Part Fifteen - Part One

•••

The fluorescent lights above the pool flicker slightly, casting an eerie glow over the blue water.

I'm still shaken from the altercation that happened, the confrontation with Chad replaying in my mind like a broken record. Why can't things just be normal for once?

The sun beats down on the campus courtyard as I walk past the pool, clutching my books tightly against my chest.

It's one of those rare moments when I actually feel like things are calming down—no Chad, no drama, just the quiet hum of campus life.

Of course, I should have known better.

"Noah!"

I turn to see Chad striding toward me, his ever-present entourage trailing behind him like loyal shadows. His face is plastered with a grin that doesn't reach his eyes—a grin that makes my stomach twist.

Great. Just when I thought I'd caught a break.

Chad stops a few feet away, his hands shoved in his pockets, his posture casual. Too casual. "Hey, man. Got a sec?"

I hesitate, glancing at the group behind him. They're snickering under their breaths, their eyes darting between us like they're waiting for something to happen.

My instincts scream at me to walk away, but I square my shoulders instead. "What do you want, Chad?"

His grin widens. "Look, I just wanted to say I'm sorry about the other day. Things got... heated."

He's so smug, so clearly insincere, that it takes all my willpower not to roll my eyes. "Yeah, no kidding."

Chad nods like he didn't hear the sarcasm dripping from my voice. "You know how it is. Emotions running high, wires crossed. I mean, I guess I just didn't expect Vinnie to, uh... downgrade so quickly."

There it is. The little jab hidden under the guise of an apology.

"Wow," I say flatly. "You really know how to sell it, Chad. Apology accepted, I guess."

One of his friends snorts, and I catch the faintest whisper: "guess he doesn't know what's coming."

That's when I know I need to leave. Now.

"Anyway," I say, adjusting my grip on my books. "If we're done here, I've got somewhere to be—"

Before I can finish, one of Chad's lackeys—a tall guy with a cruel smirk—steps forward and shoves me hard in the chest. My books fly out of my hands as I stumble backward right into the pool.

The cold water swallows me instantly, dragging me down like an anchor. Panic explodes in my chest as I flail, my limbs heavy and uncoordinated. Water fills my nose and throat, and I can't think, can't breathe.

I can't swim.

Above the surface, I hear laughter—loud and sharp, like knives cutting through the muffled roar of water in my ears. I'm thrashing, desperate, but the more I move, the deeper I seem to sink.

This is how it ends.

Then, suddenly, there's a splash. Someone dives in.

But it's not Chad. Of course it's not Chad.

It's one of the campus lifeguards, their strong arms pulling me up and out of the water with practiced ease. As soon as I break the surface, I'm coughing and gasping, my chest heaving as I cling to the edge of the pool.

"Are you okay?" the lifeguard asks, his voice sharp with concern.

I nod weakly, still coughing up water. My whole body shakes—not just from the cold, but from the sheer humiliation of it all.

When I finally manage to look up, Chad is standing there, his arms crossed and his smirk firmly in place. "Relax, Noah," he says, his tone light and mocking. "It was just a joke."

"A joke?" I sputter, my voice hoarse. "I could've drowned, you asshole!"

He shrugs, not even bothering to hide his amusement. "Yeah, but you didn't. So chill out."

His friends are still laughing as they walk away, their voices fading into the distance.

I sit there on the edge of the pool, drenched and humiliated, my heart still pounding in my chest.

It's not just the water that leaves me cold—it's the realization that Chad won't stop until he gets what he wants. And right now, what he wants is to see me break.

Later the crash of the door flying open is my only warning. Before I can react, Vinnie barrels in like he's been shot out of a cannon, his sneakers screeching against the floor as he stops dead in front of me.

His chest is heaving, his face flushed, and his hair's a wild mess like he sprinted all the way here without caring who saw him.

"Where. Is. He?" His voice is low, the kind of quiet that promises chaos. "Just point me in the direction, Noah. I'll make sure Chad regrets the day he grew opposable thumbs."

"Vinnie," I groan, but he's not listening.

He paces the room like a caged animal, running a hand through his hair while muttering to himself. "The nerve of that guy. Thinking he can just—ugh! I'll knock his teeth so far back, he'll be chewing his food next week like a bird."

I sit on the edge of my bed, rubbing the back of my neck. "You good?" I ask, though it's rhetorical. Clearly, the answer is no.

He stops pacing long enough to point a finger at me, his eyes blazing. "Don't do that. Don't pretend this is fine. He came at you, Noah! You're—" He stops short, gesturing at me like I'm a priceless artifact that's been mishandled.

"I'm what?" I ask, one eyebrow raised.

He throws his hands up. "Too nice for this! Too... you!"

I snort despite myself. "Wow. Thanks for the poetic defense."

"I'm serious!" He steps closer, inspecting me with the intensity of someone searching for hidden damage. His hand brushes my arm, his jaw tightening like he's bracing for something awful. "Did he touch you? Hurt you?"

"No," I say quickly, lifting my hands in surrender. "I'm fine, okay? A little freaked out, but not broken."

His nostrils flare, and he mutters something under his breath that sounds a lot like "lucky for him." He looks ready to bolt out the door and hunt Chad down with his bare hands.

I catch his sleeve before he can move. "Don't," I say firmly. "Seriously, it's not worth it."

"Not worth it?" He glares at me, his frustration practically vibrating off him. "You think I'm just gonna let him get away with treating you like that?"

I let out a slow breath, trying to keep my voice steady. "And what? You go punch him, then you get suspended, maybe expelled? Great plan. Very noble. Who's gonna steal all the fries off my plate if you're gone, huh?"

His lips twitch, but he doesn't let the smile win. "I'm serious, Noah. He shouldn't get away with this."

"And he won't," I say, softer now. "He's already humiliated himself. Let him deal with the fallout."

Vinnie's shoulders slump, the fight finally draining out of him. "I hate this," he mutters.

"I know," I say, resting a hand on his arm. "But I'd hate it more if you got in trouble because of me."

For a second, he just stares at me, his expression unreadable. Then he sighs, pulling me into a hug so sudden, I almost fall forward. His hoodie smells like laundry detergent and faint sweat, and his grip is tight, like he's holding himself together as much as he's holding me.

"You're the worst," he mumbles into my hair.

"Me?" I laugh, muffled against his chest. "What'd I do?"

"Made me care this much. Now I gotta walk around ready to throw hands at any moment."

I pull back, smirking up at him. "You're such a martyr."

"Damn right," he says, finally cracking a grin. "Just wait till I get my superhero cape. You're looking at 'Captain Petty.'"

"And what's your power?" I ask, tilting my head. "Ranting people into submission?"

"That," he says, pointing at me, "and looking good while I do it."

I roll my eyes, but the tension in my chest starts to ease. Because even in the middle of a disaster, Vinnie's here, throwing himself into my corner like it's the only place he belongs.

•••