The Great Beyond

"Look at you, attempting to walk across water and shit. You aren't Jesus."

I scowl, looking up at Jace from my place in the water. "For your information, I didn't see the pool." I glance back at the large area of water, which filled up at least 3/4 of the room. It seemed a highly unlikely story that I would have missed it, yet it was true.

"Mhmm." He chuckles, reaching his hand down to help me up out of the water. I simply ignored it, putting each of my hands out onto the ledge before me, pulling myself up. "Hey, just trying to help now," Jace throws his hands up in a gesture as if to say 'Don't cut me' as I clamber, ungracefully, might I add, out of the pool.

"Mhmm." I mock him, reaching down over a chair to grab my towel, wrapping it around my fully-clothed self, self conscious of my shirt completely sticking to my pretty much curve-less body.

"I know, I know, you're a strong independent young woman who don't need no man," Jace starts rambling, casting a sideways glance at me, and a small smile escapes from my slightly parted lips as we begin walking. "But boy, do you look sexy when you're wet." Jace winked, nudging my side playfully. A blush creeps across my cheeks, without warning, even though I knew he hadn't meant it. Jace had been my best friend since the third grade, our relationship was completely platonic.

The whole reason I'd come here today was to sign up for a life-guarding job, and I'd dragged Jace along because he promised we'd go get ice cream afterwards, his treat. This pool was about 5 minutes away from where I lived, on foot, so I figured I could make some easy cash over the summer, and save some lives while I'm at it. But, as it turned out, the boss wouldn't be there until later tonight, as a lady in the front had mentioned multiple times, staring at me like I was foreign.

Jace stops, sticking his arm out in front of me, making me stop also, bringing me out of my train of thought. A wicked smile crosses his face, and he starts moving his head up and down, as if to music. "You hear that?" He asks, continuing to move his head.

"Hear what?" I question, raising an eyebrow curiously.

"Are you deaf? I heard Greg was having a party tonight, but I didn't think it'd start so soon." Jace's gaze falls down onto his raised wrist, checking out the time on his watch. "It's only 7:36."

"And...?" I start, silently begging he wouldn't say we should go.

"We're going," Jace states, as though I had no say in the matter. "C'mon, it'll be fun." He continues, most likely noticing the look I was giving off.

"But you promised you'd get me ice cream." I begin, hoping he'll give in, cause who the hell would give up ice cream.

"Here's a deal. I'll get you ice cream tomorrow. Just you me, Ben & Jerry." He casts a hopeful glance at me, bringing up his hands to reveal two crossed fingers. Sighing, I shrug.

"Fine. Whatever."

Jace smirks, wiping imaginary dirt off his shoulder. "It's the smoulder, I swear."

Narrowing my eyes over at him, I start toward his car, a deep blue 1965 Mustang. I stand near the passenger side door, not even bothering to keep my fingers on the handle as I waited for Jace to unlock the car. The car was dying, to put it lightly. The door had stopped working years ago, yet Jace insisted on keeping the car, claiming it was a 'chick magnet'.

He unlocks the car, and slips in, laughing as he unrolls both his and the passenger side window. I awkwardly push myself through the window, landing face-first on the ground, butt in the air. I suppose I could've climbed in through Jace's side and easily gotten to my seat, but that would mean I'd have to walk over to the other side of the car, and Jace had already pulled himself in, making sure to grab a towel from the trunk and setting it down on my seat before I got in.

"Boy, is the view great." Jace says, a smug-like quality evident in his voice. Readjusting myself, I smooth out my hair, which wouldn't do much at this point to help my appearance, but I thought I'd try. "Here," Jace says, reaching around to the back seat. "put this on, you're all wet." He sets a t-shirt down in my lap, and I nod in thanks, pulling it on over my head, carefully maneuvering my wet shirt off my body, and into my hand. Jace shakes his head, eyeing the shirt. "I need to learn how to do that." He mutters, starting the car.

"Take your clothes off under your other clothes?" I question, looking over at him.

"No," he replies, "how to take a girl's shirt off so fast."

I laugh, looking down. My shorts were still soaked, but at least his shirt was dry. This night isn't the worst one of the year. At least, it wasn't. But that was before I reached over, grabbing Jace's steering wheel, veering it away from the lane we were in, causing the car to slide into some dirt on the side of the road. An incredulous look was plastered on Jace's face when the car came to a stop, and I blinked feverishly, only now realizing that I'd been screaming the entire time.

A person.

There was a person in front of the car.