Chapter 12

"Yeah well at least you didn't get kicked in the balls by Penn!" Levi says as he awkwardly waddles up the sand. Instantly all of our eyes drop to his black board shorts and he quickly covers them, "Don't fucking look!" We all laugh at him just as a pair of kids walk past us pointing out towards the ocean. "Dude, look, that girls drowning." One of them creepily says in awe and we all turn around instantly when we hear the sound of screams muffled by the small crashing waves. "Holy fuck that's Emily!" Noah shouts out as I recognise the brunette struggling to stay afloat. Before anyone could think, Chase takes off into a dead sprint into the water. I glance down the beach to see lifeguards running over, blowing their little whistle. Like that's going to fucking save her. I run down to the waters edge with everyone else, watching as Chase dives under the waves. I was squeezing my hands together as I watched, my heart going a hundred minutes per hour.  Why does he have to have such a damn good heart? Thankfully, he eventually makes it to her just as the lifeguards push past us and sprint into the water, the water splashing about in every direction. However, they were a couple seconds too late as Chase was already pulling Emily in on his back. The two male lifeguards help him carry her onto the sand and we all gather around as they lay her down. Emily lay on the ground, coughing up water as the lifeguards and Chase kneel around her. "Everyone get back!" The lifeguards scream at the crow that was now forming and throws his arm in an orbit, waving us off. "Come on Hay." Penn whispers to me while grabbing my hand and pulling me away. I glance at Chase who was staring back at me intently. I hold his gaze for a while before eventually following Penn and the guys. I was still holding Penn's hand as we walk up to where our spot was to see Vera walking towards us while holding onto her sunhat. "What the fuck happened?" She questions, turning and following us as we walk back to wear all our towels were laid out in a semi circle. "Emily almost drowned." Noah explains while he lies down on his towel and places his sunglasses over his eyes. I fold my arms, continue to stand with everyone else. Levi shakes his head before taking a seat, "So disappointing." Everyone just ignores him as I glance over my shoulder to see Chase walking towards us.  I don't know what the fuck possessed me, but I walk towards him and wrap my arms around his shoulder. "Why do you have to be the hero?" I whispered into his ear as I feel his arms envelop my waist, "It scared the shit out of me you fucking asshole." I quickly pull back, not wanting to stay connected to him too long. We walk back to the group side by side. "She's fine. They're taking her to get checked up but we can go see her soon." Chase explains as I glance at Vera to see her wriggling her eyebrows at me. I roll my eyes as we all come to a stop just in front of our stuff. Chase continues, "The lifeguards are confused since they hadn't spotted any riptides but they must've missed one." "That was so close. Did she say anything?" Penn questions with a worried frown. Even though Emily wasn't close to any of them, they were all still worried because of their generous and beautiful hearts. Well—everyone except Levi of course. "She tried to but the salt water and screaming hurt her throat." Chase explains as we all nod with a sigh. I glance down at my feet, hoping that Emily will be ok and thankful that Chase wasn't caught up in the same riptide. Vera sits back down in her chair, obviously tired as she places her designer sunglasses back on. I glance up from my toes digging into the sand to see Chase staring at me. Why the fuck is he always looking at me? I swear the fly eating Noah's left over sandwich was more interesting than me. I shrug in question and Chase opens his mouth to speak, but all I could hear was my cousin. "Ladies and gentlemen, the party has just arrived!" Spencer announces while he dances his way over to us with a blow up beach ball that he no doubt stole from a small child. Spencer stops when he sees the tense situation, "Oh shit, what did I miss?" ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ The sky was a light violet and blue as the sun slowly said good night for the day. The birds were chirping along with the sound of cicadas. It was cooling down, but not to much. I was wearing an unzipped hoodie, my bikini top and a pair of linen shorts and it was the perfect temperature. Noah and I sat on the porch swing on David's front porch, just listening to nature. I had come out here for some air and Noah had followed me, mostly to get the tea on my relationship with Chase but the other to just enjoy the world. "I'm just saying, if the Titanic can get a round 2, so can you and Chase. And I will gladly captain that ship." Noah grins at me while I roll my eyes, "A fucking iceberg as nothing on you two." I tilt my head back and chuckle, "Thanks Noah." Noah laughs with me as he glances down at me legs that were laying over his lap, deep in thought. It was a rare occasion to see him so focused. I usually only see it when he's hacking something on his computer. It's like he's a completely different person around technology and it's so fucking cool. "Hey," Noah taps my leg lightly, "This has been bugging me ever since we left the beach." I sit up straighter with a curious frown, "What is it?" "I didn't want to say anything around the others but..." Noah glances over his shoulder and through the window before turning back around and lowering his volume, "It's just confusing how Emily almost drowned. I mean you said she was one of the best swimmers at your old school, right?" I nod, "Yeah?" "And the lifeguards themselves said they were no riptides." Noah continues and I slowly start to realise what he was getting at. He then sighs and collapses back against the cushioned porch swing, "It's just—shit, I don't know—it doesn't sit well with me." "Maybe she had a panic attack or something in the water?" I shrug as I try to come up with other reasons, "We're not in Caldwell anymore, Noah, not everyone's bat shit crazy." Noah pouts and folds his arms, "Well where the fuck is the fun in that?" "Wow, Noah, out here spitting straight facts." I laugh at him while my nerves began to bubble under the surface. Noah was right, there was definitely something off about the situation. But it terrified me to think bad of Emily. He took so much from me and like hell I'm going to let him take away my peace by constantly making me fear for the worse.