cigarette ends | ✎

xvi.

Lightning.

Distracted, we both shied away from each other's grip.

No.

No. No. No.

The lightning was gracious enough to provide just enough light for me to see his horror filled shout, the terror in his eyes and the hands he had outstretched toward me.

"Mimi!" One last desperate, fright-filled scream as my brother fell into the water below.

✦✧✦✧

"Laurent. Fuck. Emilia, wake up."

My head hurt. And I couldn't breathe. There was something in my throat-

I leaned over to my side, coughing out water. I felt a hand pat my back in reassurance and was surprised to find Augustus.

With his shirt off.

"Are you alright?" Aurora asked.

I glanced over to her, now realizing that I was lying flat on my back in the middle of the deck of the cruise ship. Aurora was standing at my feet and everyone else was huddled around. Augustus was next to me, still with that concerned look on his face.

I sat up on my elbows, suddenly aware of the towel draped over my body and beneath where my head had laid.

"I'm so sorry, Emmy." Lacey bent down and gave me a hug. "I never would've asked you to jump if I knew..."

"It's fine, really." I gave her a small smile, but all I could think about was how scary the ocean was. And how I felt like a traitor by trying to enjoy it.

"It's not. When you hesitated, I should have stopped. I feel like an idiot."

"Me too," Aurora added. "We both feel so bad."

"It's fine," I repeated. "Can you just... go? I need to be alone."

I didn't miss the slight frowns that appeared on all of their faces, but they abided and left me alone. Augustus, however, wouldn't let me off that easily.

"Do you need help?" he asked from beside me as I attempted to stand up.

"I don't have a fucking concussion, Casen. I think I'll live."

He was quiet while I rewrapped the towel around my body and picked up the one laying at my head.

"We were all so scared, you know," he said quietly.

I raised my brow, motioning for him to go on.

"I watched you jump in. And I waited for you to come up to the surface, but you didn't."

"Did you jump in?" I asked, taking note of his wet hair.

He nodded.

"Thank you, then." I gave him a half-smile. "I guess I owe you my life."

"Anyone else would've done it, too. I just happened to be there." He shrugged, as if saving lives was part of his daily routine. "And Callum helped as well. You should thank him, too."

"I will." I nodded awkwardly. "Um, I should probably go back to the room."

"Right."

When I started walking toward where the rooms were on the ship, I noticed him following me.

"What are you doing?" I asked. "I'm not going to fall over, you know."

"I know. We share a room, remember?"