Thirty Minutes Under

By Tristin House

One girl. One pool party. One mistake.

Lorienne Hall is a typical sixteen-year-old, with her only problem being how to get the boy she likes to finally see her. However, life as she knows it is changed forever when she goes underwater for thirty minutes. The strange thing is, after she wakes from her coma, she's termed "The Miracle Girl". But when she learns she must battle her enemy, Mackenzie Steelburg, in order to stay alive, she realizes that thirty minutes might've just changed her life forever.

But now she doesn't know who to trust.

That's where Dale comes in.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tristin House
• Release date: Sep 6, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005231927

Tristin House

Tristin House is a 15-year-old eleventh grader that has shown a passion for writing since she was eight years old. At the age of ten, she completed her first novel, Thirty Minutes Under, and has gone on to write three more. Tristin began providing freelance services because of her passion for words, grammar, and editing. She advocates for youth writers like her, so she started a support group, Youth Authors Fellowship (YAF), to encourage other young writers. Tristin is also the program director of Communities excel. at excel. by BnHumn. She loves the community and advocating for the causes that she believes in, all the while helping and supporting others. In her spare time, Tristin also enjoys volunteering to transcribe graves, teach English to students as far as Ukraine, and review audiobooks for those with dyslexia. She loves to learn new languages, and at the time, her current enjoyment is Latin, but she is challenging herself by learning Chinese. Her other hobbies include acting, singing, and playing instruments.To see more, visit https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_ywZn7zC7dr201-NMKHnBA

Book preview

Thirty Minutes Under

By Tristin House

Copyright 2021 Tristin House

Smashwords Edition

Chapter One

Hurry, or we’ll be late for the swim party! Astrid, one of my best friends, tugged on my arm desperately, her blonde hair fluttering around her face.

It was September 25th, the day of my very first pool party. My hands were shaking with nervousness, and I had spent nearly two hours making sure I was presentable. I whirled around in front of the mirror, my gaze fixed on the green bikini that I’d found at a thrift store. My hair coiled to my back, and I applied a touch of blush to my olive-colored cheeks. Kat and Astrid were making faces at each other behind me in the mirror.

Do you think green looks good on me? I asked, my face twisting into a frown as I put on my white beach hat.

Astrid groaned and flopped onto my bed, resting her head on her hands. Lory. You look cute in that hat. You’re fine. She rolled over, her pink one-piece showing. It had slits on her stomach and was quite revealing. I inhaled.

Kat, on the other hand, just glanced up from her book and rolled her eyes. I don’t even know why you guys are so adamant about going to this thing. It’s going to be super boring and a bust.

Astrid shot her a look. "I just got Lory to come with me, she said. Don’t make her change her mind. After all, it’s not her fault your boyfriend ditched you for another girl. Stop acting so snotty."

Katrina looked like she was about to throw a fit, but I held my hand up. Astrid, stop it. Kat, calm down. I swear you two act like toddlers sometimes. After checking my reflection one more time, I inhaled. Okay, let’s go, Astrid. Don’t want to be late! I exclaimed, yanking her arm and glancing up at the clock. It read 4:56. The party began at 5:00.

Astrid stood up and rolled her eyes, grabbing her purse. You’re such an imp. You live literally five minutes away from the pool, she said, but a smile was spreading across her lips.

With a laugh, I turned to Kat. You sure you don’t want to come? It might be good to get a breath of fresh air.

Kat had gone back to reading, her jet-black hair covering her eyes. She glanced up at me with a small smile. As sure as I can be. I’ll just be here, reading and trying to forget about Bryce. Besides, if your mom comes home earlier than expected, I can cover for you.

I nodded, trying to ease my guilty conscience. Katrina needed a friend to cry and eat ice cream with, and here I was, going to a party instead. But I’d promised Astrid I’d go with her to the next party that came up, and it just happened to be on the same day Kat caught her boyfriend of two years with Mackenzie Steelberg. Besides, I hadn’t swum in a long time, and it could be fun.

Okay, Kat. I’ll be back soon! I called as Astrid dragged me through the door. We had devised a plan to leave and return without my mother’s knowledge, and we were on a definite time crunch.

Astrid clutched my arm and carried me away from the veranda into her scanty red Toyota. I don’t even know why you bother. Kat’s going to find another man soon enough, she predicted, inserting her keys in the ignition.

I fastened my seatbelt. I know. I just worry, you know? I mean, I’ve never been in a relationship, but I’ve watched enough movies and read enough books to know breakups are tough.

Astrid gave me a reassuring smile. As a girl that dates a different guy every week, I assure you she’ll get over it, eventually. Just give her some breathing room.

I just sighed. Kat was way different from Astrid, and we both knew that. As she rolled out of the driveway, almost knocking over my mailbox, I checked my phone to see what time it was. 4:58. We needed to get there, and fast.

Drive! I yelled, holding the phone up to her face so that she could see the time. Given that she was already a terrible driver, that was probably not a wise move. Astrid shrieked, slammed the gas, and swerved onto the road. We sped through the streets, and with a victorious yell, I rolled down my window. The wind was so powerful that my curls flew across my face and into my mouth. I gagged and hacked as Astrid slid the window back up for me.

That was very idiotic of you, she laughed, turning to face me.

I rolled my eyes. You better pay attention to the road, or you’ll be the idiot. Astrid snorted, and I heard the gradual increase of a bass. We were getting closer.

As we drove into the pool parking lot, I noticed a slew of teenagers dancing and clutching red Solo cups in their hands. My heartbeat thundered my ears, and I began to feel lightheaded. I closed my eyes and tried to calm down. While I deemed myself social, I wasn’t much of a party-goer, so this was something of a culture shock.

Kenzie really knows how to throw a party! Astrid squealed as she pulled into a parking spot. I opened my eyes and looked around, nodding. I didn’t even know why I bothered going to a party that Mackenzie Steelberg was hosting. Astrid adored her for some odd reason, just like the rest of the school. I was the only one who knew Mackenzie’s true intentions… and let’s just say she wasn’t the sweet girl she tried to look like.

I grabbed my clutch and opened the car door. Immediately, I recoiled from the heavy bass and high-pitched sync that blasted from a stereo somewhere.

Ooh, when life gives you sugar, you’re my lover… The cheesy lyrics played. I hated the song, yet I couldn’t stop myself from bobbing my head.

I followed Astrid as she opened the rusted gate and entered the pool area. Looking around brought back memories of fifth-grade summer on my tenth birthday. I had ended up puking all over my cake because I had been so nervous about my birthday party.

Not pleasant memories.

I forced myself to concentrate on the present, casting a look around the pool. Mosquitos swarmed all around me, and flashing lights obliterated my vision. I was able to spot a few people that I recognized, one of which was Jason, talking to a pretty girl. He had been Astrid’s crush for the past few weeks, and she spent almost every day talking about him. A DJ was spinning records in a booth, and Mackenzie, the party’s hostess, was hitting the dance floor with… guess who? Bryce, Kat’s ex-boyfriend.

I had never liked Bryce, to be honest. I had told Kat my opinion on him after that one time he tried to kiss me in the library. At that time, she had thought I was lying, but now she knew I had been telling the truth.

Next to me, Astrid was shaking her hips and screaming the lyrics. Won’t you just stay with me, don’t have no reason to leave… she sang into my ear. Feeling quite uneasy, I awkwardly tapped my feet and snapped my fingers to the beat.

Astrid danced around, singing at the top of her lungs. When she eventually opened her eyes, she saw how overwhelmed I looked and shot me a grin. "One the count of three, let’s jump in the pool. One, two, eeek!" Jason rushed behind her and laughed as he shoved her into the water. A few other boys laughed at her. One face in particular stuck out to me among the group: curly dark brown hair and a crooked smile. Lucas, my crush, appeared to be at this pool party as well. Maybe this was a good decision.

Astrid’s shiny head bobbed in the water, and she flashed a cheeky grin towards Jason. My hair! Jas! she screamed, pouting. She dragged Jason by his feet into the water, shouting as he plunged in with a splash.

I found myself giggling, unsure of what to do. If I joined them in the water, I’d be coined a tagalong, and no one likes them. I shuffled my feet and forced myself to make conversation, channeling my inner Astrid.

I shifted my gaze to Lucas. What a great party! I said, or rather, screamed, to him. That was technically a lie. I hadn’t been there long enough to give it a proper rating.

Lucas smiled as he pushed his deep brown hair out of his eyes. Lucas had been my childhood crush, back from when Mackenzie had pushed me off the monkey bars, breaking my arm at recess. He was the one who had come over to check on me and call for a nurse.

Now he gave me a simple shrug. Yeah, it is pretty neat. Want to get something to drink?

Of course!

Lucas guided me to the juice bar with a nod, his hand on the small of my back. I beamed. Two punches, please, he said to the employee, who rolled her eyes and got to work.

I honestly believed that things were going well and that Lucas and I were going to have a moment. But then he turned to face me, leaning on the bar. So, what’s your name?

My smile vanished. I couldn’t believe he’d seriously forgotten who I was, especially after I spent over five years thinking about him. You don’t know? We’ve been in the same class since, like, third grade, heh. I forced a laugh, masking my hurt.

Lucas’s jaw dropped. Really?

Yeah, I’m Lorienne. Astrid’s best friend… I averted my gaze as Lucas began laughing.

Now that you mention it, I think I remember seeing her with you sometimes. I’m Lucas. He grabbed the juices and slid one across the bar to me.

I sipped my drink and nodded to keep from a more awkward conversation. How could he have forgotten about my broken arm? He’d literally carried me to the nurse’s office. For years, I’d thought that was a meet-cute. I watched glumly as Lucas pulled out his phone from his pocket and began texting someone.

Growing bored, I looked back and saw Astrid on Jason’s shoulders, wrestling in the water with Mackenzie, who was on Bryce’s shoulders. They were squealing and squawking. Mackenzie was the first to collapse, and Astrid flung her hands in the air. I smiled.

Want to go over to the pool? Lucas was now gazing at me.

Yeah, I said.

I dipped my foot into the pool to test the water temperature, and once I felt it was warm, I hopped in. Lucas did a cannonball behind me. After glancing back and giving Lucas what I hoped to be a sweet smile, I furiously paddled towards Bryce.

Time to give him a piece of my mind.

Chapter Two

Images flash before my eyes, and I twitch uncontrollably, feeling dark and lost. It sounds like someone is whispering in my ear. I try to swat at whoever they are, but I can’t see anything.

You made me angry, the voice whispers. You’re dead to me now…

Dead. It’s as though my mind can’t comprehend the word. D-dead? I whisper, trying to