Love at First Wave

Part 3: Friendship and a Splash of Revenge

As soon as Sam found out what had happened to Layla, she didn't waste a second. With determination in her stride, she made her way to Layla's room. Their friendship had always been solid, built on years of laughter, inside jokes, and shared adventures. If anyone knew how to make Layla feel better, it was Sam.

When Sam reached the door, she didn't bother knocking. She barged in with her usual exuberance, her eyes scanning the room until they landed on Layla, who was lounging on the bed with a small, sheepish smile.

"There she is, my favorite disaster!" Sam exclaimed, hands on her hips, though her tone was soft with affection. "You okay, Layla? I heard about your little swim."

Layla chuckled, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, thanks to Ethan. I guess I made quite the splash."

Sam snorted, plopping down beside her on the bed. "Trust you to turn a party into a dramatic rescue scene. Only you, Layla."

"Hey, it wasn't my fault!" Layla protested, though she couldn't help but laugh. "I was minding my own business when some girl practically shoved me in."

Sam's smile faded into something softer. "Still, you had me worried for a second there. You're not exactly a mermaid, Layla. You could've gotten hurt."

Layla sighed, feeling the warmth of her friend's concern. "I know. I kind of freaked out, honestly. But Ethan was there... he pulled me out before I could even think."

Sam gave her a knowing look, nudging her with her shoulder. "Speaking of Ethan... what's going on there? That was more than just a rescue."

Layla groaned, covering her face with her hands. "Don't start."

"Oh, I'm starting," Sam teased, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Come on, Layla, spill. You two have had this whole will-they-won't-they thing going on forever. And now, after a pool rescue and a kiss? This is rom-com material!"

Layla peeked at her through her fingers, her cheeks flushing. "It was... it was nice," she admitted, her voice quiet. "But I don't know, Sam. It's complicated."

Sam leaned back, crossing her arms. "It's only complicated if you make it complicated. Look, if you like him, just go for it. You deserve someone who makes you feel like you're the only person in the room. And judging by the way Ethan looks at you, he's definitely feeling the same."

Layla sighed, her heart warmed by her friend's words. "Maybe you're right. It's just... scary, you know?"

Sam wrapped an arm around Layla's shoulders, pulling her close. "That's what I'm here for. To remind you that you're tougher than you think. Plus, if he ever messes with your heart, I've got a whole crew ready to back you up."

Layla laughed, resting her head against Sam's shoulder. "What would I do without you?"

"Crash more parties, apparently," Sam replied with a grin. "Now, how about we forget about all the drama for a bit and focus on enjoying the rest of this trip? We can talk more about Ethan later."

"Deal," Layla agreed, feeling the weight on her chest lighten just a bit.

They sat there for a moment, just enjoying the quiet comfort of their friendship, before Sam jumped up with her usual energy.

"Alright, I'm off to round up some snacks. You stay here and rest that ankle of yours. Don't think for a second that I'm letting you get away with skipping out on the fun."

Layla smiled, feeling grateful for Sam's unwavering presence in her life. "You got it, captain."

As Sam left the room, Layla leaned back on the bed, her thoughts swirling between the events of the night and the steady reassurance of her best friend's support.

As Sam left Layla's room, she made her way back to the party, determined and sharp-eyed. She already knew who had pushed Layla into the pool, and payback was on the horizon. Scanning the crowd, Sam spotted the girl by the pool's edge, chatting with her friends, looking far too pleased with herself.

Without hesitation, Sam marched over. The girl didn't even have a chance to react before Sam gave her a hard shove, sending her flailing into the water with a loud, satisfying splash. As the girl gasped for air, Sam stood over her, arms crossed, her expression innocent.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "I guess accidents happen. You really should be more careful around the edge."

The girl sputtered and glared, but Sam didn't bother sticking around to hear her protest. She turned on her heel and strolled toward the bar, feeling rather victorious.

Reaching the bar, Sam grabbed some snacks and drinks for herself and Layla. As she turned to head back, she spotted Ethan leaning casually against the bar, a drink in his hand. His eyes met hers, a playful glint in them.

"Hey," Sam said as she stopped in front of him. "Thanks for helping Layla earlier. I'm really glad you were there."

Ethan smiled, his usual cocky charm softened by genuine sincerity. "No problem. She looked like she needed a hand, and I wasn't about to let her go under."

Sam gave him a grateful nod. "Well, I appreciate it. Layla's not exactly a fan of deep water. You saved her from a real mess."

Ethan chuckled. "She's tougher than she looks. But that little revenge stunt you just pulled off? That was brilliant."

Sam smirked, raising an eyebrow. "You saw that?"

"Hard to miss," Ethan replied, shaking his head with a grin. "Nice work. That girl definitely had it coming."

"Thanks," Sam said, her grin widening. "I figured she could use a little taste of her own medicine. You don't mess with my friends."

Ethan raised his drink in a toast. "Good to know. Layla's lucky to have someone like you watching her back."

Sam clinked her drink against his, feeling the camaraderie grow. "We look out for each other. She's family."

Ethan nodded thoughtfully, his smile warm. "Well, she's got the best team around. You've got some serious loyalty, Sam. It's... impressive."

Sam blinked, taken slightly aback by the compliment. "Impressive, huh?" she teased, a playful light in her eyes.

"Yeah," Ethan said, his voice more sincere than usual. "You're a good friend. Layla's lucky."

Sam gave a small, appreciative smile. "Thanks, Ethan. That means a lot."

With that, she gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder and started to walk away, but not before throwing one last playful comment over her shoulder. "Oh, and if you ever need tips on how to win her over, you know where to find me."

Ethan laughed, shaking his head. "I'll keep that in mind."

Sam smiled to herself as she walked back to Layla's room, feeling good about the conversation. She knew Ethan genuinely cared about Layla, and that made her feel a little better about the whole situation.

To Be Continued......