Escape (Book 1 of the Gods' series)

Chapter 5

“So Jess knows we are together, but she must’ve seen us when we first arrived, you know when we fell. I guess she’ll have to deal with the fact that I don’t love her.” Dylan swung his arm around my shoulders, we were sat looking at the pool of piranhas, I liked the way they swam in a group, but then split up and swam different ways, it was like they were doing a dance. “She didn’t see us then, she saw us when we kissed, and when you first held my hand, we weren’t together, I refused to admit it. I refused to admit there was something there,” I looked into his green eyes, they were like a field of ferns, beautiful “but I know there is now. I just feel bad about Jess, I know she really liked you, and you didn’t hear the bitterness of her voice when she spoke to me.” She may as well have spat on me, I thought as we stood up.

Dylan craned his neck to kiss me, before our lips met he whispered, “I don’t care about her.” His kiss was gentle and sweet, I got another waft of his amazing smelling hair, then I realised the astonishing smell wasn’t just his hair as it was him, I was slowly pulling away, but he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me back to him, hardening the kiss, I gave in and wrapped my arms around his neck and let him kiss me, a shiver flitted up and down my spine as I started to heat up, my heart was racing and I was struggling for air, Dylan held me tighter against him, I wondered if Jess and Aaron had the key yet.

I felt a sharp tug on my hair, at first I thought it was Dylan but both his hands were on the small of my back, another tug, this one was way more painful, pulling a few hairs out of my head, I leaned back out of Dylan’s kiss, (I really didn’t want to) and whispered to him “What is pulling my hair?” I said it so quietly I didn’t think he heard me until he looked up and made an O shape with his mouth, he clutched me close to him, he was squeezing me so hard I could barely breath, “Go away Jessica” I was pressed against his warm chest, I wanted to fall asleep there, I was so tired and he was warm and comforting.

I heard Jess slap Dylan and shout, “She isn’t what you think she is, she is nothing! I can relate to you, we have known each other since nursery! She doesn’t deserve you!”

“And you do? She has known me longer than you, she’s known me since I can remember! And, I- I love her. Now go away.” I was overjoyed to hear him say he loved me, I mean, it was Dylan Waters, the most popular and cutest guy in the whole school, maybe the whole country- no he probably wasn’t but I can think like that, after all I am his girlfriend (hee-hee, that sounds really good) I heard Dylan shout Jess’ name then mine when she grabbed my hair and dragged me out of his arms, she swung me to face her and whispered her new bitter tone, “You might have him now, but he will always be mine, I will get him back, you just wait.”

She let go of my hair and I collapsed in a crumpled heap, my head was killing with her swinging me around like a rag-doll by my now down hair, next to me was a beige ribbon with straggly, red hairs tangled on it, it was mine. Dylan ran over to me and kneeled, he held half of my aching body in his arms, “Charlotte? Are you ok? I’m sorry, it was so unexpected.”

“Dylan I’m fine honestly, it’s just a headache.”

“Charlotte! What happened? Dylan, what happened to her? Charlotte, you really look a mess.”

“Jess went on a rampage with Charlotte ‘cause we were kissing.”

“Well, now I really hope you slapped that cow.” Aaron was funny and he was right, I should’ve slapped her, but I couldn’t. I was too busy lying on the floor in a heap.

“Aaron, where is she?” I asked because if she was there she was unusually quiet. Dylan and Aaron looked around and said simultaneously “I don’t know.” Well this was just great, she could be dead right now, just to check, I peered into the pool, nope, no blood or clothes.

“Well, did I tell you we got the key? Or should I say, I got the key, all Jess did was make little balls of water then throw them into the pool.” Aaron was holding the key, “Hey, I think there is another one on that ledge over there.” Dylan pointed at a ledge carved in one of the walls, there was no way anyone could do it but me, I forced Dylan’s hands to unlock their clasp on me and slowly walked up to the wall, I felt dizzy and I was thankful I had Aaron and Dylan with me because not 2 seconds after reaching the wall, I fell, Dylan tried to be all manly and pick me up, but he couldn’t, so he let Aaron do it, leaning against Aaron wasn’t nearly as comfortable as leaning against Dylan, Aaron was all hard, like a rock, “I think we should get that key later, I’ll think there is one over there poking out from underneath that rock, I’ll go get it, Dylan you stay here and look after Charlotte, she doesn’t look too good.” I didn’t feel too good, Aaron propped me lightly on my feet and I walked into Dylan’s arms, we sat down on the floor. Sitting with Dylan resting my head against his chest, I watched Aaron climb up to the little ledge that was holding the rock and key.

Dylan stroked my hair, “Dylan, I’m really, really tired.” That was no lie, I was so tired. “Go on, go to sleep, I’ll be here when you wake up.” He kissed my forehead and I could feel the world blurring around me, I could just hear Dylan telling Aaron off for shouting, “Ssh! Idiot! She’s sleeping!” Before I fell into the black.