Our Last Summer

Chapter 35, Unpredicted Ambush

(No POV)

They left the apartment for the event. Their anxiety was spiking. There were so many unanswered questions in their minds and they had no idea how they were going to find this piece of Mana. Everyone was counting on them for this crystal. Ethan was counting on them to find it. If they didn't find it, they had no idea what they were going to do. They would drive themselves to the ground with guilt and terrible thoughts of how they're terrible friends. They would never forgive themselves if they didn't find this crystal to save Ethan.

They walked down to the party and Kristine explained the plan one last time before departing to recruit some people for a small army. It wasn't quite dark yet and there was no strong feeling of power pulling at them yet. It made no sense to any of them how they would know or feel this random crystal. They were just expected to find it without any more explanation. Ayanna felt terribly for them. She wanted to help them in any way that she could, but she didn't know how to find it either, and her research said that the individual powers had to come and pull the crystal from the ground. She was worried about her son too. She wanted to get him to safety, but the only way she could was to throw him into danger.

Tyler was the first to disperse from the group, which made Danielle look at the girls. It was a look that signalized the man she was keeping an eye on was walking away. She had to leave also. Then next to walk off were Jason and Madelyn. Then Noah and Caroline. Kaeo walked away on his own, feeling defeated.

Tyler made his way to the bar, trying to give himself some liquid courage before he went through with his plan. He's going to be betraying Danielle just like Ethan had done to her. It was going to hurt him, but possibly hurt her to the point where she won't trust any of the boys anymore. Danielle wanted liquid courage for finding the crystal and making sure that she babysat Tyler nicely so that he did not succeed in carrying through with his plan. She followed him to the bar and silently sat on the stool next to him. He wanted as much time with her as he could before he threw himself in the face of danger and possibly never see her again. He might never speak to her again after this, but at least she would have Ethan back. That was his mindset, although, he didn't know what they were going to do about the emotionless monster Rebecca turned him into.

"We're cutting ourselves off after two." He told her once the bartender gave them both a shot of tequila. She nodded, grabbing the clear liquid while he mirrored her actions.

"We need a clear mind if we're going to get this crystal..." She said, looking up at him with a questioning look. "Then we can all get a good night's sleep to save Ethan together."

"Yep." He said. He was always the best liar.

"One last adventure until we go home and this is all over." She said, purposely trying to guilt-trip him into speaking up about his plan with the boys. He was smarter than that. He raised his shot glass to her, indicating he wanted to cheer. She clanked her glass against his and they took the shot. He took it with ease, but she coughed a little.

"Another round." He said to the bartender, who took their glasses and replaced them with new ones, filling them to the brim with the damaging liquid. "Danielle..."

"You know, you've seemed to be distant after the night at the carnival." She interrupted. She grabbed her glass and watched the liquid move in the glass while she spun it. "Did I scare you off?" She smirked up at him.

"N-no." He said hesitantly.

"We never talked about what we were going to be after that." Whatever he was guilty about, she was going to get it out of him. "It's up to you, remember?"

"If it was up to me, then you would be with Ethan right now." His words shocked her. She raised her eyebrow, trying not to show him she was hurt by his words. He looked at her with seriousness. "I'm not as bad of a man as I make it seem. I know who you need and it's not me."