‘I’ll cover you,’ Zach said, much to my surprise.
My survival strategy was to look busy and avoid the ball as much as possible. I lay low, snout out, with only the net between me and Leo, as he pointed at his eyes, then mine, and puffed out his chest.
‘You’re going down, Brennan.’
‘We’ll see about that!’ I replied, knowing full well if I made any attempt to play I’d go so far down I’d drown. Seven of them and seven of us. Dahlia blew her whistle and a hench-looking man belted the ball over the net. Zach whacked it back, then Leo slam-dunked it in front of me for the first point and fist-bumped the girl next to him.
‘Hey!’ I said, getting a face full of water, the chlorine stinging my eyes. Idiot.
It was half an hour of terror. Palpitations whenever the ball came my way, Zach constantly leaping over to take my shot, me shrinking back and squealing. I was the last to serve and we needed the point. I threw the ball in the air and it boinged prematurely off my fist and smashed Zach in the back of the head.
‘Oops,’ I said, wincing. ‘Second serve.’ I channelled my inner Karate Kid and decided to go underarm to catch them unawares, pushing the ball up as hard as I could. Miraculously it went over the net, and I was so shocked, I bobbed in the water like a lemon while it bounced from player to player, both teams belting it as hard as they could to try and win the final point and the game. Leo smacked the ball and I sensed it heading in my direction as the team turned to face me. Zach swooshed over, but there was no way he’d make it in time. I threw my hands in the air, but I was too slow, and it clonked me on the head. I could almost hear the cartoon birds tweeting above me as I dunked underwater and swallowed a mouthful.
My head had inadvertently kept the ball in the game, and I came up for air just in time to see Zach bounce the ball over the net for the win.
‘Yessss!’ The red team whooped and cheered, jumping around and giving each other high fives. Zach held his hand up to me, but I was seeing double and missed. Feeling woozy, I pulled myself out of the pool and lay back on the cool tiles, my head pulsing in time to the music.
‘You OK, Kat?’ Dahlia shouted as I closed my eyes. My head was spinning as if I’d had a skinful, which only made the dizziness worse.
‘The ball hit me quite hard,’ I said, cracking one eye open and rubbing my forehead where a lump was forming.
‘Coming through, coming through. Ship first-aider,’ I heard her call as the crowd shuffled back to give her space.
‘I’ll be OK,’ I said, sitting up and shading my eyes, embarrassed by all the attention.
‘I’m fully trained. Lie back please.’ Dahlia rolled me onto one side and put me in the recovery position.
‘Is she conscious?’ Leo asked.
‘Yes,’ I said.
I felt somebody gently lift my head and wedge in a pillow.
‘Let me clear her airways.’
‘They’re clear!’ I yelled weakly, the pair of them ignoring me while they argued it out. I didn’t need mouth-to-mouth, and certainly not in front of the entire ship.
‘If it’s concussion, she’ll need the nurse.’ Leo brushed my hair back to look at the lump. ‘Oh my God, Kat, I’m so sorry. I really whacked it.’
‘I’m fine, honestly…’ I closed my eyes as the sun was too bright and harsh without my shades on, and Leo’s hand softly stroking my hair felt too good. Then suddenly a strong pair of arms was picking me up and a smooth chest was holding me in as I was lolled along the corridor. It was a sensation I hadn’t had for quite some time, but wrapped in a towel and held tight, I felt safe and warm, and protected.
‘Here we are.’ Leo’s voice was unmistakable, and I could see Dahlia running on ahead, flinging open the door of the medical centre.
‘Urghgh,’ I groaned. My head was killing me. It felt like it might split in two.
‘Hi, Claire,’ Dahlia said, pointing Leo towards the bays.
‘Oooh hello, dear. Who have we got here, then?’ The ship nurse smiled up at us from behind her desk, her pinafore and matching hat gleaming white. There was a waft of antiseptic in the air and classical music played quietly in the corner, giving the place a sense of calm. It felt like we’d crossed over into another dimension compared to the raucous glare and lurid colours of the rest of the ship.
‘Kat Brennan. Room 1086,’ Leo called behind him as he hurried in. ‘She’s been hit in the face with a ball.’ He laid me down on the nearest bed. ‘Will she be OK? It was my fault. I shouldn’t have hit it so hard.’
‘They were playing volleyball in the pool,’ Dahlia added. Or not, as it turned out.
‘Let’s have a look at you, then.’ Claire put a cool palm on my forehead, then felt for my pulse and checked her watch. ‘You’ll have a right shiner there tomorrow, lovey,’ she whispered, flashing a torch in my eyes, then noting something down.
‘She blacked out for a few seconds, so I brought her straight here,’ Dahlia said. ‘Was that the right thing to do? Or should I have gone in with mouth-to-mouth? I couldn’t remember.’
Claire looked aghast. ‘Good Lord, no. Mouth-to-mouth for concussion? What are they teaching in the first-aid sessions these days? Leave her with me, please, and I’ll get her fixed. What’s your name, lovey? Are you next of kin?’ she asked Leo, who blushed at the suggestion.
