Chapter 23 Shitty way to die

Chapter 23 Shitty way to die
Stephanie

One second, I was waiting for Kendrix by the pool, the next, I was shoved into the water by some invisible force.

You know that moment when you think your life is about to end and your entire existence flashes before your eyes?

That was exactly how I felt in that moment. I had lot of regrets, but the one that stood out the most was that I never learned how to fucking swim.

Mom tried to enroll me in swimming classes while I was young but Dad wanted me to ride bikes. I had chosen the latter. That decision would be the reason I die tonight.

The water burned as it flooded my nostrils and mouth. Trying to breath underwater was probably the worst idea ever, but the panic in my chest overrode all sense of reasoning. The pool hadn't seem that deep when I was staring at it earlier, so then why does it feel so bottomless now?

The air knocked out of my throat for an entirely different reason other than drowning. That ugly feeling that had gripped me in that bloody room with the bloodied knife. The feeling of being helpless while someone hurt me again.

I hated the feeling.

I thrash against the water, trying like hell to get out, to break free of the physical and mental constraint, but my life seem to slip away with each passing second.

Suddenly, I felt a hand wrap around my waist. It took another second to realize I hadn't imagined it. Then a few seconds later, I was lifted out of the water, strong arms holding me tight. I tried to open my eyes to see who it was, but everything felt so difficult.

Maybe I had drowned at Collin's indoor pool and this was the afterlife where I was being carried into heaven by an angel.

What a shitty way to die.

My back hit a hard surface gently. Something pressed against my stomach, pushing with a sense of urgency that made me curious.

“Stephanie, wake up!”

My savior's deep, velvety voice sounded very familiar. It sounded a lot like a particular chestnut haired stepbrother I loathed. Or at least the version of him.

This version, however, seem genuinely worried. It was that realization that made me want to speak, to tell him I wasn't dead. But when I tried to open my mouth, I began coughing out water instead. I cracked my eyes open, blinking slowly to adjust to the night view. Two things instantly became clear.

One: Kendrix was kneeling beside me, his clothes wet and his eyes filled with worry.

Two: Brooklyn was standing few feet away, grabbing Sophie's hair in what was definitely a painful grip, and looking furious as hell. Her eyes softened when they met mine.

It was easier to connect the dots then. Sophie had pushed me into the pool, probably as a petty revenge for assembly, and Kendrix had jumped in to save me.

“Are you okay? Can you breathe?” Kendrix voice dragged me out of my thoughts.

I stared at him, my chest tightened in an unexplainable way and nodded.

Hurried steps approached a second before Brooklyn sat on the wet floor beside me.

“Jesus! I thought you were dead.” she loosed a sigh of relief, the fury had vanished entirely from her eyes.

I managed to rise from my laying position with Kendrix's help and sat on the wet floor.

“Well, I'm not dead. I'm fine. You guys can't get rid of me that easily.” I chuckled.

Brooklyn cracked a smile but Kendrix expression didn't change. If anything, his worry seem to have been replaced by anger. He rose into a standing position, leaving Brooklyn and me on the floor.

“Oh, I like you.” She grinned. Her amusement quickly shifted to concern. “Are you feeling any pain? Should we call an ambulance?”

I shook my head. “I'm fine, really. I just want to leave.”

Brooklyn seem like she was going to ask more questions, but Kendrix cut in before she could do that.

“I'll take you home.” He stretched his hand out for me. Before I could take his hand, JJ and Cisco burst in.

“Jesus fucking Christ!”

“Are you okay?” The both of them asked at the same time.

I nodded at them and forced a smile.

“Who the hell did this to you?” JJ questioned. I spotted a red lipstick mark on the side of his cheek. I didn't want to know what he was doing before he came here.

“Sophie.” I said as I slipped my palm into Kendrix's outstretched hand, a shiver ran through my spine at the coldness.

I dragged my gaze around and noticed Sophie's absence. It was probably for the best. I didn't trust myself not to commit murder if I saw her now.

“You're shaking really badly and neither of us have jackets.” Brooklyn muttered.

To be fair, we hadn't considered the possibility of this happening while we were getting ready few hours ago.

Kendrix looked down on his wet clothes and shook his head. Not an option.

“Take mine.” JJ said as he shrugged off his jacket and draped it over me. I muttered a thanks.

By now, the party had stopped and almost everyone had gathered to watch me. I hung my head low as the five of us made our way to the exit.

“You guys can go back in. I called an Uber earlier. It should be here soon.” Kendrix said when we got outside.

“I'm not going back in there. I still feel like murdering Sophie.” Brooklyn muttered.

“We're already out here. Might as well just call it a night.” Cisco added.

“Or not.” JJ grinned, the four of them exchanged glances that I didn't understand.

“No. Absolutely not. It's a school night, JJ.” Cisco said.

“So? We're all a bit tipsy despite that we have school tomorrow. Why shouldn't we indulge in a little bit more craziness?” JJ said.

“What is he talking about?” I asked.

“Nothing important.” Kendrix cut in before any of them could respond. “We should leave. The car would be here soon.”

Kendrix and I bid the rest of the group farewell and headed to the parked Uber car across the street. We confirmed the details and entered.

Kendrix briefly explained that he had booked the ride before he got back to the pool area. He had thrown his phone to the ground before jumping into the pool. It had a cracked screen now, but it was fine.

I didn't know where my phone or purse was. I had forgotten almost everything after the shots I took. The last I remembered, they were with Brooklyn. I hoped they still are.

My thoughts were cut short when Kendrix suddenly pulled me towards him. We were both sitting in the backseat, perfectly okay with ignoring each other. Until now.

He threw an arm over me, trapping me in his embrace. “You're still shivering.” he said simply when I glared at him.

I couldn't argue with that so I just placed my head on his muscled chest. We stayed like that until my shivering stopped. But for some reasons, I didn't want to let go. Because once we got out of this car, then it would be over.

“I'm sorry.” he muttered.

“Don't be. It's not your fault that you have a batshit crazy girlfriend who can't let go of a grudge.” I snorted, but his expression didn't change.

“When she pushed you and you didn't come back up for so long… I really thought something bad had happened.”

My brows furrowed. “How long was I in the water?”

“For maybe a full minute. It's like the second you fell in, you just…froze. Like you did at the Vault after the fight broke out. You didn't move until I carried you.”

My shivering had stopped but I was cold for an entirely different reason now. The terror I had felt just minutes ago slithered into my body.

Two panic attacks and the month wasn't even over yet. I needed to talk to Dr Martins about this.

“I think I was just scared because I couldn't swim.” I said with a half smile.

Truth, but not the whole truth.

Kendrix seem like he was going to ask more questions, but thankfully, we had reached the mansion. We got down from the car and strode to the front porch. I clutched JJ's jacket tightly around me.

We managed to sneak in and get to our rooms without running into either of our parents.

“Get out of your wet clothes and take a warm shower so you don't catch a cold.” he said when he got to his door.

“Yes, mum.” I chuckled.

His lips twitched like he was restraining a smile. I braced my hand on the door knob and pushed the door opened slightly. I paused and turned towards him.

“Just to be clear, I still think you're an asshole, but you deserve better than someone who shoves other people into pools.” I said.

He let out a low sigh. “I know.”

I flashed him a small smile and disappeared into my room.

As I shrugged off my wet clothes, preparing for the hot bath, I realized that these last few minutes were the first time Kendrix and I were together without fighting each other, the thought hadn't even crossed my mind.

I realized I didn't hate it.