As the brand new convertible the boys bought whizzes past the California houses, you throw your hands up into the air and yell with excitement.  Niall chuckles as he leans back in his seat.  Harry insisted in sitting next to you, so here he is, his arm touching your side.  Louis is driving, making Liam a bit uneasy in the passenger seat.  The car goes up a hill and the beach and ocean comes into view just over the pavement.  You shriek with delight, wondering what your friends could possibly be up to at this moment that could top this. 

A few minutes later Louis slams on the breaks in the beach parking lot.  When the car comes to a screeching halt, Liam is left grasping the handle on the door for dear life.

“Louis…” he gasps, “drive…more carefully…”

“Ah, cheer up, Liam.  I got you here alive, didn’t I?” Louis asks, raising one eyebrow.

Liam just gives him a quick look before getting out of the car.  He opens the door for you and you step out.  As soon as Louis leaves the car, he tosses the keys to Liam and goes running and yelling down the beach.  Liam shakes his head as he grabs Louis bag and follows him.  Niall and Harry go running past Liam in order to catch up with Louis, who was already almost to the water.  You giggle.  You look to your left and see Zayn, just…standing there.

“Zayn?” you say.

He jumps and looks at you.  It was almost like you put him out of a trance.

“You okay?” you ask.

“Yeah, I’m cool,” he says.

“You ready to go?” you ask.

“Yup.”

You and Zayn walk down the beach and toward the water.  When you finally get there, Liam is setting up beach chairs, umbrellas, and a couple of blankets on the sand.  You laugh when you see Louis already dunking Niall’s head into the water and Harry’s hair already soaked and fully covering his eyes. 

“Liam, are you going to swim?” you ask.

“Yeah, I just have to put on some sun block first,” he says.  “You had better put some on, too.”

“Actually,” you say, “I’m going to work on a tan.”

Liam looks at you.

“What?” you ask.

“Tans aren’t good for your body,” Liam explains.  “The sun’s rays can damage your skin cells.”

“Fine…” you sigh playfully, “give me some of that.”

Liam smiles and tosses you the bottle.  As you smear the sun block all over your arms and legs, you happen to glance at Zayn and notice him staring out at the sea. 

“Zayn, are you sure you’re okay?” you ask.

Zayn jumps again.

“Ya, of course,” he says.

“ZAYN!” Louis yells.  “You comin’?”

“Ya!” Zayn yells back, “I’ll be right there!  Hey, give me some sun block?”

You smile and hand the bottle to him.  Zayn squirts a bunch onto his fingers and puts it on his nose.  He smiles his famous smile and shakes his “gun hands” at you.  You giggle as he goes running down the beach.  You make yourself comfortable on one of the beach chairs Liam set up, being sure the umbrella’s shade covered your whole body.  If Liam was concerned about the sun’s rays, then maybe you should be, too.  After all, Liam seems to know best.  Liam sits on the chair next to you and sighs.

“You know, Liam…you sure do a lot for the boys,” you say.

“Yeah…” Liam sighs again.  “I just want to make sure they’re safe.  I care about them.”

You smile.  You close your eyes and breathe in the California air, trying to relax, despite Louis’s constant screaming.   You have several thoughts of joining the other boys in the water, but you decide against it when you imagine Louis pushing you and you becoming soaked and freezing.  Louis means well, but sometimes he just gets a bit out of control.  Several minutes later you hear Liam snort.  You look over to find him fast asleep.  You close your eyes again, planning on falling asleep with him.  Your eyelids grow heavy even though their closed…Louis’s yelling begins to grow faint…the sound of waves crashing together lulls you closer and closer to sleep…you feel yourself begin to breathe quite heavily…all sounds seem to fade away…you’re just about…asleep…

“AHHHHH!  HELP!  LOUIS!!  HELP, I CAN’T...”

Your eyes shoot open and you sit straight up, realizing Liam has just done the same.  You both look out to sea, wondering who yelled.  There was Louis, Niall, Harry…all perfectly fine, and then…Zayn.  Drifting past the safety buoys.

“Zayn!” Liam yells.  “Hang on!  Louis, help Zayn!”

Liam hops out of his chair and begins running top speed down to the water as Louis dives in, swimming towards Zayn.  Liam got the water faster than Louis had, and dove in as soon as it was deep enough.  You watch in horror as Zayn drifts farther and farther from the beach, and the boys are nowhere near him yet.  You think of what you can do to help, and, realizing you can’t do anything, you grasp your hair and pull it in suspense.  To your great surprise, Liam passes the safety buoys before Louis.  You keep your eyes locked on Zayn who is frantically waving his arms and splashing in the waves around him as his head goes under multiple times.  Finally Liam gets to Zayn and has to dive deep down into the water to reach his sinking body.  Louis gets there when Liam comes up, gasping for breath, with Zayn under his arm.  Louis helps Liam pull him as fast as they can toward shore, which feels like hours.  When they get into neck-level water, Niall and Harry help as well.  You rush down the beach and run ankle-deep into the water, where the boys are dragging Zayn.  You help them drag him up onto the beach and lay him there.  As soon as he’s safely on the beach, Liam falls onto the sand, breathing heavily.  Louis falls to his knees, breathing as heavily as Liam.  Harry and Niall bend over Zayn.  You notice he is obviously unconscious.  Liam struggles to get up on even his knees to look at Zayn.

“Zayn!” he yells.

“Is he alright?” Louis asks.

“I don’t know!” Liam answers.

“Oh…Zayn!” Niall groans.

“Ah, he’ll be alright!” Harry says doubtingly.

Liam begins to pound on Zayn’s chest.  Niall flinches every time he does this.

“Zayn!” Liam yells again.

You jaw drops when Liam suddenly plants his lips on Zayn’s.  Liam blows with all his might, but he is so out of breath, nothing comes out. His head flies up as he gasps for air.  Liam puts his ear to Zayn’s chest.

“He’s not breathing…” Liam says.

Everyone’s eyes grow wide.

“He has to be breathing!” Niall screams.

“Yeah, are you sure, Liam?” Louis asks.

Liam feels Zayn’s wrist for any sign of a pulse.

“Yes, there’s nothing here!” Liam shouts.

“No…NO!” Harry yells.

“This can’t be!” Louis moans. “Zayn…I was the one who broke your computer!”

“I was the one who ate your last cookie your mom sent you!” Harry wails.  

“I hid your iPod in the closet when I thought you had enough for one day!” Liam yells.

“I had drunk sex with (Your Name)!” Niall suddenly blurts out.

Your eyes shoot wide open.  Everyone stares at Niall. You have no idea what the boys will do now.  To your surprise, their surprise was short-lived, and in a second, everyone’s attention was drawn to Zayn again.

“Louis, get down here and help Zayn!” Liam says.

“I can’t!” Louis says, who is still out of breath.

“Niall!” Liam yells.

Niall shakes his head in fright.

“Harry!” Liam shouts.

“No…not again…he’d kill me…” Harry says.

“He won’t be able to if you don’t save him!” Liam shouts at the top of his lungs.

Suddenly you drop down on your knees and let your lips fall on Zayn’s.  It instantly reminds you of the time when you first kissed…in the boys’ tour bus.  It was right after Liam had taken you to that fancy restaurant and he was parking the car when Zayn kissed you.  You breathe into him as much as you can.  When all of the air leaves your lungs, you lift your head, bring your folded hands up above it, and bring them down forcefully on Zayn’s chest.  Water suddenly spurts out of his mouth, and he coughs weakly.

“Zayn!” Liam yells.

Zayn remains motionless for a terrifying three seconds.  Then he coughs harder and attempts to sit up.  The boys quickly help him as Zayn continues to cough up a bunch of water.

“Zayn, you alright?” Louis asks.

Zayn coughs one more time before opening his eyes.

“Yeah…” he groans.         

Louis pats him firmly on the back as more water drips from Zayn’s lips.

“You had me worried sick!” Liam says.

“We thought you were…” Harry says, not wanting to finish.

“That doesn’t matter anymore, Harry,” Liam quickly says.

Zayn looks at you with troubled eyes.  You stare back into them, letting him know that everything is fine now.  He even gives you a bit of a smile.