Dead of Summer - Page 102

As they come in closer and Kinsley moves to meet them, I hear the kids in and around the pool cheering and taunting us on. I push at Shawn, who shoves back at me, and for a moment, my irritation with him is forgotten.

After all, this is just a game for fun. A way for all of us to blow off some extra energy and jitters from the rain. I laugh as Kinsley reels backward, both of us nearly falling into the water as she chuckles as well.

“Kick him!” I laugh, tapping Kinsley on the head. “Go for his knees!” She laughs as well, turning back around to get us into a better position for me to slap and shove at Shawn.

When she leans in and I meet Shawn’s eyes, my grin wide, I pause.

He doesn’t look right. Something on his face looks off, but I don’t have the time to convey that to Kinsley before she’s tipping forward, putting me in range of shoving at Shawn once more.

Only Daniel seems to have forgotten how to balance in the water. He tips forward, Shawn careening toward me with his arms outstretched like he’s looking for something to hold on to in order to right himself.

Except what he manages to grab is me, and I’m not exactly in a place to help either of us. Shawn’s weight throws me backward, and under me I hear Kinsley yelp as my legs slip from her shoulders. Shawn comes with me, both of us falling into the pool just as I take a breath that, unfortunately, is pretty poorly timed.

The water in my mouth and throat is a quick punishment, and I flail under water as Shawn’s weight pushes me down to the bottom of the pool.

All I have to do is stand up, as my lungs burn and I try not to cough and hack.

But Shawn is still there, still flailing, still pinning me under him in the water. My leg is tangled with his, though I can’t figure out why, and my heart pounds in my chest as I try, and fail, to surge upward.

All I have to do is stand up.

Fear darkens the edges of my vision as my lungs burn. This reminds me too much of the kayaking incident for me not to freak out, and I make a noise through my open mouth as I grab at Shawn, trying to signal to him that I need him off of me. I need help.

But all I get is a foot in my stomach, nearly causing me to wretch as the rest of my precious air is forced from my lungs and I cough into the water, dragging more of it into my abused, screaming lungs.

All I need to do?—

I grab for Shawn, unwilling to play nice, and wrench until he’s off of me, no longer pinning me in the water with his grip or his weight.

Is stand the fuck up.

My feet find the bottom of the pool and I propel myself upward, gasping as my head breaks free of the water.

“Summer!” Kinsley grabs me under the arms, dragging me to the edge of the pool. “Holy fuck, are you okay? You weren’t coming up, and?—”

“Can’t breathe,” I gasp weakly, lungs burning. “Really can’t breathe.”

“Fuck, okay.” Kinsley hauls herself out of the pool and yells for Daniel, and in seconds both of them are dragging me out of the pool while I do my best impression of a crash test dummy. Once I’m on my side on the cement, I cough loudly, trying not to sound like I’m dying as I choke up some of the water that had made it into my lungs.

At least it’s not as bad as the kayaking incident. A minute or so goes by and I shove myself up to my knees, huffing out a breath. “The pool water is gross, in case anyone is wondering,” I announce, eyes closed as my arms shake.

“Yeah, uh, none of us were planning on drinking it, sweetie,” Kinsley informs me weakly, sitting down hard.

Shawn kneels beside me suddenly, hands flailing. “Shit, Summer, I’m so sorry,” he hisses, rubbing his sluggishly bleeding knee cap where he must’ve scraped it on the bottom of the pool. “I was trying to get off of you. I don’t know what had us pinned.”

“It might’ve been me,” Daniel admits quietly, sounding sheepish. “I think we were all just tangled up real bad. Sorry you got the worst of it, Summer.”

I glance up at Daniel, at the apology clear in his face, before turning to glance sidelong at Shawn.

He…doesn’t look as apologetic. But instead of letting my hackles go up, I smile weakly at both of them and flap my hand dismissively. “No worries, Daniel. I think this summer any body of water isn’t my friend, is all. Really hope the third time’s not a charm in this situation.”

“We are not going to let you drown,” Kins scoffs. “Even if Daniel and I have to drag you out of every river, lake, stream, and puddle.”

Again, I glance sidelong at Shawn. Instead of nodding fervently like Daniel, who’s still trying to apologize, Shawn just watches me, as shrewd as ever, and I can’t help noticing how unconcerned he is.

But then again, I remind myself, that really is just Shawn.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX