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Sweat burned my eyes as I returned to compressions, hard and cruel, not caring about bruising or breaking. The heart was too well protected. You had to use force to reach it.
“Come on, Nerida!”
Pinching her nose again, I bent over her.
Her lips were ice cold as I fed her air.
I reared back to breathe.
I bowed over to feed it to her—
Her body jolted upright, her shoulders launching off the deck, her ribcage flying upward.
She choked.
I rolled her immediately onto her side, swiping away her seaweed clinging hair and thudding her back.
Seawater spewed out of her mouth.
Her legs came up as she convulsed and choked, coughed and cried.
“That’s it. Get it out.”
I couldn’t stay upright anymore.
Pressing my forehead to her shoulder, I rode out her convulsions, shaking so much my teeth rattled.
Finally, her coughs subsided, and she tried to roll onto her back.
I didn’t let her.
Lying down beside her, I wrapped my arm around her waist and kept her on her side. “Breathe. I got you. Just breathe, Neri. You’re safe.”
Her breath rattled and wheezed, but she obeyed, slowing down, finding her natural rhythm, a shiver wracking her as shock replaced her blood.
I lost track of time.
I should get her a blanket.
I should radio for aid.
I should use the whale song that Jack had recorded for emergencies and play it under the waves to bring him and Anna back.
But I couldn’t do a damn thing as Neri slowly pushed away from me and sat up.
I sat with her, cursing my trembling, unable to stop.
Visions of her unconscious kept coating my mind, making me sick and anxious. “Are you...are you alright?”
She nodded slowly, rubbing where I’d compressed her chest with a wince. “I—” She coughed and wiped her mouth. “I-I...think so?”
She traced her lips with her fingers, her eyes turning inward for a moment.
I stiffened.
Had I done it wrong?
Had I bitten her?
Slowly, her eyes met mine and her white cheeks flushed with colour. “Did you...give me mouth-to-mouth?”
I cringed. “I-I had no choice. You...you weren’t breathing. You weren’t fucking breathing, Nerida, and—”
“Thank you.” She placed her hand over my shaking ones. “Thank you so much for saving my life, Aslan.”
And just like that all my fear, my terror, and my panic dissolved. “I suppose my debt is paid now. A life for a life.”
“I suppose it is.” She smiled.
I sighed raggedly, letting my chin drop to my chest. “Don’t ever, ever do that again.”
Time passed, the ocean lapped at the boat, and my shaking subsided by the time she finally laughed.
Just a tiny, quiet laugh but it ripped my head up and I glowered at her. “What the hell is so funny?”
Her gaze dropped to my mouth before scooting back to my eyes. “I did promise you, didn’t I?”
“Promise me what?”
“That I’d find a way to get you to willingly jump into the sea.”
Fury poured through my veins; I scrambled to my feet. “If this was a sick prank to—”
“No, no, it wasn’t.” She pushed to standing, wobbling a little but far stronger than I expected after almost drowning. “I would be dead right now if you hadn’t come for me.” She stood dripping wet with her hands clasped in front of her, meek and contrite. Something poked through her fingers, but she kept it hidden from sight. “I overestimated myself. When the net wrapped around my legs, I panicked. I forgot how to control my heartbeat and my breathing. I just...I got scared.”
The echoes of her fear lingered in her voice.
I’d spent the past two years living with this wonderful girl. Swimming with her, eating with her, helping her with her vegetable garden, listening to her moan about school and life.
I might have complicated feelings when it came to Nerida Taylor.
She might be four years my junior and absolutely forbidden.
But...she was my friend.
Regardless that my heart might stray over the line sometimes, following Anna and Jack’s rules wasn’t a hardship. I could touch this girl with nothing more than platonic affection. I could laugh at her, play with her, and feel so lucky that I’d been given a second chance at having a sister.
But right then...in that moment...
With her slowly coming back to life and blinking up at me with all the years she still had in front of her, years that I’d saved and given back to her, I couldn’t stop myself.
Stepping into her, I hugged her close.
Her slim arms wrapped around my bare waist.
And we stood there.
Just breathing.
Thanking.
Touching.
“I’m glad you’re still alive, Nerida Taylor,” I whispered into her hair before pulling away and dropping my arms.
She rubbed at her goosebumps, her hand still cupping something I couldn’t see. She gave me the gentlest smile. “I’m glad you’re still alive, Aslan Avci.”
The way she said my name always sent a secret thrill through me.
And she made it a thousand times worse by adding, “I never imagined our first kiss would be like that but...I’m glad we got it over with.”
