Trouble In Paradise

Chapter 12: Wave After Wave

Jessica's POV

"Chad!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. I tried swimming to him but adults blocked my way, telling me not to go after him. "Chad!" I screamed once more. I realised that I was crying. I struggled to break free from the adults' grip. But then my body became numb when I saw a wave that submerged the one boy that made her laugh. "No...." I whispered. His body surfaced. I nearly fainted when I saw his lifeless body drift away. She didn't even hear Joshua shouting, "- you please leave the beach." He then spoke softly with a group of staff members to do something. I didn't want to hear what they were saying. I just wanted to curl up in a ball and cry. 

Why did I goad him into swimming? This is all my fault. If he didn't swim, he would still be alive. I saw Maxwell hurried back to the resort, his head down looking at the sand. The adults released their grip on me and left the beach. I heard an engine revving its motors. I looked for the source of the sound through wet eyes. A speedboat roared to Chad's last known location. I had to leave, I couldn't bear seeing Chad in a body bag. I walked quickly away, not wanting to see this horror. I drifted towards the beach and my heart nearly shattered. Chad's flip flops were still on the beach.

Chad's flip flops.

I picked it up, hoping his memories will stay with me. I dragged my feet to the room.
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Before I opened the door, I heard someone crying in our room.

Maxwell.

I opened the door slowly and heard him stopped and sobbed softly. "Hey." I said, barely a whisper. I was rewarded with a whimper from Maxwell. This kid was hit hard with his friend's death. Even more than me. I strode towards him and hugged him. Poor guy. "Why such a good person?" He whispered. "It's not fair."
"Life isn't fair, Max." I said. He sniffed. His eyes were red and puffy from all the crying. The dried tears on my cheeks were still fresh with the pain of a loss. "Jess, can....... I ask you to do me a favour?" Maxwell said sadly.

"Of course. What do you need?"
"P.....p....promise you won't tell anyone?"
"I promise."
"I.....I....I.....man, how does this work?" He started crying again.
"Max, what's wrong?" I said, close to  tears as well.
"I liked Chad."
"I also did, Max. Both of us did."
He looked into my eyes and said, "No I mean that I..... I liked him." His eyes widened. "Oh God, I'm already saying it in the past tense." He cried even more.
"Wait, so you're....?"
"Yes. I'm gay. Anything else you want to make me feel ashamed of?"
"No, Max....."
"Don't Max me!" He barked. "It was your idea to make him swim, despite his fear."
"You were the one who felt sorry for him and made me persuade him to meet his death. Do you even know how I feel?!"

Maxwell just got up and went to the bedroom and slammed the door behind him. "Sulking won't bring him back ya know?" I said as loud as I could. I sat on the floor and curled up into a ball like a hedgehog and started thinking of all the good times we had with each other.

The past few days with him had been the best days of her life.