Introverted Hearts // Josh Dun

chapter twenty nine :: i feel like i'm drowning

"Josh!" She wailed as the partygoers continued with their chant.

"Three!"

CJ felt her ankles and wrist slip out from the boys' grasps.

Everything went in slow motion for both of them.

Josh dropped everything and ran as fast as he could to the pool, pushing through the crowd.

CJ tried to scream, but the chlorinated water filled her lungs, silencing any call for help that she could have gotten out.

"CJ!" Josh called as she hit the water and began drowning in the deep end.

When she did not come up, Josh jumped in after a panicking CJ, not worrying about the stinging in his eyes from the chemicals in the pool. 

The second he got to her was the second she gave in to the water and her inability to swim. She hit the bottom of the fifteen foot deep pool, air bubbles forming from her nose and mouth.

Josh grabbed her by her arms and began pulling her up with all of his strength. Once he got to the surface, he took a deep breath and pushed her into the patio past the grouting.

The people who were once groping her and chanting now watched with scared eyes and quiet mouths.

He lifted himself up from the water and stayed on his knees, leaning over his girlfriends' body. He quickly turned her on her side and began patting her back.

"C'mon," he whispered. "Wake up baby."

He pushed her hair from her face, still patting her back. "I'm right here, J," he whispered as he began tearing up. "Wake up baby. I need you to wake up."

He flipped her on her back and put his ear up to her chest, trying to feel her breathing.

However, he began panicking when he didn't feel her chest rising and falling.

"No." Josh whispered to himself.

He had no idea what he was doing, but he placed his left palm on her chest, then put his right over his left and began rhythmically pressing down.

"Come on, Carmen Jayce," he whispered. "You have to wake up and yell at me for calling you by your name." His voice cracked.

"Somebody call 911." He heard a girl behind him say.

"You got her into this mess!" Josh yelled through tears. "You all saw what was happening and promoted it!"

Everybody was silent as Josh sniffled and talked to CJ as if his words would wake her up. "We can go home a-and listen to Lorde o-or watch toy story again," he let out a quiet sob. "To infinity and beyond, remember?" He heaved. "You have to stay with me. To infinity and beyond."

Josh did not want to give up on his girlfriend, but his efforts were leading to nothing.

Rather than continuing, he placed his hands on her cheeks and put his forehead to hers.

"Don't leave me baby," he whimpered. "You can't leave me alone."

He settled next to her with his left hand on her right cheek, making sure that she was facing him.