Six Boys and One "Nerd"

Chapter 21 - Nerds and Cliff Diving

        I jolt awake to the blinding sunlight above me. I try to sit up but soon realize that a very muscular arm is wrapped around me. "No, go back to sleep it's too early." I hear him mumble and I chuckle. It's Asher. He pulls me in tighter and nestles me perfectly into his sleeping position. I oblige and grin like a lunatic as I remember last night and the infamous kiss. 

     "We're going to have to get up at some point," I mumble and turn to face him while waiting for an answer. One of his eyes flutters open and eyes me suspiciously. I go to turn back around but he grabs my shoulder freezing me in place. He brings his thumb to my lips and traces around them. The simple touch sends shivers down my spine and I involuntarily close my eyelids. Asher brings his lips closer and closer until I can feel his soft breath against my cheeks. I open my eyes and helplessly peer into his smokey grey eyes. "Are you going to kiss me or what?" I mumble to him and he chuckles before bringing his lips to mine. 

        My fingers grip his hair, pulling him closer. The action causes a groan to escape from Asher's throat and I smile into the kiss. His free hand begins to roam my upper body but I didn't mind. To my surprise, he swiftly but meaningfully bites my lip and his hand grips my hair causing me to crumble in his arms. A feeling, unlike any other, rushes through my body and a soft moan escapes my lips. He chuckles and continues to work his magic until we run out of air. He untangles his hand from my hair and rests it on my bare lower abdomen. The unfamiliar touch sends another wave of chills down my spine and I roll my head back. Asher chuckles, "You like that don't you sweetheart?" My eyes flutter open and I bring my head back up to meet his eyes. "Hasn't anyone ever taught you that teasing isn't very nice?" I mutter under my breath and he lets out a genuine laugh.   

        Suddenly he stands up but instead of letting me go he takes me with him and casually strolls over to the edge of the cliff with me in his arms. "Guess what sweetheart, you're going cliff diving on this beautiful morning," Asher tells me with a smirk plastered on his face. Once I calculate what he just said my eyes grow wide. "You wouldn't," I tell him with a slight stutter in my voice. "Oh, I would because nobody wakes Asher up from his beauty sleep." He shouts and I chuckle nervously. 

     "See you later sweetheart," Asher tells me and soon enough I'm flying over the edge of a cliff. I quickly grab Asher's extended hand and he unwillingly comes with me. I grin devilishly at him as we both barrel towards the salty water. He shouts something aloud right before we plunge into the water. Asher's hand still grips mine tightly as we slowly float to the surface gasping for air. We both glare at each other and float across the water until we burst into laughter.  

     Suddenly I hear shouting voices above us and look up to find four bodies barreling towards the water. Asher and I share confused glances and he protectively pulls me close to his body just in case. The bodies plunge into the water and resurface one by one. Once I see their grinning faces, I quickly realize who they are. 

         Sebastian, Brantley, Easton, and Jeremiah stare back at me. "Hey, where did you two come from?" Brantley questions and swims over just to tickle me. I shriek with laughter. "Ah! Stop Brantley that tickles." He laughs but continues to tickle me. I eventually shove him away and splash water towards him. "Hey, no splashing Emmie!" He shouts but then splashes water back and eventually the rest of the guys join in and we all start splashing one another. 

     Almost instantly, the laughter fades away and I feel something razor-sharp, forcefully latch onto my leg causing immediate pain. I scream in agony as it digs deeper until it eventually pierces the skin of my leg. Someone shouts something and swims over causing it to release and jolts away. My heartbeat quickens and the nerves in my body forget how to respond. I realize that I'm crying because of the sickening pain and my mind begins to fog over. 

     I can barely feel my body as it's lifted out of the water by someone and they begin to run across the sand. I try to make out their face but my vision is so blurred I can't. I cry in agony and beg someone to make the pain disappear. "It is going to be okay sweetheart, just keep fighting." I hear the person tell me and instantly recognize that it's Asher who is carrying me. 

       A weird feeling of safety washes over me and I bury my head into Asher's chest. The pain trails from my leg to the rest of my body and I agonize in pain. I lift my head one last time and glance out past Asher's shoulder at the ocean. My vision focuses on the water and I hear the rest of the guys running closely behind Asher. I see something unusual about the water and squint to get a better look. 

       The water is red. My eyes grow wide and my breath quickens. Brantley sees me staring at the water and grimaces. "Its blood." Is all he tells me and points towards the red-colored water. "Your blood."

     Brantley's voice is the last thing I hear and the blood-stained water is the last thing I see before my mind grows blank and I grow blind again.  I start to hear ringing in my ear and snuggle closer to Asher's chest out of fear. I feel him pull me closer. Then everything turns black and I feel nothing. My mind pulls me towards the darkness and I blackout.