It All Started With A Dare

t e n

hey lovely peeps!

i think i mentioned an early update, and since there's no homework today, here it is! 

enjoy <3

Do you ever have those moments that you felt like you're suffocating and that you can't breathe? That's how I felt when I was in water. I had never went near water after that accident again. I had no idea why I didn't tell Ashton that I wasn't comfortable around water. I guess I was too distracted.

I have no idea how to act in water. It was like as if my mind became blank, and I can't process anything. I guess being smart only on the ground is useless. I thought I was really going to drown. I began to close my eyes as I felt to strong arms around me and lifted me up from the water.

I began coughing and gasping for air as I lied in his arms.

"Why didn't you tell me you couldn't swim?" he asked as he put me on the ground, furious.

"Well, you didn't exactly let me say anything before you put me down, didn't you?" I exclaimed, feeling hot tears escaping from my eyes.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked, sounding concern. I felt more tears coming and he put his arms around my shoulder as I sobbed on him. "Shh, it's okay. I'm right here,"

"God dammit," he said and scratched his head as if he didn't know what to do. "I shouldn't had thrown you into the lake just like this. Are you okay? God, of course you aren't. I'm so sorry. What happened? Oh god, sorry. Don't tell me. I have no idea how to act around crying girls," he rambled.

"It's fine, Ash," I whispered.

He muttered something along the lines of an apology and kissed my forehead.

I sighed deeply and started talking.

"When I was small-," I began talking, but Ashton interrupted me before I can continue.

"No, it's fine. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," he reassured.

" I want to," I said, and continued. "When I was small, I had a little sister," I felt his body tense around me. I ignore the emotion that I have in me and carried on. "She was six years smaller than me. I was twelve that time, meaning that she was six."

"Me and my family went to a holiday in Hawaii and went to a beach together. Because, at that time, I thought beach was all fun and games," I laughed bitterly.

"Of course, god decided that it was time to play a game on people. Or should I say, it was really my fault. Our parents told me and my sister that we should go, because my dad was going to take us to dinner. Being the immature person I was, I decided to play with my sister for a little longer. I was too busy playing with the water that I didn't realize that my sister was floating further and further from the shore," I said, feeling more hot tears rushing down my cheeks.

"When I found out that she wasn't near me anymore, it was too late. I rushed towards her using my fastest speed, but I couldn't reach her. She was floating further and further and I couldn't save her. Her cries became louder and louder until it had been muffled by the water. I felt my parents holding me back, telling me to go back,"

"As soon as I landed on the beach, my dad was calling the rescue team and telling them to come help. I waited on the shore with a towel wrapped around me and waited till my parents rushing to me with good news. 30 minutes passed. And it became 1 hour. Gradually 3 hours. And 5. My parents took me to bed, but I couldn't fall asleep. I kept tossing and turning, thinking about how I could've saved her. I could've just held onto her hand, or just anything, to keep her from drowning. But I didn't. I was too focused on myself. And the next day, they had found her body, announcing that she was dead. She had been taken from the world too quickly. She was an innocent six years old," I finished, and I felt my whole body weak.

He paused for a moment and said, 

"Anna, its' fine. You were only 12 that time," he said in a soothing tone, patting my hair.

"Everyone kept on telling me that, but it still was my fault wasn't it?" I finished as I sobbed freely onto his shoulder. I felt his sleeves got wet underneath me, but he didn't bother to say anything.

For the whole morning, we played along the beach. He made my fear of water disappear.

* * * * *

"Anna, I've got to go to practice. I'll meet you at your house at 6pm for the dinner, okay?" he asked. It was now after school, and we're at the parking lot.

"Sure Ash. Remember to shower before you swing by!" I half joked. Seriously, boys smells really horrible after they played sports.

He said bye to me and ran off towards his teammates to the field and some slapped him on the back.

* * * * *

I fumbled around my backpack and took out my key. I walked in the door and placed my converse in the shoe cabinet along with my hundreds of other shoes.

"Mom, I'm home!" I called out.

"Kitchen!" she shouted back.

I went to the kitchen and smelt heaven on my way there. Yes heaven. Believe it or not, heaven actually has a smell. And it smells like Nutella cake.

"Oh gosh. Nutella cake!" My eyes widened and my hand automatically reached forward to take a piece. To my dismay, my mom took the plate away from me and gave me a playful glare.

"Manners, young lady. This is for tonight's dinner. Your favorite dessert!" she exclaimed.

Ashton's favorite too. I thought in my head.

She turned around and continued to cook whatever she was working on.

"Mom..." I groaned. She turned around and gave me a smirk, indicating that she knew where this conversation is heading to.

"What honey?" she asked, giving me an innocent smile.

"Please don't embarrass me. Please. This is important for me," I pleaded.

"Ouch. That hurts," she said sarcastically, placing her right hand on her heart.

"What I meant is," I paused, to indicate clearly how serious I am about this topic. What was the point? It's not like she listens anyways. "No embarrassing photos or pictures from when I was young. Clear?"

"I make no promises, honey," she said in a voice, indicating that the conversation is over.

I sighed and retreated back to my bedroom, picking out an outfit for the night. 

A/N

I updated woohoooo

This is the last update before 2018!

Sorry for a shorter chapter, but we learned a bit about Anna, didn't we? ;)

Almost 300 reads!! YAYAYAYAYAY