I close my eyes, enjoying the chilly breeze as I take a drag from my cigarette. The smoke burns my throat.

I lock out the guys' voices and box aside every thought. I tried to distract myself with Sophia, but it only drained me. It didn't wipe off the image of my previous night's dream.

It was the first time after being that drunk; I saw a dream and remembered it as it happened. I twirl the cig between my fingers. I still remember how Eleanor's soft lips felt against mine, or how she clung to my shirt, giving me the pure sense of euphoria. If in a dream it was that great, can't imagine how the reality would be. Not that I'm supposed to be obsessing over a drunk night's dream. But it was pretty realistic. She didn't even kiss me back. That's pathetic. Even my subconscious knows she dislikes me.

Taking another drag, I fill myself up with smoke before exhaling it. I considered I might have actually kissed her in that intoxicated state, but her behavior today was proof against that.

I hold back my grin as her face pops up in my head when I was teasing her in the evening. If she isn't comfortable sharing her problems, the least I can do is to make her smile, even for a moment. I love her smile.

I open my eyes; the guys are still busy talking and laughing. I shove away Eleanor's thoughts into the farthest corner of my mind and stare with a blank mind, vacant gaze at the enormous expanse of pitch-black ocean.

For how long, I can't identify, but the emptiness in my skull shatters at the sound of a scream.

What is it with girls and screaming?

I shake my head with annoyance as I place the cig on my lip. Before I get the chance to inhale through it, another shriek pierces the quiet night, this time sounding closer, calling my name. Am I going crazy?

I notice the guys have stopped chatting and exchanging glances with one another. So they heard it too.

"Adrien!" someone screeches and I straighten. Not a beat later Arianna's pale face comes into view, her eyes wide, looking frantic. "Eleanor," she cries. Fear grips me. She lifts a trembling hand, "Soph pushed her off the deck."

"What!" Dylan shouts.

For a split second, the world crashes before me, but when I grab a hold of my consciousness, I'm on my feet and pushing my way through everyone. Three at a time I descend the steps, my heartbeat drums in my ears. I survey the water but catch no commotion. I thrust away the fear.

Closely following behind me, Dylan asks, "When? Where?"

"Stop this goddamned thing, tell the captain to stop it," I yell as I sprint to the edge of the deck.

I scan the waters, but it's too dark to spot anything.

Without a second of hesitance I pull my shirt over my head and turn to Ri, "I need lights," I tell her as I take off my shoe.

I step up onto the ledge and dive in.

The fresh water engulfs me. I force my eyes to open, the salt burns them, but I ignore it as I look around for her. I submerge deeper, where the yacht's light barely gives me visibility, yet there's no sign of her.

Fuck

I thrust myself up, inhaling a sharp breath before diving into the water and swimming towards the opposite direction of the yacht's movement.

Putting my entire strength to my arms and legs, with stroke after stroke, I glide below the surface.

I glance backward, the yacht was moving when Soph pushed her off, she has to be somewhere here.

My lungs scream for air, but I remain for a moment before cursing myself for getting out of shape and not being able to hold my breath longer. I return to the surface. Ari and the rest are holding different sized lights, in a vain attempt to illuminate the area.

I gulp down more air, and dive back in, stroking faster as the adrenaline fades away, replaced by fear.

With frantic actions, I search.

Where are you, Eleanor? Where are you?

In zigzag motion, I swim but it's like she has been dissolved.

Terror clouds my head, dread courses through my veins. The frightening thought of being too late knots my stomach.

No, no, no!

Please. Don't die on me. Please.

My body trembles, making each stroke harder than the last one. Fear paralyzes me.

No. She can't die!

My throat closes in. I can't tell if I'm crying or not, the salty liquid grave is doing a good job at hiding it. Every limb in my body shakes from inside out.

Please don't leave me, Eleanor. Please.

With the faint light from my back and the moonlight barely reaching this depth, I survey the vast black ocean.

Please... Where are you? You can't leave me too, Eleanor, you can't. I cannot lose you.

A hurricane of thoughts and emotions grip me, and I beg and plead. To who? I don't know. Maybe to the gravity to quit pulling her down. To this damn water to cease drowning her. To time, to stop and give me a chance. I can't lose her.

At that moment, I decide, I won't swim back to the surface. Not until I find her. Each time taking a breath is wasting seconds too long in saving her.

With determination mixed with terror, I search for her.

My lungs burn from lack of Oxygen, but I pay it no heed as I move to the depths of the sea. My body nearing its limit. One more stroke, I can't lose her too.

I stop, squinting as I look around. A flash of white catches my attention. With frantic movements, I swim towards it, and as I get closer, I realize it's her shirt.

Relief washes through me as I push myself with newfound energy towards her. I hold on to the last string of not giving into gulping down the water instead of air.

As I reach her, Eleanor's skin is oddly pale. Dread stiffens me. But I ignore it, now is not the time. I wrap my arm around her waist. With my remaining strength, I swim towards the surface, paying no heed to the black dots appearing on my vision, the first alarm signaling that I'm edging over to blacking out.

With one final powerful stroke, I break the surface and choke, followed by fits of coughs. I prop Eleanor up, holding her face away from the water all the while I gasp and cough.

Keeping both of us afloat, I spot the yacht a hundred feet away. I tighten my grip on her before I put my entire strength into use and cross the distance.

Dylan has already made the ladder ready, standing on the edge himself. I push myself with the last stroke before grabbing it, hauling both of us to it. Not wasting a second, he takes her from my arm and hurries inside while I climb the ladder and get on the dock.

He lies her on the floor, and Arianna kneels next to her, tears streaming down her face. I rush to them, ignoring the chill the icy breeze sends throughout my body as everything and everyone other than Eleanor vanishes from my sight.

Instincts and muscle memory kicks in and before I know it, I'm giving her CPR, in a steady rhythm, counting each compression until hitting thirty, I seal her cold lips with mine and blow air.

I continue with the CPR, but with each try fear's claws dig deeper.

"It's not working Adrien!" Arianna's whimper brings me back to reality but I ignore her. She clings to Eleanor's hand, pressing it to her own chest, cradling it. But I don't stop.

"We still have time to call the paramedics," Calvin suggests. If Eleanor's life wasn't on the line, I would have given him a piece of my mind.

I can't believe they did nothing. They could have called for help when I was searching for her, but now we can't wait, it'll be too late.

With a mixture of annoyance, frustration, and fear I continue with the CPR. Arianna's occasional sobs are the only voice in this dreadful night.

My eyes burn, it's not working. I feel my body tremble as I fight back the forming tears.

No, no. Please wake up.

+++

Oh well, what a chapter =) Tell me what you think about it :)

Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it ^.^

Next chapter will be up on Wednesday =)