Zipping up her suit and putting on a snorkel, senior Emma Rankin gets ready to dive into the depths below. As she disappears below the surface of the water, the rush of the waves beat just a little faster. Even though she fears the unknown in the ocean, her sisters help her through that fear and get her in the water. 

Emma’s older sister Lainey has always been willing to go into the depths with her.

Lainey became a mother figure to both of her younger sisters because they were all dealing with their mother’s alcoholism throughout their childhood. 

“[Mom] was always out on the front porch and kind of away from us. So we were kind of all we had. My big sister raised me and my little sister,” Emma said. 

When Emma was 10 her mother left for good, so she and Lainey strengthened their bond by helping each other cope. 

“We have a lot in common with the music we like and the activities we like to do. I feel like we coped by listening to music or obsessing over fictional characters.” Rankin said. 

They even do extracurricular activities such as scuba diving, together. This summer they plan on traveling to Florida to get their final certification. 

In addition to vacation this summer, Emma plans to get a house there with her older sister. It’s the easiest way they can room together while attending college in the fall. 

Emma plans on attending the University of South Florida(USF). When she got accepted and told her family, they were overjoyed that she would be joining her sister. 

Lainey got accepted into the class of 2024 at USF. She’s excited that her sister is joining her in the fall so they can have fun and make a house their home. 

“I’m so excited to live with her. We’ve been planning our house on Pinterest boards forever. Both of us are so lucky to be so similar and be able to do things together,” Lainey said. 

Both of them want college to be an extension of what they always do normally. To continue being together after high school makes them happy. To keep having little moments together.