[indent]He had always felt at home in large bodies of water. For a while it seemed like the university pool could contain his desire, so he joined the swim club. But, as it got fulfilled, the need grew. It expanded to the point that the only days when he was truly in his element were those few rainy ones spent by the turbulent shore. Yes, it was fair to say Dennis had an unhealthy attachment to water. Even most of his adult life was dominated by the need to be close to it. He had opted to study fluid dynamics, hoping to better understand the strange things water sometimes did. He even got a job he hated, selling seaside arrangements over the phone - and all for the sake of his obssession. Any further, and he’d abandon air completely. He would breathe water, just like he often did in those dreams.

Today was a particularly wonderful day, as the class was taking a trip to the city’s water refinement center. For someone like Dennis, this seemed like a dream come true. He tried to share the excitement with pretty much everyone he knew - but all they saw was water becoming more watery. Even his parents - it bugged him especially how they didn’t understand. No one understood.

Heading into class - he was late. He was always late - almost as if he planned the nonsense. Truthfully though, he was just incredibly bad at the art of timing, and too grown and lazy to change his ways.
As he progressed inside, for the roll call that came before the trip, he’d stepped on some guy’s foot, knocked over a plant and caused quite a ruckus in the line. He’d finally be stopped by someone pulling on his collar. Annoyance grew into recognition, and he’d nod to Kent and bend over  dusting the plant dirt from his jeans, as the other boy calmed him [i]“You’re already signed up. I knew you’d be late. The professor probably knew it too, but it isn’t his job to do it”[/i] even if they weren’t looking at each other, they both felt each other’s eyes rolling. Mr. Price was a dick - on that much most everyone agreed. Apparently, even if you couldn’t please everyone - you could always alienate everyone. Well, he had a wife and four kids...so maybe that wasn’t quite true either. The kids must’ve been quadruplets - it was hard to believe anyone would bed the old fart on four separate occasions.

[i]“Can you believe it? We’re actually going to see the treatment center! I heard they process over like 90% of the city’s water supply!”[/i] and as his eyes went wide, so too did Kent yawn. Apparently he was alone in his amazement and his shoulders slumped for a bit. He had given up on sharing his enthusiasm for the day. Until a female voice came up from behind him [i]“Actually it’s closer to 86,5%”[/i] and she’d even add cheerfully [i]“it’s a common mistake. The side plants handle partials that cover the rest”[/i] and even if he was too much in his thoughts at first, the more he looked at her, the more he saw some familiarity. He had seen her staring at him from time to time. Once she even almost spilled some water on him, but the liquid inexplicably never got out of the open bottle.

[i]“I don’t think so! I’ve read all about it these past few days - if there were more side plants for the mismatched 5%, I’d hear about them”[/i] and he almost felt the need to stick out his tongue to this newcomer know-it-all, but decided to be mature and refrained. And good thing too, since she soon put a paper into his hand that pretty much disapproved his claims. The paper was written by none other than Professor Michael Price - figures, even when he did nothing wrong, Dennis still found a way to dislike him.

[i]“I guess you didn’t read everything”[/i] she said as she moved away. Dennis could only sigh at his defeat as he motioned his head to Kent [i]“Is she even in this class? Don’t remember seeing her around before”[/i]

[i]“Yeah man, that’s Price’s daughter”[/i] and Kent almost laughed as Dennis’ face went through a myriad of colors.

[i]“Figures..”[/i][/indent]