after the death of her mother, leighton's father sends her to a boarding school halfway across the world to be taught a lesson. she knows no one and no one knows her.
but the cherry on top is who her roommate is.
#2 in ptsdawareness
#2 in anxiety
#...
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The ocean is a beast today, wild and unrelenting as I paddle out with Bailey just ahead of me.
She's laughing, carefree, like she belongs out here in the chaos. Her blonde hair, wet and tangled, flicks over her shoulder as she glances back at me, grinning wide before turning to catch a wave with perfect ease.
The way she rides it, cutting through the water, it's like she's in control of this whole raging sea.
I wish I felt the same.
My chest tightens as I glance over my shoulder at the wave that's building behind me. It's massive, towering above me, and it's coming fast. Too fast. My heart pounds, my hands grip the edge of my board, but I know I won't make it over in time.
"Lei! Let's go!" Bailey shouts, but her voice is distant over the roar of the ocean.
The wave crashes into me before I can react, swallowing me whole.
The impact hits like a truck, knocking the wind out of me. I'm ripped off my board, tumbling into the icy depths. Cold water fills my ears, my nose, my mouth, as I'm dragged deeper and deeper, flipping in every direction.
There's no up or down anymore. Just endless dark water pulling me farther from the surface.
My mind panics, instincts kicking in as I thrash against the current, but it's useless.
The ocean is stronger.
My body is weightless, tossed around like nothing, and my limbs grow heavy. Everything is muffled now—the roar of the waves above, Bailey's laughter fading into nothing, the desperate pounding of my heart.
I don't know how long I've been under.
Seconds? Minutes? Hours?!
Time stretches, bends, slows, and in the quiet stillness, my mind begins to drift. My thoughts settle on one thing, one person.
Kai.
His face appears in the darkness, clear as day, like he's right here with me.
Why is it him? I can picture him so vividly—his dark, unruly hair falling into his eyes, that crooked smile he flashes when he knows he's driving me crazy.
I can hear his voice, steady and warm, saying my name like he always does when he's trying to calm me down.
No matter what I try to do, no matter how many times I've pushed him away, he's always there, pulling me back. Even now, as I sink deeper into the ocean, I can feel him reaching for me, tethering me to something real. Something that feels safe.
My lungs burn, screaming for air, but all I can think about is how wrong I've been.
How I've been lying to myself, pretending like I don't care, like he doesn't matter. But in this moment, as I'm suspended here, helpless and sinking, I know the truth.
