I was awoken at three in the morning. At least, that's what my clock said. I inched my bleary eyes open, staring at the door to my room as a fist continued to pound against it. In response, I groaned, pulling my lone blanket up and over my head. It was too hot for more than one anyways, despite the AC.

"Ada! Wake the heck up!"

"She probably thinks you're here to murder her or something," Shell chided his brother.

I grinned, tossing the covers off of me. In a flash, I opened my door to find the brothers clad in pajamas, standing next to two of my three siblings mirroring the image.

"Midnight swimming time?"

Carl grinned back. "It sure is!"

I quietly closed the door behind me, smiling as the boys walk ahead and Vienna feel into step beside me. Now that I was fully away, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I recalled my day with Melanie. The day left me worn but happy. Exhausted but satisfied that I sort of had a mother. And, as we walked towards the stairs, I spared a glance in the direction of Lydia's room. If only her siblings knew, I thought. If only they knew she wasn't as cold hearted as she seemed, and that she was attempting to break Drew using not violence, but something smarter. Something more evil, you could even say. As I began descending the stairs, I knew he deserved it.

Vienna smiled at me, fully alert for someone awoken at three in the morning. Then, I noticed the bags under her eyes and realized she hadn't been sleeping at all. She noticed my stare and looked away.

"I haven't been sleeping too much," she admitted.

"Does it still- haunt you?" I tried to choose my words carefully as Carson swung open the door, inviting in the humid air. It seemed to always be humid and warm in Richbrooke despite the upcoming fall.

Vienna shook her head, her dyed streak of hair catching the light of the full moon. She gently closed the door to the mansion, and we began our trek to the ocean. It was after we had left the property that she answered my question. "Sometimes. But, not really. So much school work. And, I've never been the most sound sleeper."

She was strong, I had to tell myself. And, she really was, but that didn't stop me from worrying about her. It must've been traumatic for her, what Drew attempted to do. But, she still held her head high, still smiled and laughed like the Vienna before the incident. Even with Lydia's plan, I didn't feel a need to constantly bring up the past anymore. Any of it. If my trip to the mall with Melanie had proven anything to me, it was that the present mattered, and I needed to move away from the past. Hopefully. Things were getting better. I was surrounded by people who actually cared about me.

The boys chatted ahead, almost like they were making up for lost time. Vienna sparked up a random conversation about food, and it kept both of our minds on happy things. Soon enough, the sand and water sparkled across the desolate road. We swiftly ran across, and I didn't have any shoes to toss off so I ran straight for the water. I collided with it before anyone else, and it felt cooler than last time but also warm and comforting. I smiled, leaning back into the salty waves as I turned to watch my friends rush towards me.

Once again, Carl shouted, "Last one in is paying for breakfast!" Shell collided with the waves a split second before Carson, then Vienna, and then a very unlucky Carl. He grumbled about the unfairness of it all and then widened his eyes, digging into the pockets of his shorts. He pulled out a soaked leather wallet and chucked it as far as he can onto the sand. Then, he muttered some words that children shouldn't know and traveled further into the crashing waves. The ocean wasn't very calm tonight. In fact, it seemed a little shaken up by the rain we were expected to receive soon. As in, within less than twenty-four hours. The rain didn't bother me much, so it doesn't scare me. Neither did the waves.

"I see you came prepared this time," Shell smirked at his brother.

Carl shook his head, smirking himself as he tackled Shell into the waves. I found myself laughing, Carson and Vienna on either side of me as they wrestled. Of course, they weren't wrestling to hurt each other or else they'd both be taking a trip to the emergency room. Shell seemed to be the strongest of the two, holding his brother's arms behind his back as he sat on him, waves crashing onto his back.

"This never gets old," Carson mused, watching them with a smile on his face.

Vienna shook her head, but a smile crept onto her face. "One of these days, they're going to drown each other."

I wove a hand at her. "Oh, please. They're big boys."

Vienna laughed. "All I see are two kids."

The brothers in question paused.

"I agree," Carson and I stated at the same time.

Then, all of us were soaked in the salty ocean water, a bit getting inside my mouth. It was all fun and games until the sun began to rise and Carl needed to rush to grab our breakfast. We watched him go, and I caught sight of two people walking down the other side of the beach. They walked hand-in-hand, and the others were too busy to notice them. Or notice as I slowly crept towards them, making sure I saw things correctly. I saw a flash of her blonde hair and twig-thin body right next to that tall jerk I'd notice anywhere. Lydia and Drew.

What will the others make of this? What are they doing here? I watched as they held hands, staring off into the ocean. They talked, laughed.
Then, they walked out to sea. I could see that Lydia hesitated. And, then I realized something; I didn't think she could swim. But, Drew pulled her deeper and she obeyed. He knows what he's doing, I thought.

I began rushing towards them, but he already pushed her under, holding her there. When her head poked up I saw the malicious gleam in Drew's eyes. Did he not see us here? Was he flipping insane?

"I'm not stupid, Lydia," I heard him hiss at her. "You didn't think I'd figure you out, but why else would you go out with me?" He dunked her back into the water. She tried to fight, but he had an advantage. Anger built up within me. "You're just a dumb-"

In a flash, she jumped out of the water, lunging at him and pushing him under. Then, he jumped up, and Lydia produced a knife from her boot. PShe didn't look like she needed much help, but I'd provide it anyways.

He didn't see me approaching, so I jumped on his shoulders. I screamed loudly, making sure the others knew something was happening. However, I didn't need their help. Not as Lydia sprang towards him, breathing ragged, and sliced Drew's arm. He howled in pain, arching his back and knocking me off of him and into the warm water. My hair clung to my skin and face as Lydia defended herself, pepper spraying Drew and slicing where it counted.

As Drew doubled over in pain and I heard splashes approaching us, I realized that Lydia really could defend herself. She just didn't plan for an attempted drowning.

I stumbled a step back, heart thumping and adrenaline pumping. Then, Carson attacked Drew and Lydia took a step away, rolling her eyes but not sheathing her blood-dripping knife. Crimson dropped into the ocean as her eyes hardened. Then, she noticed me and raised an eyebrow, but smiled slightly, almost as if thanking me but reminding me that she could handle herself.

Drew was just about done from Lydia's blows. Shell helped drag him back to the shore, both of the boys keeping firms grips on his arms. Drew had given up, the color draining from his face as more blood mingled with the ocean water surrounding him. Vienna and I went towards Lydia.

"What were you doing with him in the first place?" Vienna hissed. "It's all about you, isn't it, Lydia?"

Lydia opened her mouth to interject, eyes softening, but her sister beat her to it.

"I'm sorry that Drew couldn't stick to one girl, but he still won't. He's all yours, and I hope this encounter was a lesson to you."

This was out of character for Vienna as she stared at her soaked sister who was almost shaking. I guess Lydia was also acting out of character.

"Vienna," I said softly.

She held up a hand to me.

I swatted her hand down and stood between her and Lydia. "Didn't you even stop to wonder what was going on?" I felt an urge to protect Lydia. "Do you know why Drew was trying to drown her?"

Vienna's eyes widened slightly, her composure crumbled. "What?"

"Because she was trying, in her own way, to get revenge on him for what he did to you. She was pretending to her date him, and then he finds her out and this happens. But, no! You can't even hear her out!"

Vienna let out a breath. "Why would you do that, Lydia?"

Lydia stepped out from behind me. "Because he deserves to be put in his place. And you're still my sister whether I started shutting you out for popularity and boys or not. Maybe, in my own way, I was trying to make this up to you."

Vienna's eyes watered. "He could have killed you!"

"But, he didn't. And got to cut him up, so I think it's a win-win."

Vienna laughed and pulled her sister into a hug. She was crying, and I could tell that Lydia tried hard not to do the same. I saw her chest rapidly rise and fall and realized that she failed. They both hugged each other tight in the middle of the ocean, and I glanced to the shore. The boys looked about ready to murder Drew, so I began to head back. Both girls fell into step beside me, each wiping the tears from their eyes. Lydia tried to pull of a tough façade, but I could tell that she was truly touched by being reunited with her sister.

"Boys are stupid," Lydia laughed weakly. "And I'm sorry I became sick and jaded jerk."

Vienna sighed. "I forgive you. Just remember that things won't be the way they always used to."

Lydia frowned. "I expected that."

Finally, we reached the shore after a bit of tense silence.

"What are we going to do with this dirtbag?" I asked the boys.

"This isn't over," Drew hissed.

"Oh, I think it is," I smiled sweetly. Everyone tensed
as I moved towards Drew, sitting and bleeding on the sand. Even Drew himself. "Lydia, knife."

Lydia obliged, albeit a bit hesitantly.

I held it to his neck. "Listen. I don't care about Chris, or Lexus, or Cara or any of them. I care about this situation with you. It ends here. You're going to pull out your phone and you're going to tell all of social media so there is no going back. It's time you learn your lesson, that you can't just hurt girls and use them for whatever it is you want."

His eyes hardened. "What if I don't."

I smirked, inching the knife closer. "Would you like to find out?"

"You wouldn't."

"Try me." I wasn't sure what took over me, but I was tired of playing his games. Tired of seeing people hurt. Sometimes, you could ends things without beating people to pulps and having epic showdowns. Maybe I needed a little persuasion, but it was better than the alternative.

"Well?" I questioned.

He sighed, realizing he was defeated, and took out his phone. I watched as he Tweeted, Instagrammed, Snapchatted, and so on. Whenever he hesitated I made sure the knife inched ever closer to his throat. No, I wouldn't kill him. Even as anger thrummed inside of me, I knew I couldn't.

Everyone around me held their breath as Drew pocketed his phone. "There."

He posted the same message on every platform. 'No more fighting. Ada wins.'

"You still have Amara to worry about. And her friend. And Chris."

I shrugged even though he was right. It wasn't over by a long shot. "Whatever. One down, more to go."
I stepped away, removing the knife from his throat. I still kept it pointed at him lest he try anything. "Now, go find a hospital."

He wattled off, and everyone around me wore looks of pure shock.

"I just went to get breakfast. What the hell?"

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Thoughts? I said there'd be more action in this chapter and- was that enough? That didn't go how I'd planned it, but what do you guys think? Be honest. Do you think that Drew will really stay out of it now?

-Sarah