My Fair Lady

Safe and Sound

"Juliet! Juliet!"

Someone was screaming her name but she couldn't make out who. Her lungs were so heavy and she couldn't breathe. She was suffocating, her life twisted tighter and tighter by the second.

Suddenly, someone grabbed her hands she felt herself pull up roughly to the water's surface.

The moment her head was about the water, she gasped for breath. Air rushed in, almost overpowering her.

"Juliet! Hold on to me!"

Juliet opened her salt-stained eyes and she saw a handsome, anxious face staring at her.

The man hauled her up and laid her by the side of the pond. He seemed unusually worried.

"Juliet, do you recognize me?" he demanded.

Juliet tried to speak but she choked, as if all the water in her lungs were forcing their way back through the mouth.

The man put his arms on her chest and he pressed his lips against hers. There was a sudden fizz of electricity the moment their lips touched and her entire body heaved upwards as the man pumped her chest.

Within seconds, Juliet opened her mouth and vomited onto the grass. She spluttered out the remains of the dirty pond water and sank back into the man's arms.

"Juliet? Answer me, please," the man asked anxiously. He looked vaguely familiar.

She focused her gaze on the handsome, frustrated face and she smiled. Of course she knew this man.  "Edmund, you are here. I'm dead, am I?" she whispered.

"Mercy, you're not dead Juliet." Edmund's arms relaxed. "I was so scared that you were dead and I was too late. Your face was blue and I...I feared that....."

"What happened?" Juliet asked hoarsely.

"I was planning to talk to you but you went out into the gardens." Edmund sounded frustrated. "Then at the next moment, you were in the water screaming for help. Did you slip in?"

"Someone pushed me in," Juliet whispered.

Edmund's face went pale. "Did you see who it was?" he asked sharply. He glanced up and sweeped the surroundings alertly. When he saw nothing, his posture became less tense.

She shook her head. "I can't recall anything." Suddenly, she realized she was leaning her head against Edmund's chest.

Juliet jerked up and shrank away. "I...I'm so sorry. I didn't realize I was...I was so close to you."

"What are you talking about Juliet?" Edmund sounded exasperated. He looked like a complete mess too. His brown hair was unruly and his clothes were soaked with water. It stuck to his skin and with its slightly translucent material, it outlined his muscles.

"I mean..I was..." Juliet stuttered. "Aren't you mad at me?"

Edmund's face softened. "I'm sorry about that. I was wrong. I know that you were just trying to help Syvil."

"You know about her?" Her head jerked upwards.

"Yes." Edmund stared at her. "And I hurt you with my words. I'm sorry that I doubted you."

"No, I'm sorry." Juliet looked away. "I was silly to go wandering with Jasper. Any other man would have thought that I was having an affair."

Edmund was silent. He ran his hand through his hair and for a second, he looked like a boyishly handsome teenager, instead of his usual, brooding self. "I was wrong to insult you. You..you deserve someone better than me. Like Lord Jasper."