Paxon

Wednesday, July 24th, 11:30pm.

Something's wrong.

I can feel it deep inside my chest that something is wrong but I can't figure it out. The hot tub keeps distracting me. Mila keeps distracting me. She's been talking for a while now but I can't understand...

I don't know how long I've sat here.

Olivia gets to her feet suddenly and it makes me nervous.

I don't know why I'm nervous.

"Livy?" I try to say her name, I really do but it's like someone's removed my jaw.

I can't feel much of anything except for my heart beating in my chest.

I think it's beating too fast.

I try to get up, but I fall.

My arms refuse to move, I want to bring them up to break my fall but they don't move and the pavement rushes for my face as I fall flat against the ground.

And everything goes dark.

****

Past: May 17th

I lunge forward to jump into the lake, but someone grabs me by the shoulder as they toss me into the weeds lining the boardwalk. I scramble to get back to my feet and it's then that I know I've been surrounded.

"Come on man, she'll be fine, just let her be embarrassed for once," someone says and I recognize the voice as someone who's a friend of Derrick's.

Ethan stalks toward me, the linebacker of our football team who is built like a bull and vaguely resembles one has his eyes locked on me. I feel like a matador in the arena, but rather than being the matador himself: I'm the red cape.

Ethan charges, his shoulder connecting with the center of my chest as he barrels into me. I don't have any time to react.

I fall backwards into the dirt as the wind is crushed out of me and I almost think that I hear something pop.

I gasp for air but can't, instead, it feels like I'm swallowing sandpaper.

A palm grasps my throat and I bring my hands up to dig my fingers into his eyes. He yells when I do, my short nails tearing at his eyelids as I try to push him away. His grip tightens for a moment before he loosens it and I see my chance.

I punch him squarely in the jaw and he lurches sideways as my knuckles crack from the pressure.

I shove him away from me and stagger to my feet. I dart a glance around me to see if anyone else is coming up behind me. Noah runs at me and even though he's fast, he's still far enough away that I can protect myself.

I feint to the side as he gets close and drive an elbow into the center of his back as he passes me. He's sent sprawling, his hands reaching out to try and break his fall but he dives straight into the dirt. I can hear his teeth clack as he hits the ground and I clench my jaw.

A dozen bystanders have gathered now and I point at one of the girls standing closest to me.

"Help Olivia!" I yell at her.

She blinks in surprise, her eyes widening as she looks from me to the lake. Nothing seems to go through though, because she makes no move to head for the dock.

Pain ricochets up my spine and I pivot to see that Ethan is behind me.

Blackness closes over my vision and a moment later I open my eyes to see that I'm now crouched in the dirt. I put a hand to my temple as pain throbs and pulses under my palm. He's between me and the lake now, but if I could just...

I spring upwards from my crouch as I shove him hard into his unprotected stomach, nearly lifting him off his feet. He stumbles backwards as I plow into him, carrying him from the dock towards the water a few feet away. His hands grip my arms, dragging me with him over the edge as I try to desperately get away from him.

But his grip is unrelenting.

There's a splash as we go under, the lake water colder than I was expecting as I gasp in a surprised breath, sucking down a mouthful of water in the process. I swing at him blindly, the water slowing my movements and soaking my clothes as I try to keep my mouth shut. I feel something crack under my knuckles and the grip at last disappears as I kick towards the surface for air.

I gasp in a breath when I surface, my vision spotting as I search the water. I don't see Olivia on the dock and I plunge forward toward the spot where I think she still might be.

I dive down, opening my eyes into the dark water as I desperately search for her. I have to resurface once, but at last, I think I see her.

I surge through the water for a blotch of paleness that is rapidly sinking for the bottom, which is much further than I had anticipated.

I grab for the blotch and I realize it's a hand as I tug her towards me. My heart is beating too fast and my lungs are threatening to burst as I drag her behind me to the surface. At last, I break through to breathe as I pull Olivia up next to me.

"Olivia?" I shake her when I realize her eyes aren't open.

"Paxon!"

I look up to see that Nikki is leaned over the water, a hand extended for me to grab. Her hair is so bright that it looks like it's white instead of blonde as I reach out and grab her hand. She pulls me upwards and I brace a hand on the dock before I start to drag Olivia up onto the boards. She doesn't make any effort to move or breathe as I pull her out of the water.

I press a finger to her neck even though I know the likely outcome.

Her heart isn't beating.