After a while, the others went up from the water and into the deck. We ate some of the snacks that Denise brought with her. I only half-listened to the conversation. Chaise seemed to be feeling at ease with our new company. The girls were absolutely charmed by him and I couldn’t blame them. If they didn’t give me the impression that they were brats, I would have liked for Chaise to hook up with one of them. They were gorgeous and seemed eager for his attention. But I loved Chaise as a friend. I would want someone better for him.
Hunter was still on his spot on the opposite end of the deck, playing his guitar, oblivious of our existence.
While Chaise was telling a story to the group, I turned around and admired the view before me. I was reminded of the lake I shared with Hunter. If we were still together, this place would have been a dream for me. It was absolutely beautiful. This little lake house was almost a mile away from the main house. It seemed isolated, like it was in a world of its own. Like if a couple owned the house and preferred to spend time in isolation and privacy, this cabin would be perfect for them to leave the rest of the world behind.
I was so engrossed in my thoughts I didn’t realize that somebody was standing behind me. I didn’t have time to think or even turn around. I felt hands on my back and then a strong push that made me lose my balance and sent me flying out into the water.
Panic gripped me. I knew that once my entire weight sank into the water, I would be helpless to go back up. I just hoped that somebody realized quickly that I would not be coming up for air soon.
The water was cold and dark. I couldn’t see a thing even if I opened my eyes. I waved my arms and legs around me and struggled to come up on my own but I was only sinking lower and lower.
Suddenly, I felt strong arms wrap around my waist, pulling me securely above the water. I wrapped my arms around the person who caught me, thankful enough that I didn’t have to struggle too much or too long. Somebody jumped in the second I fell off the dock. I knew it could only be Chaise. He was the closest person to me, apart from the person who pushed me in.
When we emerged to the surface, I looked up and found Hunter looking down at me, his arms were wrapped tightly around my tiny waist.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
His voice was so familiarly gentle, I wanted to cry. He sounded like he did before he left.
I couldn’t find my voice, so I nodded.
“I got you,” he whispered so softly only the two of us heard that. He swam towards the ladder. He gently guided me until I could grip the handles securely. He slowly let me go so I could pull myself up the stairs.
Chaise and Denise were standing at the top, waiting for me anxiously. Chaise pulled me up to the deck and Denise wrapped a towel around me. Hunter followed soon after.
I took a couple of breaths to steady myself as I realized how scared I was. Chaise put an arm around my shoulder and gave me a gentle squeeze. “Are you okay?” he asked, and I managed to nod.
Hunter walked past us with a furious look on his face. He went straight to Mica and pointed a finger at her.
“Next time you push people into deep waters, make sure they know how to swim!” he said in a booming voice.
Mica looked dumbfounded. The rest of Denise’s cousins were quiet too and they genuinely looked scared of Hunter.
“You don’t know how to swim?” Denise whispered to me.
I didn’t answer.
“Touch her again, and I’ll make sure you’ll regret it for the rest of your life!” Hunter said in a threatening voice, even I felt scared.
Hunter turned around to look at me. My eyes were welling up with tears. Mixed emotions were running wildly inside my chest. I could still feel the fear and the panic that I felt when I fell into the water.
I felt happy and broken about the fact that Hunter saved me. He spoke to me so gently, the concern on his face when he said he got me was genuine. For a short moment, I was reminded of the boy he used to be, the boy who used to love me.
“How did you know she doesn’t know how to swim?” Chaise asked Hunter in a cool, careful voice.
Hunter stared at us for a moment. My heart pounded inside my chest while I waited for his answer. I was waiting for him to finally admit that he remembers me.
He turned away from us and replied in a sober voice, “If she did, then she would have joined you all when you were in the water, wouldn’t she?” His voice was steady, emotionless and his response was nothing but logical. It frustrated the hell out of me.
Hunter walked away from us and disappeared into the house. When I met Mica’s eyes, she looked away from me.
“What were you thinking?” Denise asked her angrily. “Do you guys have a problem with Alice?”
The girls looked down on their feet, unable to answer.
“Alice is my best friend! She’s done nothing to you. Now, apologize!” Denise sounded like she was talking to a bunch of ten-year-olds.
April and Mica approached me. Mica had tears in her eyes when she said, “Alice, I’m sorry. I meant that as a joke. I didn’t know you couldn’t swim. I never intended to hurt you.”
They didn’t like me. If I had to guess, I think they were jealous because they thought I was with Chaise and they found him charming. I knew they didn’t intend to drown me. I didn’t exactly come with an ‘I-don’t-know-how-to-swim’ sign written on my forehead.
I just nodded at Mica and April. They both smiled at me ruefully and then went back into the house. We were all quiet after that.
Chaise was unusually quiet too. I eyed him curiously. He seemed genuinely bothered that I was almost endangered from right under his nose.
“I’m okay,” I assured him.
He snapped out of his deep thoughts and stared back at me. He gave me a gentle smile. “I’m glad you’re alright.”
April and Mica didn’t want to stay a minute longer in the house. I suspect, it was because they were afraid of Hunter. Ross volunteered to take them on the boat first and come back for the rest of us.
“Do you mind if I come with them?” Chaise asked.
“Why?”
“I… left my phone in the car. I need to call my mom. She would be worried,” he replied.
I thought his excuse was lame but I was really not in the mood for an argument right now. So I nodded instead.
It was getting dark and we could hear the soft bellows of thunder. My suspicions were right. It was going to rain soon and we still needed to make two trips so all of us would be back in the main house.
“You’re going to be cold,” Denise told me. “Go change your clothes while we wait for Ross to come back.”
I nodded and took my bag. As I went into the bathroom, I caught a glimpse of Hunter sitting on the deck alone, making no effort to make chit-chats with Denise and Ben. He was already dressed in a clean pair of shorts and a white shirt.
I took a quick shower to wash out the lake water from my skin. Then I dried myself off and took out a fresh pair of underwear from my bag. I dressed in a pair of white capri pants and purple long-sleeved shirt. The trip back was going to be cold. I didn’t hear Denise knock or call for me so I assumed that Ross had not returned yet. I got hold of a blow-drier and dried my hair.
When I went out of the bedroom, the whole house was quiet and the living room was empty.
“Denise!” I called.
No answer. I went out to the front door and found that the boat was not there.
“Denise!” I called again.
Still no answer.
I went to the deck. I found Hunter standing at the edge of the dock, looking out the view in the horizon, lost in his thoughts. It was already drizzling but he didn’t look like he had plans of coming inside the house. I approached him nervously.
“Where is Denise?” I asked.
“They left,” he replied.
“Without me?”
He turned around to face me. “Apparently, Mica was having panic attacks, she had to breathe into a brown bag. Denise had to rush there to control the situation. I guess I am scary if I chose to be.”
“So Denise left me here alone?” I asked, trying not to look panicked.
He raised a brow and looked at me as if I was out of my mind. “Not really,” he replied. His face turned serious and mischievous at the same time. Then he added, “She left you here alone… with me.”
My heart made three booming beats before it plummeted to my toes. I held my breath for the longest time in my life. And as I saw the slight smirk on Hunter’s face, I was sure that my cheeks turned into the brightest shade of red.