I slap my hand against the poolside, marking the end to the realm of our competition. Winded in the attempt, I fix my hair from my eyes, no doubt expecting the pouting twenty-five-year-old to proposition me for another round.
I whip my head for her, and a cold shiver shoots down my spine, mingling with the beads of sweat on my forehead. I scan the pool's wave-like surface, desperate for the sight of her. Panic grips my chest like a vice, squeezing tighter with each second. I don't see her.
Her float is there. But no Abbie.
A barreled pang strikes at my ribs. The minor thought of Abbie drowning claws in my mind, filling me with pure dread. Horror flashes in my eyes as I frantically pace. The pounding of blood in my ears drowns out all other sounds as I swim toward the exact spot where I last laid eyes on her, finding no trace.
I ascend, breaching for air, and it's rough in my lungs as I shout, "Where is Abbie?!" With pain evident in my voice, everyone's awareness seizes.
A hush falls over the pool grounds as everyone becomes aware of the missing swimmer. Above, Psyra drops her phone over her shoulder and stalks anyone who may have seen her friend, my expressive howl conveying what we fear.
Diving straight back to the depths, I free the forces I held back from our race to scour its shadowy bottom.
It's too fucking dark down here. Aesthetics aside, making a swimming pool pitch-black is the most absurd design choice possible.
"Kaiser! We could lose you too!" Astor, our lifeguard, decides now's the best time to convey that tidbit. My mind races, vowing to drag his head under and keep his ass there if Abbie isn't safe.
She was right beside me—she was right fucking beside me and gaining momentum.
As much as I can't stand the fuckboy right now, Gus's right. My heart is pounding at near-light speed, and it's not helping her if I can't get it together.
As heat consumes every inch of my body, I burst up for air and slam my fist at the pool's surface. I draw in a deep breath before diving back in. My hands thrash through the depths, creating a whirlpool. My throat dries in the darkening waters, but the lights beneath turn on, assuredly from JP's intervention above.
Time stands as fear threatens to restrain me. The minute I find her silhouette, my stomach plummets to my feet. Images of her shadowed form from the auditorium and our encounter flash behind my eyes. Heart-shattering devastation pierces my soul. My blood runs cold, and it takes everything in me not to break into a wail in the depths.
Abbie, no! Fuck no! Not her!
Abbie's hand is stretching up toward her lifesaver. Her once lustrous black hair tangles with the water, and the vibrant glow that adorned her face has faded.
My chest squeezes from her eyes—the light that danced within those big mischievous brown orbs drew me in like a moth to a flame. They're extinguished, leaving a hollowness that sends a hard shiver through my spine.
Moments later, Melanie and Grace, one of her friends, yank us both up, but not without a fight from me.
Grace's movements are efficient enough for me to believe that she'll reach Abbie's unconscious form. She's faster and hauls her up within seconds.
Without another thought, I avoided Melanie's grab and cut through the water to the girls with renewed urgency.
Nearly above, my arms scarf around Abbie's limp shoulders, pulling her close. Waves crash against us as I fight against the water's resistance, refusing to let it claim her.
YOU ARE READING
My Valentine's Virus
Romance*This is a draft of my dual narration POV featuring male and female ego-driven protagonists on the path to destroy each other's lives. Princess_User24. I never imagined I'd come face to face with the world's top hacker, Xalton Kaiser, and certainly...
