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Does she need help?

“Where’s the… Um…” I search for something, anything. Shouldn’t a place like this have a life-saving device? “Fuck!”

I take my phone out of my pocket and slide it across the stained cement, sending it spinning toward the lounger I just vacated, then jump in. This time I latch on to the edge, clinging to it like a monkey on a tree.

“Kota!” I kick my feet in her direction, hoping to disturb the water near her.

She’s too far away though. I have to get closer.

I let go with one hand and immediately tense up, my body remembering the last time I was in here.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.”

I have to go down there. I did it before. I can do it again.

“It’s okay,” I tell myself, my body. It’s shaking and not on board but I don’t give a flying fuck. I’m going down there and just…

Hopefully Kota can pull us back up.

But what if she’s unconscious and can’t? Then we’re both fucked.

“Kota! Kota!” I shout, smacking my free hand on the water repeatedly. “Come on, you dumb bitch.”

Fuck it. I’m doing it. I’m going down there.

I pry my hand off the ledge, but the second I start to sink, it develops a mind of its own and grips the cement lip even harder. I swear to God this fucking hand.

“Fuck you!” I yell at it. I’ll fucking break my own hand if I have to.

Right hand on my left wrist, I begin prepping my lungs, taking big inhales and holding briefly before releasing it all.

“I’m going.” I shake my head, then nod. “Fuck. I’m going.”

Something breaks the surface and I twist to see Kota floating there, her back bowed, head fully submerged. She isn’t moving and… Is she fucking dead?

I’m speared right in the chest, causing an insane amount of pain…everywhere.

Shit.

“Kota?” I desperately reach for her but she’s still too far away. Damn it! “No. Kota. Kota!”

Finally, she stirs and yanks her head out of the water.

“Kota!” I snarl, so fucking mad I could grab her and wring her neck. You know, if my hands weren’t busy keeping me alive. “What the fuck are you doing?”

“Khaos?” She’s panting, water spraying off her blue lips as she hastily wipes under her eyes.

If it’s not her hair she’s fixing, it’s her makeup. I swear this girl…

“What are you doing?”

“What am—What am I doing? Just taking a fucking dip. What does it look like?”

“In your clothes?”

“You’re in yours!” I point out way too loudly because I can’t shake that feeling, the one where a whole-ass blade plunged through me, rendering me useless. I felt pretty damn useless before that but seeing Kota unresponsive, that was…fucked. It fucked with me.

“Yeah, but I—” Kota looks down.