Overboard

Chapter Six

Authors Note: I'm so sorry I took so long to update this, I've been really busy lately, but it's here now and I really hope you like it! Please let me know what you think, and thank you so much for reading:) -Jordan x

My body sliced through the icy water, but I didn't go far under because I was still clinging to the inflated life boat for dear life. The water was dark, an inky black that made me uncomfortable, and it was so cold, so cold. There was a small amount of light from the cruise boat, but it was moving so quickly it wasn't going to last long.

"Harry!" I called out, dragging myself into the boat, shivering madly.

"Louis! Louis!" I heard Harry calling, desperation in his voice.

"Harry! Niall!" Louis yelped.

"Guys! Come towards me," I yelled, wrapping my arms around my shaking frame.

I heard what sounded like the boys thrashing in the water, then the boat began rocking as Harry pulled himself to safety. Louis wasn't far behind him, and the two boys pulled Niall up by his belt loops. 

"Thank god," I gasped when the three of them were on the boat, safe.

"Shit," one of them muttered.

It was then I noticed the light had faded, and I could barely make out the guys across from me. We were trapped, the cruise boat was moving to quickly to catch it and our voices wouldn't be heard over the loud music. We were sopping wet, freezing cold and stuck in the ocean with no food or water.

Shit was right.

***

I blinked open my eyes and sat up slowly, my head spinning and my stomach growling. I was so hungry, hopefully it wasn't too late in the morning for breakfast. 

My eyes widened and my breath hitched in my throat when I realized I wasn't in my bed, I wasn't in my room, I wasn't even on the boat. The past nights events flooded back to me, and I almost burst into tears. I thought it had just been a bad dream, but no, it was real. I had been lying beside Niall on a sandy shore, my head resting on his chest. He was still sleeping, a few quiet snores slipping through his lips every now and then.

I rose unsteadily to my feet, then looked down at my wedges and sat back down to take them off. Trying to walk on solid ground in them was hard enough, but on sand I would have snapped an ankle in no time. 

My dress was still slightly damp, clinging to my body, and it had a few small tears in it. I hitched it up at the waist and tied a knot in it so the hem sat around my knees instead of my ankles, then I stepped out from the shelter of trees the boys were sleeping under. I noticed that Harry and Louis were sleeping on the now deflated life boat, which made me smile slightly. They were a really beautiful couple, and when they finally came out a few months back, the support they got had brought tears to my eyes.

I smiled slightly at them before padding down to the water. It was cold as it ran over my bare feet, but it was a nice chill in comparison to the sun which was scorching my skin. I hugged myself, my hands rubbing small circles on my bare arms as I walked along the shore, careful not to lose sight of the boys. It looked like we'd washed up on some kind of island, but I didn't want to check it out alone, the thought of getting stuck somewhere and the boys not being able to find me made my stomach churn, so I wandered back to where they were sleeping.

I lowered myself down beside Niall, my heart racing as I realized it was all real, he was real and he was right there, beside me, asleep. Three of the biggest names in the world were sleeping around me, and I'd fallen asleep and used one of them as a pillow, which made my cheeks burn.

Niall stirred suddenly, his body turning and his eyelids fluttering. Slowly his beautiful blue eyes opened and he looked at me, then a smile spread across his face, which made me smile too. His smile disappeared as soon as it arrived though, and he sat up quickly, looking around.

"Jesus, where are we? Ahh, my head, shit," Niall groaned, putting his head in his hands.

"Are you okay? What's the matter?" I asked quickly, leaning forward to get a better view of his scrunched up face.

"I've got a killer headache, ugh I need coffee," he mumbled, which made me smirk.

"The headache's karma for getting so drunk you got us all stranded," I teased.

He looked at me, then across at Louis and Harry who were still fast asleep and he shook his head, smiling slightly. 

"You didn't have to jump in and save us," he noted.

"It was an accident actually, I didn't mean to end up in the water, but in a way I'm glad I did because at least I know you're all safe," I admitted, looking down at my hands.

"You saved us, if you hadn't have gotten to that life boat-" Niall cut himself off, letting out a deep sigh and looking over at me with teary eyes.

"Hey, no don't think like that. You're all okay, so don't even go there," I gasped, pulling him into my arms and hugging him tightly.

He nuzzled his head against my neck and hugged me back tightly, bringing butterflies to my stomach and making my heart beat faster. I didn't know whether it was the fact he was so famous that made me nervous, or that  he was just so gorgeous, but either way my hands were shaking as I rubbed small circles on his damp, sandy back.

"I uh, I think we should check this place out, see if anyone lives here, or maybe find some kind of food and fresh water," I said after a little while.

"Yeah, yeah," Niall nodded, pulling out of the hug. "I'll wake the lads up and tell them so they don't freak out."

I watched him crawl over to his sleeping band mates and gently shake them awake. Harry was the first to sit up, and Louis wasn't far behind him, jarred awake because his pillow had moved so suddenly. Niall explained everything to them, and I watched as their eyes widened with horror, not wanting to be in the situation they were in.

"Don't get lost," Harry called as Niall walked back over to me.

"We'll follow the shore, as long as you two don't go wandering we'll find you again," Niall said, taking my hand and walking me down the small sand hill and towards the water.

My cheeks burned at his gesture, and I couldn't stop smiling for a long time as we walked in silence through the low tide. We started curving eventually, following the waves around a large bend, but still all that was in sight was thickets of trees and dense bush that neither Niall or I wanted to go into quite yet.

"So, I didn't actually get a chance to know your name," Niall said suddenly.

I looked up at him, squinting slightly to avoid the brilliant shine from the sun which was hanging low in the clear sky.

"Kendall, I'm Kendall," I told him.

"Kendall," he repeated, and I shivered at the sound of my name slipping from his lips with an Irish tinge.

"I honestly don't think there are any people here," I said after another period of quiet.

"Hello!" Niall screamed, his voice carrying and echoing through the trees and shrubbery.

"Niall?" called back a very Louis sounding voice.

"I think you're right. We should get some sticks and leaves to make a fire, and something to make some kind of shelter," he sighed as we began walking again, our hands still intertwined.

"Alright, uh I'll wait out here for you," I mumbled.

"No way, if I end up lost I at least want to end up lost with you," Niall told me gently, squeezing my hand and making my heart race.

I nodded, and together we slowly walked towards the lining of trees and bushes. I wasn't going to be any help with building a shelter, but from books I'd read and movies I'd seen, I knew how to get fresh water and what would be safe to eat. Yeah, we were stranded with no way to make contact with anyone other than each other, but at least we had each other, and common sense.