‘They won’t be there for long,’ says Matt. He bends back his head to stare up at the dark grey blotches in the sky. The first drop of rain splashes across my cheek.

‘In five minutes we’ll have this place all to ourselves.’

I start counting in my head as more raindrops fall and thunder growls from the east. The surface of the pool is covered in interruptions, tiny water bombs splashing down and breaking the calm. The two men hurry to the gate as Matt and I bob into the middle.

‘See?’ he says, grinning.

I do. I see. For a second the water holds me and I feel free.

A series of drops hit my face. They break the spell. All around us the dark is coming like a curtain. A whip of silver light flares and another crack of thunder follows.

‘Is this safe?’ I shout to Matt.

‘Dive under,’ he says, disappearing out of sight.

I wait for him to surface.

He bursts out of the water right next to me and I splash him in the face. He splashes me back and it’s on again. The water heaves between us while the rain gets heavier and the sky grows darker. There’s another whip of lightning and suddenly I remember where I am and what we’re doing.

‘I’m getting out.’

‘No.’

‘Yeah,’ I say, desperate to leave the hotel before we’re busted.

I swim to the side, haul myself up and realise that I don’t have a towel. I have to borrow a white one from the pyramid, hoping it doesn’t add to the possibility of being caught. I dry myself as more rain falls. At the sound of another peal of thunder, I move faster. I could go into the change room, but that would take too long, and I hate having wet bathers on under my clothes. I’m not sure how I can dress here, in front of Matt, but I decide to try. Turning away from him, I hold up the towel and tangle myself in my bathers, trying to get swimming gear off and clothes on.

Then it dawns on me that we aren’t alone up here. There are eyes everywhere. Hundreds of people could be watching from the surrounding buildings and I wouldn’t even know. The thought makes me shudder. I dress quickly and zip up my hoodie, keeping myself protected from the stormy gusts of wind. I’m ready to go by the time Matt drips his way over. He shakes his head like a puppy, sending a stream of water into my face.

‘It’s not safe in the pool,’ calls a voice from behind us.