Author's Note
In celebration of Amazon Prime Video's newest series Panic, I am thrilled to be teaming up with Amazon Prime Video and Wattpad to write this exclusive chapter that puts my characters from this story into the world of Panic!
I hope this chapter intrigues and inspires you to learn more about Panic. Visit the #PanicWritingContest on Wattpad for the chance to put your creative writing chops to the test and learn more about the show!
To find out more about the contest, prizes, and how to enter, check out the #PanicWritingContest here: wattpad.com/AmazonPrimeVideo
Don't forget to watch the series premiere on May 28th, only on Amazon Prime Video, here: http://primevideo.com/
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MY PHONE BUZZES against my thigh as I shift in the passenger seat of Greyson's Jeep. It's warm between my fingers as I flip it over and spot Stevie's name on the screen.
"Who is it?" Greyson asks, peering at me out of the side of his eye when I sit up and turn in my seat to search for Felix's car behind us.
"Stevie," I tell him before accepting the call and bring the phone to my ear. "Hey Vee, what's up?" I ask, tapping my toes against the seat as I hug my leg closer to my chest.
"Hey," she says. "Something is going on with Felix's car. It's making a weird noise so we're going to pull over and check it out."
"Okay, we'll pull over, too." I gesture for Greyson to pull over into the shoulder. "Something's up with Felix's car. They're pulling over."
"Look!" Isla leans forward between the seats, lifting her arm up to point out the sign on the side of the road. "There's a town coming up at the next exit," she says. "Carp, Texas. Tell them to meet u there. If it's something big, they'll probably have a mechanic that can take a look."
I bob my head in agreement and press the phone back to my ear. "There's a turn off coming up for Carp, Texas. We can meet there and take a look?"
"Sounds good," Vee says. "We'll see you in a few."
"See you," I say, ending the call before resting the phone against the seat again. "Okay, they're going to meet us there. Hopefully it's nothing major."
"It's probably just overheated," Jonas says as he shifts in his seat and presses the top of his shoe into the base of my seat.
"Let's hope so."
With our second semester done, Isla and I decided a road trip was in order. And after getting Stevie, Felix, Jonas and Greyson on board—the six of us piled into two separate cars and embarked on a journey across the country. Our end goal being Florida to meet up with Emmy at her grandparents beach house. Her job keeping her from spending the extra time driving there, instead opting to fly a few days later to meet us there.
Greyson pulls over when we reach the small town, pulling up outside the old theatre sign. A few minutes later, Felix's car pulls up behind us and we climb out to greet them. My legs aching as I stretch them out, leaning against Isla as I stretch out my back.
Jonas and Greyson wander over to Felix's car as he lifts the hood, the three peeking inside to find the source of the problem as Stevie skips over to join us.
"You know, I've actually heard of this town," Isla says as she leans into the side of Greyson's Jeep. "One of my classmates did a presentation about the so-called history of this place."
"Which is?" Jonas asks as he steps back from the open hood, wiping his hands along his jean shorts. Felix drops the hood closed and moves to stand at Stevie's side as Greyson's arm drapes around me, pulling me to stand in front of him. My lips curl up as I reach for his hand, tangling our fingers together as I lean into his chest.
"It was a game the graduated seniors would play throughout the summer," she explains. "There'd be challenges that earned them points and by the end of the summer, whoever had the most points would get the pot of money they collected throughout the school year. They called it Panic."
"You're joking, right?" Stevie asks. "That doesn't sound real, Isla."
She shrugs. "I don't know. It could all be bullshit, but if it's teal, it all started at the swimming hole. It was the first challenge each year as a way to show what graduates were partaking. Everything was very hush hush, too. No one knew when the next challenge would start and the judges would announce them through hidden hints around town. You miss the hint and you're out."
"That sounds fun," Jonas says, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Of course, you'd think that." Greyson laughs, his chest vibrating against my back. "You're a daredevil."
I roll my eyes. "Did you figure out what's wrong with your car?"
"Yeah," Felix says, stepping away from Stevie. "I need to grab some coolant."
"I'll come with you," Jonas says. "I think we saw a hardware store on our way in. We could probably walk that way and grab it while the rest of you explore."
"We should try to find the swimming hole," Isla suggests with a big grin.
"And why would we do that?" I ask, hooking my arm through Greyson's as we move away from his car and down the sidewalk. "How about food first?"
"How about no?" Stevie asks with a grin as she skips ahead of us, spotting an older man stepping out from the bank on the main street. "Excuse me, sir," she says, stopping just in front of him. "Could you point us in the direction of the swimming hole?"
"Just follow this road down towards the farm," he says, pointing in the direction. "It'll be on your left hand side."
"Perfect. Thank you," she says before turning back to us. "Up for a little adventure?"
"I'm in," Greyson says next to me and my lips curl up as I reluctantly nod my head in agreement to go with them.
Isla is immediately in as we head back to the car, finding Felix and Jonas who are already back from the hardware store with a jug of coolant in hand. Jonas leans into the headlight as Felix pops the hood back open. "We know where the swimming hole is," Isla tells him and Jonas' lips turn up as he stand a little taller."
"Let me guess," I say as I look at him. "You want to take the jump, too?"
"I'm always up for a challenge." Jonas grins. "You of all people know this, Robyn."
I roll my eyes and peek over at Greyson who looks just as amused, if not more than Jonas at the idea of free falling to our deaths. "What is it with you people and wanting to jump off a cliff?" I ask, wrapping my arms around my waist for my own protection.
"It's only to our deaths if we miss the water," Felix says, not even looking at me as he pours the coolant in.
"Morbid," Isla says before grinning. "I like it."
Felix's grin matches her as he drops the hood and turns to the rest of us. "Shall we?"
Stevie moves to wrap her arm around his waist as the rest of us take a step back towards Greyson's car. He grabs the door handle for the passenger door and pull it open, letting me climb in before shutting it as he moves around the front to climb into the driver's seat. Felix pulls out first and we are quick to follow.
"You know, this is going to be fun." Isla leans forward, nudging Jonas' knee as she scoots in between the console. "I've always wanted to go cliff jumping."
"Okay, who said we were actually jumping?" I ask, twisting to look at her.
"We all know that we're jumping, Rob." He nudges my bicep with his elbow as I lean into the console between us. "It'll be fun."
"Listen to Greyson," Jonas says. "The boy is wise."
"Yeah, yeah." I shake my head as the swimming hole comes into view, exactly where the man on main street told us it would be. A farm just a little further down the road while the swimming hole is tucked away with a tall row of cliffs just ready to be jumped off of. "That's really high."
"There's a smaller jump there." Jonas points to where he's talking and then grins at me. "Much more reasonable."
"Oh, yeah! Much!" I roll my eyes as I climb out and head toward Stevie and Felix. "Okay, tell me you don't actually want to jump off that thing."
"It'll be fun," Stevie says.
I narrow my eyes. "Where is my best friend and what have you done with her?"
"What are you talking about?"
"The Vee I know and love is afraid of everything."
She laughs and shakes her head at me. "I am not."
"Are so," I argue.
"Okay, let's calm down," Jonas says, draping his arm around each of our shoulders. "We're going to jump and it's going to be fun. Isla, fill us in on the rest of this place's history."
Isla perks up at the thought of getting to share more of the story, turning to face the rest of us. "According to the article, the jump was always the start of the summer challenges. Depending on where you jumped determined how many points you were getting. The lookout gave a hundred points to join, high-point was an extra twenty-five on top and devil's drop," she says and points to the highest peak. "Was an extra fifty and immunity from one challenge that summer."
"We could make this a game of our own," Jonas suggests. "Could be fun to do a little adrenaline chasing this trip. Whoever gets the most points by the time we get to Florida wins."
"Wins what?" I ask.
"A hundred dollars from each of the losers?" Felix offers a prize, peering at each of us to see if there are any protests.
"I'm in." Greyson steps up first. "what's our point system here?"
"Why not just follow what they supposedly did?" Stevie asks. "A hundred points for joining off the lookout, twenty-five extra for high-point and fifty for devil's drop?"
"Sounds good to me!" Jonas doesn't wait before lifting the hem of his back short-sleeve up and over his head, leaving him in his jean shorts. Without a second thought, he runs toward the hill leading up to the jump and leaves the rest of us to watch.
"Be careful, man!" Felix calls out after him.
"Where do you think he's going?" Isla asks as she sits on the picnic table set up at the edge of the water.
"Highest he can go, I imagine," Greyson says as he leans into the table next to her and opens his arms to wrap me in them. I take his offer with ease and rest back into his chest as his arms wrap around my waist.
"Of course, he would." Stevie rolls her eyes before cupping her hands around her mouth. "No need to show off, Jonas! We all know you're an idiot."
"Think you can do better, Malibu?" he shouts back as he reaches high-point. "I'll jump here if you want to one up me."
"You're scared!" she shouts back and jumps up from the picnic table. She fixes the hem of her top as she heads up to follow him, shedding her shorts in a pile with Jonas' shirt as he shouts out a cheer and dives into the water.
We all shout in encouragement as he breaks the surface and swims backwards as Stevie hurries passed the high-point and heads to devil's drop, specifically to show-up Jonas and prove she can hold her own with the boys. My heart hammers in my chest as I tighten my grasp on Greyson's forearm, clinging to him.
"Be careful, Vee!" Isla shouts.
"You don't have to do this," Felix yells, standing a little taller as he watches her from the highest point of the cliff. He steps forward, his fists balling up as fear creeps onto his features.
I watch as Stevie rolls her shoulders back, not daring to look over the peak as she steps back and runs her free hand through her hair. It takes her a second for her to work up the courage before she turns and moves further down, and without a second of hesitation, runs towards the edge and leaps into the air. A shout falls from her lips as she falls toward the water, preparing for the drop. She hits the water with a small splash and when she doesn't return to the surface, worry creeps into my throat.
"Jonas!" I call out, but he's already swimming towards her. He's almost there when she breaks the surface with a laugh and holds one arm up in triumph.
Cheers fall from our lips in excitement for her safe return to the surface. One by one we take our turns heading up the hill to take our jumps and start our summer of challenges. Greyson heads to high-point while Felix and Isla opt out for the lookout. Felix not willing to risk injuring himself before the start of his next season.
"Come on, Rob!" Greyson calls from the water. "Your turn."
"Yeah, yeah!" I wave him off, taking a deep breath of air as I peer over the look-outs edge. My fear of heights creeping in as I lean my head back, psyching myself up to take the plunge. "Okay, I can do this," I say.
"Yeah, you can!" Stevie excitedly hypes me up from her spot in the water. Any of them yet to leave the water.
I close my eyes and shake out my hands as the panic creeps into my throat. With one last deep breath, I open my eyes and run forward. A scream falls from my lips as I leap into our summer of fun.