Free Falling

prologue

A/N Hello fellow Wattpadians!

Welcome to my newest story! For those of you who have read my other stories, you might notice that this one is radically different from any of the other ones that I've written before this. I hope you guys like it. Leave any comments or questions that you might have on this chapter and I will do my best to respond to them ASAP. PMs are totally welcome as well and I'll usually respond in a day or two (at most). Stay awesome!

Percy

*

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Elise, look at my face. Do I look like a man who doesn't have his mind made up?"

"You look like a man who's about to have his neck snapped in half."

Sebastian levelled a flat look at his sister. "You're such a pessimist." He sighed. "Look, think about it this way: if I die, you get half my stuff."

The twins stood on the edge of the cliff, peering down at the dark blue ocean beneath. The water sparkled like a million jewels as the waves crashed against the rocks, creating froths of white bubbles. A warm breeze circled around them, caressing their skin and tugging gently at their hair.

"You're insane, Seb." Elise wrapped her arms around herself, shaking her head. Her blue eyes shone with worry behind her thick-framed glasses. "This is insane. Mum and dad are gonna be so mad when they find out."

"Then don't tell them." Her brother was already taking his shirt off and kicking his shoes away. "What they don't know won't hurt them."

"But what if you injure yourself?"

"I won't. Fucking hell, Elise, stop worrying. I'll be fine. Honest."

"I won't take care of you if you become a quadriplegic," Elise said in a warning tone. "I'll just stand at your bedside and crow about how I told you so."

"To be honest, even if I don't become a quadriplegic, I'd probably lose the will to live if I have to hear you nagging at me every day."

"Seb, you're a fucking dick."

"That is true."

"And rude and ridiculously reckless."

"True and true again." Sebastian stood on the edge and glanced down at the water below. Before his sister could launch into a monologue to criticise him, Sebastian grinned, gave her a wave and leapt into the air.

His sister's shriek followed him as he plunged headfirst into the waves.

As his body entered the water, the shock of how cold it felt rendered him motionless for a moment before he resurfaced. He could taste the salt on his lips and now it felt as if it was running through his veins. He shook the water out of his eyes and waved at his sister who was yelling.

"What?" He cupped a hand to his ear. "I can't hear you over all the fun that I'm having!"

"Sebastian Henry Crawley, firstly, fuck you. Secondly, get the hell out of the water! Mum's calling me and I don't know what to tell her if she asks where..."

Ignoring her, Sebastian let himself slowly float on his back in the water. It was calming and peaceful and best of all, he couldn't hear his sister nagging while he remained in this position. It was thrilling to feel the way his muscles relaxed and the way the sun warmed his face and arms. From this position, he could see the white clouds floating in the sky- like bits of cotton dotting a blue canvas. Everything felt perfect.

Too perfect.

His sister was screaming but this time, despite him ensuring that his head was out of the water, he couldn't hear her. And that was when he realized what was wrong.

The tide was drawing him out, away from the cliff and the coast line. He started moving his arms and legs faster, panic beginning to set in. Blood roared past his ears, making it impossible to hear anything besides the rapid beating of his heart. He couldn't breathe, couldn't think. The water was pulling him out. There was nothing he could do.

He looked up at Elise. She was still screaming.

Elise was right. She always was. This was a mistake.

Sebastian opened his mouth to yell something, but whatever he meant to say died on the tip of his tongue as something smashed into his head. Pain splintered through his brain and rocketed down his spine before his entire world was thrown into darkness.