Page 23 of Unfolding Ethan

I snapped out and realized that Liam had pushed her shoulders. Kiara slipped on the water and fell backward into the pool. My breath hitched in my throat hearing the loud thrash of her body falling in the pool. Everyone heard that. Then I saw that she had fallen in the deeper end of the pool. And she was alone.

Shit.

I rushed there, pushing everyone out of their way, and snapped at Liam, “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

His face was ashen and his hands were shaking. “I didn’t . . . I didn’t mean to—”

“Save it, Liam.”

I dived into the pool because I knew Kiara could never swim in the deep end of the pool or without someone looking out for her. She used to get panic attacks when we were three feet deep in the water. When we were seven, she had almost drowned in the water park because no one was with her as I was busy buying ice cream for us. That day, I had hated watching her cry and leaving her alone. And I felt the same right now.

Please be all right.

I saw her petite body floating underwater. Her eyes were closed and the brown tendrils of her hair surrounded her pale face. There were no bubbles around her and at that moment, I realized my worst fear. The fear of losing her. Shaking my nerves, I swam toward her and captured her frail body in my arms. Her skin was cold.

She wasn’t breathing.

But I knew she could hold her breath underwater for more than a minute.Fuck. I needed to get her out of the water.

I helped her unconscious body out of the pool and everyone quickly surrounded us, giving me a towel. Everything was a blur after that. I blindly blew air in her mouth, trying to make her breathe and catch a heartbeat. The coach came and pushed me away, giving her a proper CPR while I held her pale palm in my hands. Begging her to wake up.

I couldn’t breathe staring at her numb, ashen body. Her lips had turned blue and her golden skin was turning gray like she was already—No. My throat clogged and blood pounded in my ears when my hands trembled, holding her hand close to me.

Please be all right. Please be all right.Please don’t leave me.

Finally, she sputtered out some water, gasping for air, and her eyes watered. I exhaled a breath I didn’t know I was holding and so did the others who were hovering above us in a circle.

“You’re okay. Ju-just breathe. It’s all right,” I said, wrapping my arms around her body and holding her close when I heard her cry in the crook of my neck. I ran my hand through her wet hair, not caring about the murmurs spreading around us.

I didn’t know who I was telling that to.To her or to myself.

Her throaty sobs pierced my heart and I didn’t want to hear the sound of her voice cracking in my ears ever again. Rio wrapped a towel around her back while the coach settled everyone in the team who were worried about her.

“Hey, come on, Kia. You are fine, Ethan saved you.” Rio tried to cheer her up, causing her to tighten her arms around me. She was still shaken up and scared.

I pulled away and tucked her wet hair behind her ears. “Bella, you’re all right. I’m here.” She lifted her eyes at me when I cradled her cold face in my warm hands. Her eyelashes were wet, her eyes red and glistening with tears, and her red lips were quivering when tears streaked her face. I had never seen her so vulnerable and weak. It almost hurt to look at her.

“Hey, Kiara, you’re okay. You’re fine. Please don’t cry,” I begged, my voice breaking as I wiped away her tears, not wanting to let go of her.

The coach came over to us after settling my other teammates and the crowd that had gathered near the hallway. “She needs to go to the nurse’s office. Ethan, why don’t you help her and I will take care of him,” she said and gave a pointed look to Liam, who was standing alone glaring at the water.Asshole.

I would’ve fought him, but Kiara needed me right now.

Rio looked between the two of us and said, “I’ll tell Katherine to bring her some change of clothes.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat and asked softly, “Can you walk?”

Her voice was weak and croaky when she stammered, “W-would you mind holding me?”

“Never.”

I scooped her in my arms and stood up when she hid her face in my neck, her arms clutching me tightly. She didn’t weigh much and I noticed she had lost her appetite. I promised myself to ask her about that later.

I walked to the nurse’s office and glared at everyone who dared try to take a peek at Kiara’s face or the fact that her white bra was visible through her damp T-shirt. She wasn’t crying anymore, and my hands tightened around her knees when she stayed silent. I didn’t know what I should say, so I stayed silent. Which was worse than saying anything at all.

Nurse Gena checked her while I stayed beside her, holding her hand. Finally, the nurse smiled at us and said, “Well, Kiara you seem perfectly healthy and fine. You didn’t try to swim because of the panic attack, but now—”

“Wait, panic attack?” I looked at Kiara, who was busy looking down at her lap, twiddling her thumbs.

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