Don't let me drown

Twelve

When Sienna woke up, it was dark. It took some seconds before she realised where she was - in the forest!
"No!" She whispered. She quickly stood up but she was too fast and she collapsed again. She saw lots of dizzy stars and her headache was awful.
No one knew where she was, except Car and Catja. Her parents both worked at wednesdaynights which was tonight. This meant that they hadn't discovered that Sienna wasn't home this night. No one would find her now.. Not here!
Sienna tried to stand up once again, but because she couldn't see anything at all, she decide that it would be better if she just stayed at the place where she was now.
Closing her eyes caused her to see memories and flashbacks.

Hannah, her first best friend in 1st grade..
Her parents at her birthday..
Jack as a child.. Playing together..
Poems.. Songs.. Pianos.. Ashton..
Ashton biking next to her on his little kind of BMX.. Ashton looking at her and giggling..
Ashton..

The person she needed the most right now..

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When she woke up, it was day. She had no clue what the time was, but she didn't care either. She was soaky wet all over and was freezing cold.
But that wasn't what she was thinking about - she was worried about her parents and Ashton - what if Ashton thought that she was angry or that she didn't want to meet him? What if she would lose him? Her one and only friend? Her parents would forgive her and only be afraid that something had happened if she wouldn't come home this afternoon - maybe it already had been afternoon though, she had no clue - but the thought about Ashton scared her the most.
Besides that, she was very very very hungry and thirsty. The pond wasn't that far away from her, perhaps 30 feet.  But she still was too weak to move. Every time she lifted her head, she got dizzy and saw black stars which shouldn't have been there. She had lost her backpack when the two girls had dragged her to this place. Just when she closed her eyes, she heard footsteps on the grass.
"Sienna?" Someone called. It was a raspy voice.
"Sienna? You're here?" He called again.
It was a boy. Which boy was looking for her? It obviously wasn't her dad.
She tried to lift her head but this resulted in her losing her balance and she fell on the ground. Because she fell from a sitting position, she luckily didn't hurt herself.
She groaned for a sec when she opened her eyes and couldn't see anything.
"Sienna?" The boys voice said once again. The footsteps were getting quieter.
"I'm here..." She whispered. Even though she didn't expect it, the person probably heard her because the footsteps came closer.
"Sienna! What happened?" The boy called.
"Who are you?" Sienna asked and she felt a panic wake up inside her chest. She had lost her sight completely.
"It's me, Ash."
Then she recognised his voice. Lots of questions plopped up in her head.
She felt his hands touching her shoulder, probably he was kneeling next to her.
"Ashton.. Wait.. I.. Uhm.. Lost my sight.. I guess.." She stuttered.
"What happened to you then? Geez, you're so cold," he said with a raspy voice. "Hold on." She heard him swallow and a zipper opened. "Here, drink this." He said after a few seconds. His voice was raspy but soft and kind.
"But.." She started.
"No. It looks like you've been here for a few hours. Thank god I actually found you. You have to drink something girl."
With shaking hands she took what he had in his hands - which were warm and soft - and took a sip. It was water, no kind of liquor.
"Thank you.." She whispered and took big swigs from the bottle. The water was cold and delicious. Her sight quickly came back and she shook her head to get rid of the black specs which remained in her sight. They were soon gone too.
"You're alright?" Ashton asked. She looked at him and tried to sit up. He saw her struggles and helped her up. Then he sat down next to her.
"What.. What is the time?" She asked.
"It's 08:20."
Sienna's eyes grew bigger.
"But we have to hurry to school!" Whilst she said this, she grabbed her head which started hurting lots when she spoke.
"No way. You're not going anywhere."
"But.."
"Nope. You're sick, everyone can see that. And I was ill yesterday as well. You probably already heard 'cause of my voice."
Sienna smiled as response. Even though she felt miserable, Ashton was next to her and that felt really good.
"You know what, I'm taking you home. Are your parents home?"
Sienna quickly shook her head.
"No.. No! We can't.. I rather go to school then."
"Sienna, have you looked at yourself? It looks like you've been beaten up, drunk lots of alcohol and have spent a night in the forest whilst raining."
This comment wasn't meant bad at all, but it was so true that Sienna got emotional because of it. A tear rolled down her face.
"Hey, did I say something wrong?" Guilt was heard in his voice.
"No.. No.. It's alright.." She said with a shaking voice.
"Well, let's go home then. I'll help you."
"Look Ashton.." Sienna begun. She lifted her head and looked him in the eyes. "I can't. My parents.. They.. They don't know what happens at school. They think.. They think that I'm a normal girl with a normal life and with lots of friends.." Ashton nodded his head.
"I understand. Wait a sec, I'll be right back," he said. Before moving, he took her head with his two warm hands and pressed a quick kiss on her forehead. "It'll be alright girl."

Ashton walked to the side of the pond, and whilst continuously watching her, he was calling someone. His voice was quiet so she couldn't hear what he said.
The air was cold and it was windy, which caused Sienna to shiver and shake.
Before she knew it, Ashton stood next to her again and crouched down.
"Look Sienna, we're not going to your home but mine, if that's fine with you. Oh wait, you don't have a chance." He said with a wink.
Sienna was too tired to smile and watched how Ashton took his jacket off and put it around her shoulders. His leather jacket was warm and she immediately felt an urge to go to sleep. But she couldn't.
"Th.. Thank you.."
Ashton smiled back and asked if she could stand up.
Sienna nodded her head and stood up.
But she was too quick, after two steps she collapsed and lost her sight again.
"Fuck." She muttered.
"Wait, I'll help you." Ashton said whilst Sienna's view slowly came back. He crouched next to her and put his arm around her middle. He placed his other arm under her thigh which made him lift her in a bridal style.
He lifted her and looked surprised.
"You're so thin," he said.
Sienna closed her eyes and sighed.
"Thank you Ashton, thank you so much." She put her arms around his neck which made it easier for him to lift her.
"Why are you so stiff?" He suddenly asked.
Sienna looked at him, giving  a "what do you mean" look.
"You're tensing all your muscles." He said, frowning.
"I'm.. I'm afraid that.. You'll drop.. Me." She answered, looking down.
"Listen Sienna," Ashton commented and he stopped walking. "I'll never drop you. And I won't let you down. Promise." He looked in her eyes whilst saying that, something that caused Sienna to get even more emotional.
"Thank you, once again.." She whispered and she let her head fall against his chest, which was warm as well.
"You don't need to thank me for everything, you know that, right?" He winked.
She smiled back as response and closed her eyes, too tired to say something else.