Accidental Love (Accidental Crush #2) (22 page)

"
Thank you, Ashley Taylor," he says with a smile as the soles of my feet reconnect with the pavement. "I meant what I said," he leans down and whispers.

"
I know," I whisper back with a smile.

Chapter 22: Last Day

ASHLEY

It
's our last day at the pool before it closes for the fall, and I hate that this is how it's all going to end. Me and Todd not talking, Todd and Casey barely able to pass one another without fighting. So far, Ryan is doing a really good job of keeping Todd distracted; however, Todd is no longer trying to hide the fact that he wants to kill Casey. This is going to be a fun day.

I
've been up in my chair for ten minutes, counting down how many hours are left of this summer. As much as I hated being at the pool a few days ago, I'm starting to get nostalgic about it now that it's coming to an end. In just seven hours, the summer will officially be over. I think back to my first day, sitting up in my very own lifeguard chair and how excited I was, how fun it was to see Todd from across the pool, to look forward to our lunch breaks and rides home. And now he won't even look in my direction. How quickly things change.

Suddenly
, my thoughts are interrupted by a kid bobbing up and down in the middle of the pool, flailing his arms. I can instantly tell he's in trouble. As instinct takes over, I jump in. I know he's scared. He's got to be eight, but he's big—almost my size. He's thrashing around and taking in a lot of water.

"
Calm down; I've got you," I say in the calmest tone I have. It's incredible how it all comes back to you, all of the training. It's like it takes over, and you know exactly what to do. I try to wrap my arms under his and guide him to safety, but he's moving around so much it's making it difficult.

"
Calm down!" I scream louder, and then I see his giant head come crashing toward mine with his full force.

Everything goes black for a second
. I know I need to hold on to him, keep him above water. I feel wetness trickle down my face and have a feeling it's not water. It feels thicker.
Keep your eyes open. Keep it together.
But I feel myself drifting.
Hold him up.

I
'm pretty sure we make it the edge. I see him grab on to the side of the pool, and I think Casey is there to grab him, but everything is fuzzy. I hear the water rushing in my ears, and I look up to see the water wash over my eyes. Everything is moving in wave-like motions as the water ripples above me.

Kick your legs, move your arms
, I keep telling myself, but I can't. Everything is getting fuzzier while my legs and arms feel so heavy. I can't move them, no matter how hard I try. I just need to close my eyes, fall into the water and let it envelope me. That's what I need to do.

I try to reach up
, but more water separates me from the edge of the pool. I can see images standing above the water, and it sounds like they're shouting. It sounds like Todd's voice, but it's muffled through the water. I see him push Casey, and it looks like they are fighting. I can't tell, though; it's all so far away.

A
nd then there is nothing. Just blackness. Silence.

TODD

I hear the whistle code that signals there is a problem at one of the pools
, and my eyes instantly shift to Ashley's pool. There is a lot of commotion in the middle of it, and Casey is standing at the edge, so I know Ash is in the water.

I hear Casey shout
"Clear the pool!"

I glance over at Ryan
. I'm not supposed to leave my post, but I need to be there. I feel it in my bones that Ashley's in trouble, and I hate that Casey is there to help her.

"
Go," Ryan shouts to me from across the pool. "I've got this." He gestures to our pool. For a split second, I hesitate because he is her brother, and I'm sure he wants to help. Besides, at this point, I have no true ties to her, but I can't
not
go, and I know he knows it.

I
'm at the edge of her pool within seconds, and it's much worse than I thought. Casey is trying to pull out this huge kid, and the blue water is streaked with red blood. At first, I think it's the kid who's bleeding, but as my eyes quickly scan him, I can see that he's fine—shaken up but fine.

I glance back to Ash
. I know she can hold her own in the water and so does Casey, so he's tending to the kid. I think we both realize at the same time Ash isn't coming back up. The blood must be hers. The red is spreading through the water.

I see Casey ready to jump in
, and something takes over me. Maybe it's ego, maybe its hatred, but I can't let him go in there. I know each second is precious and I need to get to her now.

"
Get out of the way, Casey. I'm getting her." He doesn't seem to get it the first time. This is the girl I love, and she needs me. I place myself between him and the edge of the pool. "No way, Casey, back the fuck up." I know there are kids around and I shouldn't curse, but I can't help it. All of the anger I've felt for him for the last year erupts. I shove him back as hard as I can, and he stumbles on the wet pavement.

"
Go get, Ryan," I shout to George, who's come over to assess the situation. Casey looks like he wants to kill me, but he stays back. I know this is all happening in a split second, but it feels like it's taking me hours to get to her.

When I see she
's not moving at the bottom of the pool, my heart sinks. Something is wrong, something is very wrong. I slice through the water to get to her.

My heart is pounding in my chest as our heads break the surface of the water. Casey is there with a backboard to help pull her out
, and for once in my life, I'm glad to see him.

Her body is limp, lifeless
, and it scares the shit out of me. As soon as we get her out of the water, I give Casey a look he reads right away, and he backs up a little.

I check to make sure she is breathing
, and my heart soars when I feel wisps of her soft breath on my cheek. It's light, but it's there. As I check for a pulse, I can see the blood trickling down the side of her face. Feeling the thump of her heart might be the best thing I've ever felt, but the kid got her pretty good. There's a big gash on her forehead, and it's pouring out blood.

I lock eyes with Casey
, how much he cares about her written all over his face. "Get towels," I shout to him.

He runs off
and is back within seconds. He starts to apply pressure in an attempt to stop the bleeding.

"
How bad?" Ryan says as he runs over to join us, and then he takes one look at his sister and answers his own question.

"
Call 911!" I shout back to him.

"
George already did. They're on their way," Ryan answers, and I feel relief wash over me. Help is coming.

I glance over at Casey
. If there is one thing he is, it's a good lifeguard. He's got towels pressed firmly on Ash's head, and he's already covered her with the other towels. I'm actually glad he's here to help, only for Ash's sake.

I wrap my fingers around her lifeless hand and lean down to get close to her ear
. "Come on, Ashley," I plead with her. I glance over at Ryan. "Where the hell is the ambulance?"

He doesn
't respond; he's busy trying to push the people who have gathered around back to give us some room and Ash some privacy. I know he doesn't know what to do, none of us do. The only joy I have in this moment is knowing she is breathing. Seeing her chest rise and fall is all I have to hold on to right now, so I do.

When
Ryan finally comes over, he leans down next to her, and now me, Casey, and Ryan are on the ground, surrounding her.

"
I'm calling Mom and Dad, Ash. You're going to be fine. Hang in there." His voice sounds strong and calm, yet I've never seen Ryan this shaken up.

Casey
's in full lifeguard mode, keeping his hands pressed firmly on the towels to try to stop the bleeding.

"
Please, Ash, come on. Wake up," I continue to plead with her, my pleading tone changing to anger because I'm just so mad at everything. Why is this happening? Why have I been away from her for so long? All I want is her, and I know it. I've known it all along. In this moment, I just want to see her beautiful brown eyes. I want them to open and lock with mine. Why won't they open?

Finally
, we hear the sirens.

ASHLEY

The next thing I know
, I'm on something hard, my hand brushing against something familiar. I know this pavement. I'm on the side of the pool. I'm trying desperately to open my eyes, but they won't open.

"
Come on, Ash," I hear Todd's voice in my ear.

And then there is darkness again. Nothing. Pitch black.

"I'm going with her," I hear Todd's voice again.

"
Well, then we're going together." I hear Ryan's voice shout back.

Going with me where? I try to think
, but it hurts, so I don't. I want to say something, but I can't. I want to ask where we're going. And I try. I try to move, try to speak, but nothing is happening. So I fall back into the comfort of the black silence.

TODD

Once the paramedics are here
, they immediately take over, and now, with nothing to do except stand by and watch, I can finally, truly absorb what is happening. I hate that there is nothing I can do to help. I hate seeing Ashley lying there, not moving. The paramedics are shouting out her vitals, and I wish I knew what those numbers meant. Are they good or bad? Why won't she wake up? I need to be near her, to touch her, and I hate that I can't.

"
Two of you can go with her since we have to close this pool," George's voice cuts through my thoughts, and I see him gesture towards Ash's blood floating in the water. "But I need one of you to stay back for coverage."

"
I'll stay," Casey says. I don't question it. I think, in all honesty, neither does he. I don't even glance over at him, though. I won't take my eyes off Ashley. I can't.

"
We're taking her to Lawrence, boys," the Paramedic shouts back to us as they frantically push her gurney through the crowd of people. Flashes of the last time we were at Lawrence fly through my head. That's where it all started.

"
I'm so sorry," a woman says to me and Ryan as we follow behind the paramedics. She must be the kid's mother. "I hope she's okay," she says to Ryan. I see the tears in her eyes. "Thank her for saving my boy." I see the kid standing behind her. I hate that kid. I don't want to hate him, but I can't help it.

"
I'll drive," Ryan says, glancing at me as we run to our lockers to get our clothes and phones. He knows I'm in no condition to drive and neither is he, but between the two of us, I think he might have one up on me at the moment.

ASHLEY

I
'm on something soft now. I feel like I'm moving, but I can't tell where I'm going or if I'm really even moving. It's completely unclear while everything feels like it's spiraling around me.

"
I'm so sorry, Ash, for everything." I feel Todd's hand wrapped in mine. I know his fingers. I know his sent. He sounds upset, but I'm not sure why.

"
Can you hear us, Ash?" I hear Ryan's voice filled with panic. I don't like that sound in his voice, and I want to tell him I'm okay. It's fine. Yet I can't speak. I try again, but I can tell nothing is happening because no one is responding to me.

"
I'm sorry, boys. I need you to back up. I can't work around you." I hear a voice that I don't recognize. "Ashley, I'm going to give you something for the pain." I feel pressure on my head for the first time and then nothing again.

TODD

As soon as we get to the hospital and go through the familiar
sliding-glass doors, they let Ryan and I head back to be with her in the treatment room. She's still unconscious, and seeing her on that bed, in this sterile room, brings back feelings I've buried deep inside from last year.

Ryan and I instinctively walk up to her bed to be close to her
, and the doctor working on her threatens to throw us out if we don't back up.

"
I only have one patient here, boys," he says, looking at us sternly. When his eyes connect with ours, he can see how much we truly love her. His look softens as he gives us a small smile before he quickly turns back to work on Ash.

"
Why isn't she awake yet?" I ask Ryan softly, but the doctor must hear me because he answers without looking back as he continues to work on her.

"
We just sedated her so we can stitch up her wound. She's been in and out, which is normal with what she's been through and the injury she sustained."

A nurse comes in with a tray filled with what I can o
nly assume is everything he's going to need to stitch her up.

"
If you have weak stomachs, I suggest you wait outside, boys. Like I said, I only have room and time for one patient here."