flat?"

"I would like that." Mae assured her. "Have you all got your applications in?"

They spent the next half hour chatting, briefly hiding Susan when Lucia's parents came in but essentially just reiterating their dreams for next year.