Jesus, Mary and Christ.

The thought charges through my mind at a million miles per hour.

Jesus. Mary. And Christ.

Upwards my chest heaves before releasing a sigh more polluting to the environment than cars. With a disbelieving frown, I wipe away the remainder of sleep from my eyes. Ironic because I couldn't be any more awake if I tried. Apart from the obvious mass of water my belongings swim in, the girls could challenge a young, fox kit with their cries.

"Alexis! I think I peed myself? ...a lot!" Yeah, an eight-year-old has enough urine to flood a cabin, sure.

"I feel sea sick!" Yup, cool, our cabin totally gives the Red Sea a run for its money.

"No! No! My phone!" I'm more concerned about my sanity, sorry.

God, help me please.

"Alexis!" they chorus, snapping me from my thoughts.

  Deciding I'll have to bite the bullet, I crouch on my bed and spring into the air, making a leap for my bedside table. To my, utter, surprise, my feet land on the table, sliding only a little and securing my goal. I have only time to celebrate for a second when the dumfounding realisation that I'd have to swim the rest splashes over me, literally, and I plunge in feet first.

Quite a sight I imagine I must've been; rat tails cascading down my back, a wet night shirt clinging to my curves and an eye mask acting as ineffective googles.

Like my band tee, I was grasping onto something – that being my mentality – for dear life.

"Bear! Someone save Bear," screeches, the only girl I know with pipes like that, Lianna.

With a disgruntled grimace, my limbs move in a forward, repetitive pattern to my door, which I yank open with a lot of effort.

A scene out of a blood bath greets me; the girls have clambered onto the top of the bunk beds (the lower beds are swamped) and all of them are wailing, their tears adding to the over-abundance of water. Their blotchy, red faces have tear stains on them and most of them are drenched in some way or another, hands scooping desperately into the water trying to save their possessions.

The door closes far more easily than it opens.

"Alexis, I saw you!"

I curse the child.

I re-open the door.

Allowing my eyes to close for a minute, I channel my inner marvel superhero before trying to tackle the issue. When my game face is ready, I open my eyes and immediately spot a sodden stuffed animal that could only be Bear. Quickly, I gather him up.

The next thing I spot, is a terrified little girl with fogged up glasses on her face, blindly holding onto a ladder of one of the beds and only a little out of reach from the pool below her. I take action, swimming up, over, down and around the bulk of objects and to her.

"Here," I say, gesturing to my shoulder, "jump on."

And with a little help she jumps onto my shoulders, one leg after the other, looking a little less petrified.

"Hey! No fair, me too!"

"And me!"

Ladies and gentlemen, that my friends is how I exited my cabin this morning: six girls hanging off me and a rush of water following. Well, until gravity fails me, that is – the water spilling out over the steps taking my strength (and dignity) with it. No longer can I carry the girls so, naturally out we tumble, landing in a heap right in front of Colton.

I would get your sorry ass out of here before I whip it to Jupiter, Mr. Moreno.

Rage. It's what I see, it's what I hear. A funny word too. One with denotations of anger and connotations too. One of those words everyone knows what means, and most definitely the implications of being in the firing zone. And the tall male in front of me? Well, he just drew an 'x' on his chest.

"You!" I growl, dragging myself off the ground and propelling myself towards him my finger leading.

He frowns as if 'hey, I'm perplexed' but the tinge of a smirk gives it all away. I rival Nancy Drew you damn imbecile.

"You!" I say again, once I reach him, poking his chest roughly. "What on earth inspired you too flood my cabin? Do you have any idea the damage you've caused?"

"And you know it's me why?" He smirks ever so calm.

"Pfft, I'm not an idiot," I cry, my wet hands flying into the air for effect. "Am I supposed to just believe you were in the wrong place at the wrong time?"

A casual smile appears on his face, growing thinly, matching his glinting eyes. "Like how I was just supposed to believe you weren't involved with the underwear prank?"

Blood boils through my veins, my mind clouded with rage. "I. Did. Not. Do. That."

"I. Do. Not. Believe. You."

"Of course, you wouldn't, you're an idiot!"

His eyes splint a little, his posture suddenly seeming more intimidating. "Alexis, I wouldn't tread through any more water if I were you?"

"And what the hell is that supposed to mean? You going to start bullying me again, huh? News flash, I've just swam the Atlantic and back, I think I can handle you." I inch closer to him, meeting his eyes with a glare.

"I remember you once used to be pretty scared by me, hid behind your little, blonde friend? Well we all know what happened to her."

I am not the same person. I am not the same person. I am not the same person!

The ire inside me intensifies and suddenly my hand isn't mine anymore. It outstretches curling my fingers out straight and meeting a jaw as sharp as a knife with a smack. An echo resounding through the stunned silence, loud and clear for all to hear.

"You're right, I was. But you'd be stupid to make that same mistake, because I'm not the same person, anymore am I? And fyi? I've been waiting to do that forever, not just for me but for Peyton, too. Don't underestimate me." Every word acts as a dart, intending to stab him in the eye. Hard.

Nothing happens for a minute, letting my anxiety climb Everest and back. That did not just happen. Crap.

Silence rings whilst I wait quietly, letting it absorb me, until the strangest thing happens. He laughs.

"So, you've came to play huh? Finally."

With that he walks away, a crowd of miniature versions of himself following, leaving me alone with my best friend, Anxiety.

Now I'm the idiot.

so i'm finally back! and i have a lot of explaining to do!

my laptop broke and it's literally taken (if you guys were reading the updates) 2 months to fix!! it was really annoying for me tbh but it's fixed now and i'm able to write again.

the next thing is, i realise there are a lot of silent readers in this book and if i'm being honest, i would really love it if you guys could try comment more! you see a lot of you were able to comment when i said i wasn't sure i should continue (all writers have doubts and i have them a lot) but aren't maybe necessarily active commenters or voters? i totally understand tho, maybe just very once and a while you'll think to leave a vote or comment? thanks for reading tho, i honestly can't believe my little old book is nearly at 130k!!

i mean even fan art? like favourite quotes in nice borders or your fave stuff about the book in a border? i mean that too if you want to remain anonymous ([email protected]) - i mean don't feel like you have to do it, im just trying to get to know you chiccas better!

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cotc: do you like the new layout? i was at least active in that way during my laptop blackout aha!

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cover at the top by Daina-ann - thanks so much chicca!

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and i think that's all! i promise i'll be back next friday as well!

xox,
jessie.