**** My lungs stung, my eyes burned and that calming presence washed over me. Then I realized what was happening. I was drowning. Watery vision clouded my eyes and before I could react two arms shrouded my waist before tearing me away from the excruciating feeling of helplessness. "I've got you. " The voice wasn't the clearest and liquid was still trapped in my eyes but it didn't have to be. Instantly I knew it was Isaiah. And by the way, I was easily moving without actually using my arms and legs, which hinted to me that he saved me. Once again. Rough, sand hit my body and I was carefully placed on a bed of grit. Isaiah leaned over me, despite his features being blurry, I could make out who it was. "Breathe." His hands placed over my chest, pushed once, and then pushed twice until a considerable amount of water spewed from between my lips. I could feel my body jerk in reaction a

"You know that's far from it Alexis." Heaving a deep breath, contemplating whether I needed to know this extra fact about him that clearly, he wanted to keep hidden. Nevertheless, he nodded. "Okay, since you really want to know. Well, sometimes there's just something in me that sparks, like it's a big ball of fire laying dormant until it burns uncontrollably until the point I can't contain it. From what I've been told, I'd inherited it from my dad, it's documented he had the same outbursts, towards the end of his life, towards the overdose, apparently he'd have these episodes, to the point it almost turned him manic." He paused, trying to gauge my reaction, trying to see if I would react badly but I trusted him and I cared for him too much to hurt him. "I don't want to end up like him, it wasn't so much of a mental illness than him wanting to joyfully inflict pain on others. And that's not what I want, I don't want to turn into him. I don't want to turn into a monster." With every s

"So Evan, you would pick Evan." He pressed on, trying to squeeze more out of me. I didn't respond and he took that as all the answers he needed. Glancing over at Isaiah his eyes didn't hold any malice to them but more so of understanding as if he wouldn't have even dared me to change my mind, he shot me a slantwise smile before casting his eyes downwards. "I hope I haven't caused a rift between the both of you?" There was a slight twinkle in his eyes, as they wavering from me to Isaiah and back again. "No." Remaining in my same position, my eyes searched for his until they both were locked in. "Because we both know that I'd die before I let anything bad happen to him, so all you did was to only push me to admit my feelings more. Something that I was struggling with before, but now I've come to realize professing what you feel doesn't make you weak, or easier for others to berate. It means your strong

"Why? Is there anything to be nervous about?" Smiling, he shook his head. "No, of course not. Not while I'm here." Again he paused. "So where do you want me to take you on your first date? I was thinking the Bahamas, maybe New York." I knew he wasn't being serious, yet it was still fun to think about the life we could have when everything became right again. "How will we get there Isaiah?" Deciding it was in my best interest to play along with him, entertaining the thought of something that could never be. "I don't know, maybe, jet or we can swim or walk. Your choice." He smirked and for the first time in a long time I felt a genuine laugh come out of me, it felt so alien to my ear but I knew it was mine. Even Isaiah seemed taken aback but his smirk slowly turned into a smile. "I think we should walk. I could get the exercise." "Nonsense. You're perfect the way you are, the way G

Chapter twenty The surge of the car, shoots me forwards, waking me up. Whatever influences or drugs I was under began to slowly waste away, but that groggy, lingering feeling was hard to dispel. Another bump of the vehicle forced me to grip onto my senses and surroundings. My eyes opened, Zee and Adrian sat in front, both passed out and unresponsive. Clearly under the same influence as I was. Two soldiers sat in between them. Events that previously occurred flashed through and it seemed like we were in a lot of trouble. Without a second thought, I lunged for the nearest soldier but balance wasn't really on my side, and before I could even make my way to him, arms wrapped around my waist, dragging me back to my seat. "Calm down, Alexis. You need to calm down." Following the voice, my eyes locked with Isaiah. He looked tired but not more injured than he previously was. Did he not put up a fight? Had he