“Amber, are you Ok? Did you drink anything?” Nick asks, worried.
“Mike offered me some, but I told him that I don’t drink, so he went in and got me a sprite. I think I need to go home,” I mumble, trying to force the words out and keep my eyes open. I see Nick yelling at Mike, but it’s hard to hear…
My vision blurs, and in the moments when I can see, everything sways, like I’m falling. I flinch when Lexxy suddenly appears in front of me.
“We need to have a talk. Now. Come over here.” Lex orders, turning without waiting for an answer. Then she whirls around swiftly and furiously when she realizes that I’m not behind her. Lexxy pulls me up and drags me along with her so discretely and quickly that I’m not even sure if it happened. My arm feels like it’s been dislocated. Damn, who knew she was so strong? I can barely stand, and I flop along after her. I probably look like such an idiot. Well, I should be thankful that most of these drunkies are too baked to remember any of this tomorrow. Except for Nick… I don’t think about it long though, mostly because my head hurts too much to concentrate on anything other than standing.
The pool is a glittering blue, obviously chlorinated. It sparkles close to my eyes, but I figure that I’m just seeing things, if it were really that close I could easily fall in, and Alexis wouldn’t stand that close if she wants to talk to me. Oh, right. I remember now that Lexxy is there, and somehow my brain processes that she is talking, so I try to listen.
“Apparently you can’t read, or you’re just too damn stupid to understand. I don’t care, but if you don’t stay away from Nick, we’re gonna have a problem, and you don’t want that” Lexxy tells me, l get the feeling that I really don’t want that. Man, this pretty rich girl didn’t seem like a killer when I first met her, but now…well, I wouldn’t be too surprised. That look in her eyes is giving me the creeps. But now I can barely see it. Lex is grabbing the front of my shirt, screaming at me to answer her. I can her Mike’s insane laughter and hoots in the distance. Everything sounds so far away now…
“Lex, look, I don’t-” My voice comes out raspy and weak. I break off, unable to go on. I feel so dizzy, and this time I know I’m not just seeing things, the ground is coming to meet my face. I feel my knees disappear completely, and I’m falling forward. I try frantically to grab onto Lex. Big mistake. Lexxy lifts me up with sudden incredible pampered-rich-girl strength, and suddenly the crystal blue water is pushing the ground to the side and rushing to get a piece of me.
I’m thrown headfirst into the water, and it’s not all that deep. Pain shoots through my head and into my arms. I know how to swim, but considering that I can’t even stand, I don’t think I’ll be breathing air anytime soon. I start to black out. I don’t fight it; I can’t wait to finally get away from all this pain.
Unfortunately, the universe has another opinion.
I’m suddenly lurched in some direction, -who knows which- and I feel a protective arm around my waist, causing enormous pain in my back. Suddenly the water releases me, and the cold air hugs my upper body. I feel myself being pulled out of the pool, and I struggle to hear what is going on.
“Someone call 911! Get the ambulance! Amber, can you hear me? Open your eyes Amber! Someone get help!” Nick’s voice screams out. “Amber, don’t worry, it’ll be all right. You’re gonna be OK,” He says reassuringly. Well, an attempt at reassuring. His voice comes again, sounding like it’s yelling to someone far away, “We are over, do you hear me? Over! Don’t talk to me, don’t call me, don’t even look at me! I never want to hear your bitchy voice again! And if you ever come anywhere near Amber again,” Nick stops there, but he’s already said everything. I’m sure that this person understands not to come near me.
