[2.2] Makayla- Drowning

What the hell just happened? My mind was a blurry mess as I lay underneath the bushes frozen in time, my hand over my mouth unable to recover from the shck of it all. Justin Star had just-

Save him! My thoughts screeched from within my mind, begging my body to get up and do something. but I was paralyzed in those ten seconds, unable to believe Justin Star Ryder was unconscious, sinking to the bottom of his own pool with a wound at the back of his head.

“Okay, okay,” I breathed out shakily rolling out from underneath the bushes, shakily getting to my feet. I knew what came about with my job description but I never thought I'd ever been in such a [position. breathing heavily still unable to comprehend my situation, I approached the edge of the crimson-colored pool, my heart coming to my throat at the sight of Justin’s blood.

“Oh my god,” I gasped my hand finding its way back to mouth again, unable to control any part of my nerves. I couldn't see him through the red waves that had claimed the spot he had fallen into.

Sudden memories flashed into my mind, memories of blood and death. I hated the sight of blood and I realized then I was having a panic attack.

“He’s dying," I whispered to myself.

 Get in! save him! My mind screeched to my frozen joints.

Closing my eyes I regulated my breathing, throwing off my jersey and knowing if I thought it over I wouldn’t do it and so, I blindly dived in, trying to see through all the red, but trying not to think about it too much, think about swimming in blood.

He was dying.

Justin Star was drowning right before my eyes.

I was relieved when my fingers touched his cold skin, blinking rapidly to get a better sight of him. Pulling him up with all might because of how heavy he was, I tried my best to get him up to the surface. It helped in no way that this was the deep end of the pool.

After a struggle, I managed to get his head up, taking in a much needed breath as I too came up trying to see past the wet locks of my brown curly hair that i pushed out of my face. Wading to the side, it took all my power to pull him out, my chest rising and falling as I pulled his legs out of the water, dragging him onto the green grass. Hovering over him, I noticed he wasn’t moving.

“No, no, no, no, no, no," I gasped, hands shaking as I felt a pulse. How did people do this again? I looked up to see the blood that was stained down his face tears filling my eyes as another this time more familiar face flashed into my mind, “ no, please no,” I pleaded, pressing both hands on his chest as I pumped “ breathe Justin breathe!” I begged.

I'll save this one.

I could save this one.

I had to save this one!

Performing CPR my hands moved back to his chest as I pumped, “Wake up! Please wake up!” I yelled, tears forming between my eye lids, shaking myhead at his unresponsive figure, hopelessly and angrily I slapped him across the face in frustration, “wake up douche bag!”

His head spun to the side, almost immedietly coughing up water as my eyes widened hovering over him as I brought his face towards me, his eyes barely able to open as they fluttered, squinting through the darkness. I looked down at him in surpise, studying his face, breathing heavily in untold relief and anticapation, the sharp jawline, the very light freckles on his face, “are you okay?” I whispered lowering myself just above his face.

His eyes were shutting and opening as if he was trying to see but couldn’t,

“are you okay Justin?” I repeated, he released a throaty breath and breathed out, his chest rising and falling successfully. I sighed kneeling back, pushing my hai out of my face, “you’re going to be okay...”

The most relieving words anyone could say right now. okay. he was okay..or at least alive.

“W-what…w-where...” his voice came out in a short breathy whisper, he seemed drained and unable to clearly think or see. He could talk so at least there was not a lot of brain damage i reasoned. think about what that would do to his career.

“Justin!” a voice called out and my head snapped to the direction. Spotting no one but hearing the pitter-patter of approaching footsteps, “Justin where are you?!” someone yelled again, “you better not be hiding you’ve got a speech to do damn it, Justin!"

Instinctively my Paparazzi senses kicked in… I couldn’t let anybody see me and my camera.

Shit my camera! I glanced over at the bushes.

 I had to go.

Justin would be fine, i convinced myself,  help was coming for him but me? I needed to get the hell out of here and frickin disappear.

“Who…” Justin whispered, his eye lids falling-

“I need to go, you’ll be fine," I whispered back frantically. I tried to move but his firm hand on my shoulder, pulled my shirt back ripping a piece. I couldn’t stay and slap him for ruining my favorite shit, so I grabbed my long fuzzy dress shirt I had earlier disposed, diving behind the bush just in time as Chris came into view, his eyes on the pool, widening when he saw Justin’s figure.

“FUCK! Justin!” Chris yelled rushing towards, kneeling beside his brother’s body, "what happened to you brother?! Breathe justin, I'm here!" he yelled seeming to b panicing a lot more than I had, “Beatz!” he called back over his shoulder, “He’s over here!”

A dark skinned man who looked like he frequented the gym often came running towards them, cursing when he saw Justin’s state. I knew who Beatz was. That was Justin Star’s best friend slash producer. Every third picture of his on I*******m was with him and i had the privelledge of meeting him once when I escorted Britney to visit chris once at Capital Records.

  I breathed lowly as I watched them tend to him. I knew he was still bleeding and had scraped his knee pretty bad.

“What the hell happened?!” Beatz asked, frantically trying to stop the bleeding.

“I don’t know man, I just found him like this,” Chris replied, “open your eyes Justin, don’t you dare die on me!” he yelled, I could feel the desperation in his voice this time the good kind, “ Beatz Call 911!” he roared as Beatz shaky figures dialed the digits while cursing and pleading with Justin to hold on.

I watched as he explained shortly to the operator then dialed another line. Three minutes later a group of body guards, Mr. Robin Ryder himself and a couple more people including Britney where hovering over Justin as first aid was applied whilst the sound of ambulance sirens grew louder with each growing second.

Through the darkness, the crowd and the commotion I was able to slip past unnoticed, holding onto my wet ripped under shirt with one hand and my fuzzy oversized one accompanied by my camera bag in the other. Making it toward the parking lot, I fished for the keys in my bag.  Thanking god Britney hadn’t carried a purse tonight and used me as a human carrier bag.

Slipping into the car, I breathed out trying to regulate my breathing, unable to come to terms with what had just happened in the span of the last hour. Hearing voices, I ducked as a flashlight made its way through the parking lot accompanied by deep voices I presumed was security.

When they finally passed, I lay back against the chair, a hand over my forehead, shaking my head.

What the hell just happened? What the FRICKIN HELL just happened?

My brain kept asking these delightful questions over and over and over again. I glanced down at the camera bag, reaching out to take it. Flipping through the footage I replayed the last scenes. Everything had been recorded except me, it seemed I knocked the camera down in my panic and now only a shadowed form of me was seen pulling out Justin from the water. Sighing I glanced down at my ripped shirt then back at the camera.

I knew what I had to do.

I slipped out of the car with my camera in hand, throwing my dry fuzzy shirt on.

Here goes nothing.

-----------------------

Walking back to the parking lot, being very careful, I spotted a worried figure pacing by the car. Britney stood by it, leaning a hand against it. I came up behind her clasping a hand over her mouth, “Don’t scream, it’s just me,” I whispered lowly when her breath hitched.

Britney’s breathing relaxed when she heard my voice, calmly turning around to face, "what the hell is wrong with you?! Why would you sneak up on me like that?! Do you know what just happened out there-” she asked worriedly then froze, eyes widening, “why is your hair wet?” she asked mostly to herself.

I clenched my jaw pursing my lips as I felt her eyes taking me in, she stomped towards me, touching my skin then gasping, “ why are you wet Makayla?” she yelled.

“You’re asking me that? Why am I wet?” I smirked, wiggling both my eyebrows.

“ this is no time for jokes, Makayla," she hissed, her tone harsh as she pointed a finger, "Justin Star was found half dead by the pool and now you’re standing here before me, drenched,” she explained annunciating each world like she was about to blow up any second from now, “ I’m only going to ask you this once so think before you reply. What. Did. YOU. Do?” She heaved, her chest moving up and down.

I had never seen her this furious but you know what?

I was frickin mad as well.

I was the one put through the trauma not her, but we all had to be calm in this moment. I shut my eyes, pushing my hair back, “it’s complicated, it just happened so fast Brit-“ I began, my voice low.

“What did I tell you, Kay huh?! I distinctively told you to keep a low profile! What sort of mess have you brought upon us now?!” she roared, pacing back and forth with her hand on her forehead, “ I shouldn’t have let you come along, I knew I shouldnt have let you come!“ she lamented before turning back to me, my eyes widening at the sentence. “So help me god, if you don’t tell me what happened right now I’m going to-“

“You’re going to what?” I hissed, “What are you going to do?” I asked, my tone bitter, “you want to know what I did? I saved his life, Brit, " i gritted her name out, "That’s what the hell I did," I snapped back, “ Don’ t you dare talk to me like a little girl Britney I’m not dumb!” he is there right now, alive, with a decent chance of survival because I kept a low profile!" I hissed moving toward the car, slipping in and shutting the door behind me.

After a moment, the driver seat door opened, Britney slipped in,

“I’m sorry,” she apologized turning to face me, “ I shouldn’t have yelled at you..” she trailed off shaking her head, “ I was just so worried..” she let out a breath before looking up at me, “ what happened- gosh your bleeding!” she cried out, pushing my hair back.

I shook my head, “no I’m fine, and it’s not mine it’s...” I trailed off shaking my head, “let’s go home, I’ll tell you about on the way. Looks like the parties over anyway,” I finished glancing at the cars moving out of the lot.

She paused before nodding, starting the car.

---------------------------------

I walked out of the shower, having had washed the blood off, coming to the sight of Britney tossing her heels off to the side as she climbed onto my bed.

“You better put ‘em shoes back were they supposed to be, this is a bedroom not a pigsty,” I huffed as I glanced at the red bottoms sprawled on the floor, “you talked to Aunt Molly?”

“Mom’s asleep, we can tell her in the morning,” Britney replied with a slight shake of her head, her eyes following my every move.

I hummed lowly, standing before her scrutinizing gaze for an awkward half minute before slowly walking backwards into the bathroom, turning around just before the door of safety.

“Mckayla!” Britney yelled. I froze shutting my eyes.

"Where are you going?” she asked. i let out a quiet groan turning aroundwith the best puppy face only second best to my previous, “Oh little old me?” I asked pointing at myself, “I’m going to take a shower.”

“You just had one,” she countered, narrowing her eyes at me.

“Oh, okay…then I’m going to take another shower.”

“Mckayla.” She huffed folding her arms.

I groaned turning to face her fully folding my arms, “what is it now?”

“You’re just going to pretend it didn’t happen?”

“I already told you everything during the car ride back home Britney, what else do you suppose I do?” I huffed.

She shook her head, frowning slightly, “I still find it hard to believe Lucy did this. I mean remember her well as I believe you do to. The nicest thing I can say about her was she was an obsessed bitch, but I never thought she was capable of murder.”

“Obsessed bitch? Well sounds like a potential murderer to me,” I grinned sitting at the edge of my bed, "what’s Justin doing having that kind of company around him? I mean you can see that a person’s crazy when you meet one, at least I can and why the hell would you date your stalker?”

“It was three years ago Kay, there is a reason they’re not together anymore," Britney explained.

“Yeah I guess, and the reason he was so vicious with her,” I shivered when I remembered the venom in his tone.

“Well," Britney continued with a sly smirk, “on the other hand, my little cousins a hero,” she grinned pushing me softly, “Justin Star Ryder owes you his life, he will probably do something so fabulous for you to repay you for that.”

I chuckled shaking my head, “I don’t think I’m a hero and hero is such a comic book thing to say, yuck," I gagged as she chuckled, “I just did what I thought I would have liked someone to if I was in his place. Just a normal human here, plus he won’t know it’s me,” I replied.

“I thought you said you left Mr. Robin Ryder your camera footage, they’re going to see you in the video," she whistled.

 “No, you can’t really see much of me, it was too dark, bad lighting a killer of many a good shot," I explained with a soft sigh.

She sat up at this revelation, “Wait, so you’re not going to tell them it was you?”

“Nope,” I replied popping the p.

“but-“

“No buts Brit," I replied, my shoulders falling “I don’t want the attention, just let it go,” I replied giving her a tired look while dropping on my bed. She studied my face for a second before slowly nodding before her face turned, mischievous, “why? You want to be his Cinderella?” she purred, poking my arm.

“What?!” I screeched inwardly cringing, sitting right back up,” that’s disgusting, not even close,” I gagged at the idea, “no thank you ma’am he can keep his STD’s. I don’t want a part of spotlight. Justin Star Ryder maybe a heartthrob and the most followed male singer on twitter, with an established fan base on I*******m but the last thing I need is his reputation and his bad luck. If the world know who I am that way, I will forever be associated with it, 'the girl who saved Justin Star from drowning,' I reckon I would get tired of hearing that as I try to make a name for myself so no. No thank you.”

“Didn’t that feel good taking off your chest?” Britney asked. I glanced at her and we both chuckled.

“That was pretty awesome,” she finally said, her soft eyes on me.

“What part? My ninja security camouflage skills or my killer swimming one?” I smirked.

“You...” she trailed off eyes still on me, "leaving the footage of what happened with Mr. Ryder. I know that if you put out the video and those photos you would have been selected, but you sacrificed everything to do the right thing. That’s whats pretty awesome.”

I slapped a hand over my fore, tumbling back into my bed, “what the hell did I do that for!” I screeched.

“Mckayla.” Britney whined pulling me up again, “I’m serious.”

My eyes met hers and I sighed. Britney was the touchy feely type, "like I said,” I trailed off, “I just did what I would have wanted someone else to if I was in his position. I know i say im an Alien, but i do have a little bit of humanity,” I grinned.

“Aww,” Britney sighed, throwing her arms around me in a bear-hug.

Oh my god I should have kept my mouth shut,

“You’re the best Kay.”

I rolled my eyes, “You’re just saying that because I saved your boyfriends brother.”

She chuckled pushing my shoulder back before getting up, grabbing her shoes, “goodnight Kay," she hummed.

I nodded, “goodnight.”

She closed the door and I winced touching my shoulder, where she had pushed me back gently. I moved toward the mirror lowering my towel down a bit, seeing that my old scar had a fresh wound. Justin had scratched over it when he was trying to pull me back I remembered.

I sighed, my hand brushing over the freshly opened scab, images flashing in my head.

“Don’t panic, don’t panic.” I whispered lowly to myself.

Don’t panic.