Alandria shut her eyes and threw her arms forward to swim to the surface as fast as she could. She needed oxygen, pronto! Her legs were heavy but that did not stop them to kick in the water as she made her way up. The sunlight flashed across her already burning eyes as she emerged from the lake and water made its way out of her throat immediately. After coughing out the dirty water, Alandria lazily swam to the bank and threw her body on the grass.

*Ohhh...as if life was not as complicated already...now I have to drown too....*

*But you didn't. Look at the bright side!* her brain reminded her.

*Hmmm yeah...* she agreed.

Alandria unconsciously let her hand wander on the grass when she suddenly felt something soft...soft fabric...which smelled really good...it smelled like a person she knew.

"Zayden" she whispered as her eyes swapped open.

Immediately, her body jerked forward and she sat up in a bolt. In front of her, sprawled on the grass, was Zayden's shirt. What was it doing her? Wasn't Zayden supposed to be inside the house sulking? Or...being furious and throwing everything around...including her food...? Poor food...

"What the heck is this all about?" she whispered in confusion as she walked towards the house, the shirt in her hand.

She arrived in front of the door and entered the house, hoping that Zayden would not mind her getting the floor wet. Something was wrong...the house was strangely quiet.

"Zayden?" she called, "Why is your shirt..."

She stopped dead. She took a deep breath and went to search in each room. He was not home. Where was he? Alandria stood in utter confusion when suddenly she felt like she was hit with bat on her head!

"Oh shit! He's in the bloody lake!" she yelled to herself as she threw the shirt away and sped towards the lake at full speed.

She didn't know she could run that fast! She felt like she was on a motorbike or something but no! These were her legs! She was actually a fast runner! Who would've thought!

Alandria jumped in the water with a loud splash and dived right into it. A lot of fearful thoughts ran through her head, but she focused on her location. She had to find Zayden! The water was muddy, making it difficult to even see the underwater plants. She wished there was no strange creature that would eat her. It was a silly thought, but this was the kind of thought which would run in anyone's mind had they been in her place. She decided that she would let her hands do all the work since the water was so dirty. She felt everything around her...the plants, the mud, that weird fish with warm skin ughh...., and even the objects that lay under water, but to no avail. There was no sign of him. At last, Alandria  was starting to suffocate. She felt angry at her weak human attributes and swam to the surface to breathe. 

Where the hell was he? He must be near the bank since he jumped from there! If he really did not know how to swim then he must be near the bank! It did not make any sense! Why was he not near the bank?

"Think Alandria! Think!" she told herself, trying not to panic.

"ZAYDEN!" she cried, "ZAYDEN!"

No answer.

*Clearly...he must be having a chat with a fish...otherwise I cannot understand why he would not answer you under water...* she felt her brain tease.

*Oh you...what the...* 

Fish? Alandria thought hard about this. Can there really be a fish in this kind of water? There could be...but...was that really a fish she felt earlier? Since when did fish skin feel warm and human like? SINCE WHEN DID FISH HAVE SKIN? THEY HAVE SCALES!

"Oh man!" Alandria cried as she dived back, realising how stupid she had been.

She felt the mud again, trying to remember when she felt the fish and there! She felt it! Something soft...something skin-like...something hard...an arm....

Zayden!

Her heart exploded with happiness! She wrapped her arms around Zayden's waist before kicking the muddy ground with all her force. She swam to the surface and looked at Zayden first as soon as they came up. He was unconscious. She swam slowly since Zayden was heavy and managed to bring the both of them to the bank. She then pulled him on the grass and threw herself next to him. She needed to catch her breath!

"Zayden!" she suddenly remembered, kneeling to him, "Please tell me you are breathing!"

Zayden lay lifeless on the ground, his wet hairs on his face, his breathing almost non existent.

"Zayden!" Alandria cried, feeling her heart race.

She put her her hands on his chest and forced the water out of his lungs. At first nothing happened, but then some water started making its way out of his mouth and then suddenly Zayden started coughing madly and sat up in a bolt.

Alandria sighed and wiped the tears that has started coming out of her eyes.

Zayden coughed out all the water and Alandria tapped him on his back as he did so. At last, he seemed to feel better and let himself fall on the ground.

"Oh...." he moaned, "What the hell happened!"

"You drowned...I had to save you...." Alandria explained, "Why did you even jump?"

"Because I thought you were drowning" he replied dryly.

Alandria sighed in exasperation.

"What the hell! If you can't swim, you should not jump in a lake like that! What do you thing is going on here? A movie? Titanic? You jump, I jump? What the..."

Alandria could not end her sentence as Zayden had grabbed her hand and pulled her down. Next thing she knew...Zayden had pinned her down.

"What?" she cried, still angry.

"What?" Zayden reverberated, "What the hell is wrong with you you psycho?...."

"What the..." Alandria squeaked.

""Shut it!" Zayden ordered, "I am speaking. First you run away with me, then you decline my offer to come and stay with me, then you let others know our hiding place...then you save my life. Can you tell me what is wrong with you?"

"Nothing!" Alandria said, "I...I did the right thing...and look at...you. You just come here...you don't even say sorry or thanks..."

"Thanks", Zayden said, "But why should I say sorry?"

"Because of the way you treated me!" Alandria screamed in his face, which was only centimeters away, "You attacked me in the changing room! You take me out shopping! You yell at me when you want and act like you like me when you want! What the hell is wrong...with you!"

Zayden did not expect that...not from the quiet little Alandria. He did not say anything for some moments. Then he sighed and said:

"I'm a mess...I know."

"Yes" Alandria agreed as she pushed the strands of hair in his face away, "You're the psycho...you are never nice to me."

She had no idea why she was touching his hair. Maybe he wanted him to know that she did not mean anything of what she was saying.

"Forgive me Alandria...I just..."

He let go and sat up.

"I just...I am...like that since a long time."

Alandria sat up too.  He stayed quiet for a few seconds...he seemed to be in deep thought and Alandria did not force him to speak.

Just when she was about to tell him that he should go inside and rest, he opened his mouth to speak.

"I grew up in a crazy family" he began as he looked at the lake, "I had everything...we had money...but time...tch...never. My dad ran his textile business, but he wanted more money, so he invested in arms and started his illegal arms trafficking business. When my mom found that out, she left him. She fought to gain my custody, but I was such a brat and told the judge that I wanted to stay with my dad...I said that because he had money...and that was all I could see at that time. So then it was just me and dad. My mom was so disappointed that I rejected her that she did not try to contact me...except on Christmas...but still I did not want her. I blamed her for their divorce...pretty dumb of me right?"

"How old were you?" Alandria asked.

"I was 15" Zayden replied, "Then my mom went away...and one year later she told us that she had cancer. She had just four months left or something and she wanted to spend it with me. I felt the world crash. Everything stopped making sense! I did not want the money! I did not need anything! I just wanted her to be alright again...but no amount of money could buy a life. I spent four months with her...in a chalet which belonged to her. The four best months of my life...and then..."

Zayden's voice broke.

"One day...she just died...I held her in my arms...she was gone Alandria..."

Zayden's face was red and she could see that he was suffering.

"She was gone...and I could not....I could not...Alandria...I could not...do...anything...I could not...I could...not...."

He whimpered as the tears ran down his cheeks. His tired body was about to fall on the ground again, but Alandria caught him and buried him into a hug. She knew that Zayden had to let it all out. This was what had been consuming him since years. He had to let it all out.

He moaned and cried in her arms and Alandria rocked him gently, her fingers in his messy hairs.

"Let it all go Zayden...." she whispered to him, "I am sure she is in a safe place now. God Knows why He has done what He did.  And she got what she wanted before dying...she was able to fulfill her last wish...to be with you..."

Zayden continued crying, but she knew that he understood what she meant. He cried for some time. Alandria held him close to her. She was not going to let go until he felt alright again.

He lifted his face and looked at her with his teary face. Alandria watched closely as he took her hand. He then put her palm against his right cheek to feel the the warmth. He had his eyes closed...

"I feel in peace when I am with you..."

After he said he let go of her hand gently and pulled her to him. He hugged her tightly. 

Alandria smiled.

*And I feel alive when I am with you* she finished in her thoughts.

Author Note: Wow! Long chapter! I hope you like it! Don't forget to leave a vote if you like it! Comment too! I want to know your thoughts! Also, I love Titanic! It's one of my favourite movies! Is it yours too? Tell me in the comments.