Chapter 13 Chapter Thirteen

Chapter 13 Chapter Thirteen


The group races across the moonlit beach, laughter and shouts carrying over the waves. Eben sprints ahead, already daring anyone to catch him, while Josh takes off after him, hollering like he owns the night. I glance at Gemma, who grabs my hand.
“You coming or what?” she teases, tugging me along.
I swallow, adrenaline hammering in my chest. “Yeah… yeah, let’s go.”
The path up the mountain is steeper than I remember, rocks loose underfoot and roots twisting like obstacles. Every step makes my legs tremble, but the excitement is intoxicating. The group scatters ahead, some slipping and catching themselves with laughter, others daring one another to climb faster.
Gavin walks beside me, calm as ever, hands stuffed into his pockets. His eyes are scanning every footstep I take. “Careful here,” he warns softly, pointing to a loose stone. “One wrong move and you could twist an ankle — or worse.”
I roll my eyes, half annoyed, half grateful. “I’ve got this,” I say, though my stomach knots with every precarious step.
Gemma’s laughter echoes beside me as she leaps from rock to rock like it’s nothing. “Come on, slowpoke! You’ll miss the view if you don’t hurry!”
Josh shouts from ahead, “Bet I get there first!” and disappears into the darkness, Eben not far behind, hooting and hollering like a maniac.
Gavin’s eyes flick to me again, his brow tight. “Just don’t rush blindly,” he says, voice calm but firm. “I don’t want to see you hurt.”
I bite my lip, torn between the thrill of keeping up and the weight of his gaze. My heart pounds harder — from the climb, from the adrenaline, and yes, from him.
Finally, we reach the edge. The waterfall spreads before us, glittering in the moonlight, water crashing into the pool below. The roar is deafening, the mist spraying over us, making my hair stick to my face.
Eben slams a hand on a rock, grinning. “Alright, everyone! Whoever’s brave enough — jump first!”
The cheers and laughter ripple around the cliff, and my stomach flips. My pulse hammers in my ears. I glance at Gavin, who’s standing just a few feet away, arms crossed, jaw tight, watching every move I make.
“Wait!” he calls out, voice cutting through the din. “You can’t just—”
I blink at him, heart racing, and the dare begins in earnest.
“Why not?!” I shout, heart hammering, adrenaline making my voice sharper than I feel. “It’s just a jump! Eben dared me!”
He shakes his head. “No, Ari. Falling from this height isn’t a joke. One slip —” His voice drops, low, almost a growl. “—and you could get seriously hurt.”
“Come on!” Eben shouts. “A little danger never hurt anyone!”
“Yeah, don’t chicken out!” Josh yells from a rock above, oblivious to the tension building between Gavin and me.
I swallow hard, legs trembling. My pulse spikes as the thrill of the dare mixes with the heat of Gavin’s gaze. He steps closer. “Ari… you’ve been drinking. You’re not thinking straight. Please, just think about this.”
“I can handle it!” I shout, though my voice wobbles. Gemma grabs my arm to steady me. “You’ll love it! Trust me!”
Gavin’s eyes narrow, and his jaw tightens, but he doesn’t stop me. “Be careful!” he warns again, voice almost breaking over the roar of the falls.
I take a step forward, heart hammering, the edge of the cliff slippery under my soaked sandals. Gemma’s grip on my arm feels both grounding and frantic.
“Just a little further,” she urges, laughing nervously.
I nod, but the rock beneath my foot shifts unexpectedly. My balance wavers. I stumble, arms flailing, and a sharp gasp escapes me.
“ARI!” Gavin shouts, his voice slicing through the roar of the waterfall. He lunges toward me, but I’m already tipping over.
Time stretches. I see the moonlight glint off the crashing water below. The group’s shouts echo faintly, distant, as adrenaline surges through my veins. My stomach drops, and I brace for impact.
I thrash in the icy water, swallowing cold spray, lungs burning as the force of the waterfall pulls me under again and again. My arms flail, trying to find purchase on the slick rocks beneath me, but the current is relentless. For a few excruciating moments, I can’t get my head above the surface.
“ARI!” Gavin’s voice cuts through the roar of the falls, sharp and urgent. My heart lurches at the panic in his tone.
Without another thought, he strips off his soaked shirt and kicks off his shoes, muscles taut and ready. “Hold on!” he yells, diving into the pool below the waterfall.
The world blurs around me — spray stinging my eyes, the thunder of the water deafening — and then I feel him. Strong hands gripping my arm, steadying me against the chaos of the current.
“Got you,” he mutters, his voice calm but intense. He positions me against him, shielding me from the worst of the spray, guiding me toward calmer water near the shore.
I gasp, shivering violently, but safe in his hold. My chest heaves, adrenaline and shock mixing with relief.
The group above is a mixture of cheers and panic, Eben and Josh frozen for a moment before scrambling down the rocks to meet us. Gemma’s face is pale, eyes wide, but she’s already swimming toward the edge to help.
Gavin hauls me onto a more stable ledge, keeping a firm hold on my shoulders as I cough and sputter. “You scared me half to death,” he says again, voice low, almost clipped, but the worry in his eyes betrays the calm tone.
I shiver, teeth chattering, looking up at him. The adrenaline, the terror, and the thrill of surviving it all leave me dizzy. “I… I’m okay,” I manage to croak, though my voice is shaky.
He doesn’t let go immediately. His eyes scan me — my shaking limbs, my dripping hair, the way my chest rises and falls rapidly — before finally relaxing just slightly.
Mara appears at the edge again, calling his name. Gavin straightens, eyes flicking toward her, his expression controlled but distant. “I invited her,” he says to the group, but his tone carries no warmth.
I cling to him a little longer, trying to calm my racing heart, aware of the tension still simmering between him and Mara — and between him and me. The waterfall’s roar fades behind us, but the chaos, adrenaline, and unspoken feelings linger, thick as the mist around the cliff.
I thrash in the icy water, swallowing cold spray, lungs burning as the force of the waterfall pulls me under again and again. My arms flail, trying to find purchase on the slick rocks beneath me, but the current is relentless. For a few excruciating moments, I can’t get my head above the surface.
“ARI!” Gavin’s voice cuts through the roar of the falls, sharp and urgent. My heart lurches at the panic in his tone.
Without another thought, he strips off his soaked shirt and kicks off his shoes, muscles taut and ready. “Hold on!” he yells, diving into the pool below the waterfall.
The world blurs around me — spray stinging my eyes, the thunder of the water deafening — and then I feel him. Strong hands gripping my arm, steadying me against the chaos of the current.
“Got you,” he mutters, his voice calm but intense. He positions me against him, shielding me from the worst of the spray, guiding me toward calmer water near the shore.
I gasp, shivering violently, but safe in his hold. My chest heaves, adrenaline and shock mixing with relief.
The group above is a mixture of cheers and panic, Eben and Josh frozen for a moment before scrambling down the rocks to meet us. Gemma’s face is pale, eyes wide, but she’s already swimming toward the edge to help.
Gavin hauls me onto a more stable ledge, keeping a firm hold on my shoulders as I cough and sputter. “You scared me half to death,” he says again, voice low, almost clipped, but the worry in his eyes betrays the calm tone.
I shiver, teeth chattering, looking up at him. The adrenaline, the terror, and the thrill of surviving it all leave me dizzy. “I… I’m okay,” I manage to croak, though my voice is shaky.
He doesn’t let go immediately. His eyes scan me — my shaking limbs, my dripping hair, the way my chest rises and falls rapidly — before finally relaxing just slightly.
Mara appears at the edge again, calling his name. Gavin straightens, eyes flicking toward her, his expression controlled but distant.
I cling to him a little longer, trying to calm my racing heart, aware of the tension still simmering between him and Mara — and between him and me. The waterfall’s roar fades behind us, but the chaos, adrenaline, and unspoken feelings linger, thick as the mist around the cliff.
Gemma helps me scramble onto the rock ledge, coughing and laughing nervously despite the shock. “You’re insane,” she mutters, gripping my arm. “Seriously, I thought we were going to lose you there.”
I shiver violently, water still running down my hair, and glance up at Gavin. He’s perched on the edge, shirtless, chest heaving from the climb and the swim, eyes constantly flicking to me, scanning me over like he can’t quite relax. Every twitch of my shivering body seems to draw his attention.
Mara notices and steps closer to him, her arms crossed, a smirk playing on her lips. She leans slightly against his side, clearly enjoying the way he’s watching me so intently.
“Still checking on her?” she asks, tone teasing but with a sharp edge.
Gavin glances at her, jaw tight, but doesn’t take his eyes off me. “She fell,” he says calmly, almost dismissively to her, but his grip on a nearby rock tightens, ready to intervene if needed.
I bite my lip, cheeks flushing, partly from cold, partly from the intensity of his gaze. Gemma gives me a small, nervous laugh. “You okay?” she asks, steadying me.
I nod, still catching my breath. “Yeah… I think so.”
Above us, Eben and Josh are already laughing and joking, oblivious to the simmering tension below. Eben claps me on the shoulder too hard and Josh nudges me playfully. “Lucky you’ve got a superhero watching your back,” Josh says, grinning.
Gavin’s eyes flick briefly to Josh, then back to me, calm but unwavering. Mara huffs, clearly annoyed at his focus. “You’re ridiculous,” she mutters under her breath, leaning into him.
He doesn’t respond, just keeps his attention on me, scanning me over to make sure I’m steady. His presence is quiet, tense, and unyielding — a constant reminder that he’s still watching, still making sure I’m okay, even if it’s irritating someone else.
I straighten up a little, gripping Gemma’s arm for support. The adrenaline from the fall is still buzzing through my veins, my pulse racing, but Gavin’s unflinching gaze keeps me grounded — or maybe keeps me on edge.
The group’s laughter and the roar of the waterfall fade slightly behind me, replaced by the tight knot of tension between Gavin, Mara, and me — all of it unspoken, unresolved, but heavy in the air.
Eben’s still cracking jokes about my “Olympic dive,” and Josh is swearing up and down he could’ve made the jump look better. The others are buzzing, already talking about the next game.
“Okay, okay,” one of the guys shouts, lifting a half-empty bottle. “Next dare! Waterfall shots!” He grins, explaining that everyone has to take a drink right under the spray of the falls. The group erupts in cheers and groans, already lining up like it’s the best idea in the world.
Gemma laughs nervously and tugs me forward. “Come on, you’re not getting out of this one either.”
I let her pull me along, though my legs still feel shaky from earlier. The cold, the adrenaline, and the alcohol mix into a dizzy haze that makes everything feel louder, brighter.
Behind me, I hear Gavin’s voice, low and steady: “She’s done enough.”
I freeze. He wasn’t loud, but his tone cuts through the noise.
Mara, standing close to him, laughs softly, too sweet. “She can handle herself, Gavin. Don’t ruin the fun.”
Eben overhears and swings an arm around Gavin’s shoulders, grinning like always. “Man, relax! It’s just a drink. Let the girl live a little.”
Gavin shrugs him off, eyes still locked on me. There’s no anger in his expression, no open frustration — just that same careful watch, the one that makes my chest tighten.
Gemma notices too, nudging me with a whisper. “He’s staring again.”
I glance back and instantly regret it — his gaze catches mine, sharp and unrelenting, like he’s daring me to back down. Heat floods my cheeks, though I quickly look away, pretending to focus on the group cheering as the first person downs their drink under the waterfall.
Mara slips closer to him, brushing her hand against his arm like it’s casual. “See? Everyone’s fine,” she murmurs, smiling. “You don’t have to keep… worrying.”
But Gavin doesn’t answer her. He doesn’t even glance at her. His eyes are on me.
The bottle passes around, laughter bouncing off the rocks as the dares continue. The air is alive with chaos — water splashing, people shouting, alcohol burning throats. Still, beneath all the noise, I can feel Gavin’s attention like a tether, pulling tight no matter how hard I try to ignore it.
The bottle lands in my hands. Everyone’s chanting, stomping their feet, waiting for me to step under the pounding sheet of water.
I hesitate, gripping the glass too tightly. My head is still light from earlier, and the thought of the icy waterfall crashing over me makes my body shiver.
Behind me, Gavin’s voice comes again, firm this time. “She’s not doing it.”
The crowd groans in protest. Eben laughs and throws his hands up. “Come on, Gav. You can’t call the shots for her.”
Gemma leans in, eyes wide, whispering, “You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”
But then Mara’s laugh cuts through everything. She curls closer to Gavin, her hand sliding up his arm, lips near his ear. “Why bother worrying? She clearly doesn’t listen to you anyway.”
The words sting sharper than they should, and my chest squeezes with something I don’t want to name. My jaw tightens. I turn, catching Gavin’s eyes again. He looks tense, like he’s about to step in and take the bottle from me.
That’s when something snaps.
“Watch me,” I say, my voice louder than I meant it to be.
Before anyone can stop me, I push forward, Gemma’s gasp behind me drowned by cheers. The spray hits instantly — icy needles stabbing my skin — but I tilt the bottle back anyway, forcing the burning liquid down my throat as the crowd roars. Water soaks my hair, my shirt, my skin. I’m shivering, breathless, but I throw my arms up when I finish, triumphant.
Eben whoops. “That’s what I’m talking about!”
Gemma shakes her head, laughing nervously, though I can see the worry in her eyes.
I glance back through the mist, heart hammering — and there’s Gavin. Standing stiff, jaw set, eyes blazing in a way that makes my breath catch. Mara’s still draped over him, but he doesn’t seem to notice. He’s looking at me like I’ve just thrown down a gauntlet between us.
And maybe I have.