Love in Dangerous Waters

Chapter 29 - Ocean Attack and Beach Fight

I woke up refreshed, feeling way better then yesterday. At least it was the weekend, so I could focus on more fun things instead of school and musical and things like that. This was my break; I was allowed to relax, right?

I stretched slowly as I sat up, yawning widely as I looked out the window, seeing the morning ocean. I know it was cold outside, but I still wanted to go swimming. It was a way to clear my head.

I stood up and exited my room, almost running into a smaller girl in the process. "Oh, sorry." I said, but then saw it was Molly. Sorry I almost ran into you. I signed, rubbing my hands so I could warm them up.

It's ok. She signed back, waving and heading down the stairs for breakfast. I almost followed her, but from the corner of my eye, I saw Danny standing outside his door.

"Hey Danny!" I greeted as he approached me. "You want to go swimming today?"

"Not today." He replied, turning my smile into a frown. "I have other plans."

"Other plans?" I asked, and he nodded. "Like what?"

"Just… plans." He replied, moving past me and going downstairs fast. I shook my head and followed him, determined to find out what was wrong. He never turned down swimming. Something was seriously wrong.

"Danny!" I called, moving past the people that were blocking me from him, shuffling past them and almost getting ran over by Ms. Peterson.

"What, going to musical rehearsal?" She shot at me, but I glared and kept going. I didn't see what her problem was either.

"Danny!" I called as he came into my sights again, and it took me everything I had to get to him, my hand clinging to his wrist. "Hey, would you stop for a second?"

"I don't have a second." Danny growled, ripping his hand from me.

"What's going on, Danny?" I cried, looking around for the one person who was missing. "Did Dillon do something to you?"

"No." He replied automatically. "Now would you please stop? I have places to be."

"You never have places to be. Tell me what's going on." I ordered, slamming my foot down in demand.

He turned around to stare at me, but shook his head. "Okay, know what? I don't have places to be. But I'll see you at lunch, okay? I just need to work some things out."

I gave up on trying to understand, and let him be on his way. "Fine, whatever. Don't tell me what your problem is."

"Lily-" I heard him start as I headed off, sick of his crap. If he wanted to tell me, he would tell me. Apparently he has better things to do with his time.

"I'll just wait until lunch." I told myself as I headed back up to my room to go for a swim. I changed into my swimsuit and snuck downstairs and to the back, opening and shutting the door quietly as I stepped outside. Once I was off the steps, I sprinted to the metal fence, slipping through the bars and sprinting to the beach, feeling the sand between my toes and I leapt into the water. I splashed up and breathed, wiping the hair from my face. I smiled as I swam out, leaving all my worries behind on the shore. I had until lunch, which was long enough for me.

"Hello, Aqua." I heard a voice from under me, and I swam back as I recognized the black-tailed figure. "Oh please, there's no need for that."

"You tricked me, Lucille." I stated, calling for Dillon, but she sucked me under, but I could still breathe. "What did you do?"

"Relax, you have gills." She told me, and I ran my hand over my neck, feeling the gashes that didn't hurt. "And of course I tricked you. But that's not why I'm here."

"They're searching for you. They'll know eventually that you fled here." I growled, standing my ground. "And soon, so will Dillon."

"Oh, the merboy who followed you?" She laughed sinisterly, mocking my words. "I wouldn't be too hopeful about him."

"And why not?" I shot back, feeling my anger boil up in me.

"Look, I'm not here to talk about him. There are more important matters." She stated, swimming closer to me as I swam for the surface, but she pulled me down. "You see, the place you live in, Antastica? It would mean my world if you handed it over to me."

"And why would I do that?" I growled, trying to jerk away, but couldn't. "I doubt my parents would just hand it over like that."

"Oh they wouldn't." She stated, pulling my ankle as we sank to the very bottom, where we touched the seaweed and the sand. "But you would."

"And why would I do that?" I snapped, digging my hands into the sand and pulling back, scooting away from her.

"Simple." She smirked, swimming fast and close to my face. "Because I can kill anyone you love."

All my thoughts of everyone I ever cared about rushed into my head, making my anger reach its peak. "No…" I trailed off as my brain thought of ways around it, but none came to mind. "You wouldn't dare."

"Oh, yes I would. And if Antastica isn't under my ruling, your parents, your friends, your sister- dead." She stated as I heard the water splash, and Dillon was above me, reaching and attacking her, and they went into complete rage.

"Get away from her!" Dillon screamed as I tried to swim away, but a hand was around my ankle, pulling me down. "Aqua, go!"

"I'm trying!" I whimpered as I pulled myself back and pried the arm from my ankle and swam for shore, but I still saw Dillon behind me, fighting her off. I felt helpless because I wasn't fighting her, but she could kill me, and she probably made the same threat to my parents. I swam to the surface and the markings on my neck disappeared, and swam for shore, standing up weakly. Why was everyone getting into danger because of me?

"Dillon!" I cried out to the still ocean, feeling the water wash past my ankles as the waves hit the shore. "Oh my God, Dillon!"

"What's going on?" I heard a voice behind me, and I whipped around to see Danny, approaching me. "Where's Dillon?"

"He's out there!" I cried, pointing to the ocean. "Dillon's out there!"

Danny snapped his head out to the ocean. "You've got to be kidding me." He muttered and jumped in, swimming out into the ocean. He dove under and came back up with Dillon, who was breathing hard and looked weak as Danny carried him back, and he crippled onto the shore.

"Oh my God, Dillon!" I cried as I fell to the ground, turning him over on his back. "You could've died!"

"What was going on out there?" Danny asked as Dillon started coughing.

"There was some sort of… creature… out there." Dillon answered for me, sitting up. "And it attacked Aqua."

"Her name is Lily." Danny said slowly, but snapped at my name. "Stop interfering with our life!"

"She's part of my life now!" He screamed as Danny lunged for him, landing and rolling around on the sand, punching each other as if they were mere objects. The two teenage guys in my life, my brother and my bodyguard… fighting it out for me.

"Stop it!" I cried as they rolled into the ocean, Dillon dunking his head in the water, keeping there until the wave rolled back. "Dillon!"

"You no-good, lying, destructive human!" Dillon screamed as his head was back under the water, and I ran to the water and shoved him off as Danny's head shot up, breathing hard.

"Stop it!" I screamed at both of them, feeling myself shake as I burst into tears. "Stop it, both of you!" I watched as they both inched away from each other, looking at me like a mentally insane person. "Danny, you're my best friend." I stated, not bothering to wipe the tears away. "And Dillon, I'm just stuck with you." I stated as he shrugged, knowing it was true. "But I can't handle that you two are going to fight all the time, so either stop fighting, or don't come back until you do." I threatened, helping Danny up from the water so he couldn't get drowned. "I'm going back inside to dry off. Like my swim would've been peaceful anyway." I muttered as I left them on the shore, watching me leave.

Lucille found me and they were fighting… I'm scared to ask it, but what else could go wrong?