//Your POV//

****

Standing in shallow water to my ankles, I stare at my bare feet.

I hear familiar wailing in the distance.

It's scary how recognizable the crying was.

Tears came like rivers from my eyes.

I look up and see a starry sky.

The cold air was unbearable in the white sundress I was wearing.

The twinkling lights above reflected into the water.

I don't have a reflection.

I see a petite, human figure in its place...

****

I woke up, still in the car.

Up front, Sam was sleeping, hands in his pockets and a dot of ketchup on his cheek (for some reason).

Next to me, his head slumped on my shoulder, was Max, quietly snoring.

The presence of him next to me was comforting from the odd dream.

'He must've been really tired...we did go to bed late last night too, I guess..'

My mom was silently driving, not knowing I was awake.

The quietness was sort of unsettling.

I stared out the window, wondering what the fuck I just witnessed.

'There was me...someone crying...water and stars....I have no reflection. Maybe I'm secretly a vampire??'

My mom glared at the rear view mirror and noticed I was up.

"Hey kiddo, why the long face?" She asked.

"I'm not sad..just confused."

"Why?"

"Weird dream."

"All dreams are weird, hun."

"But Mom, this dream was weeeeiiiirrrddd!" I emphasized on the word weird.

"Dreams always mean something to are lives. Whether it's reflecting on events, or our brain trying to tell us something, the answer is never clear. Look for it, and you'll find it, Alice. You don't have to chase a rabbit around for this one," She stated philosophically.

"I guess.."

"Take that to heart, kiddo. I don't come up with that stuff often."

"Pffft, Okay."

"*Yawn* Am I missing the party?" Yawned Sam.

My mom dug one hand in her purse and pulled out a stick of gum, "Samuel, your breath smells like something died in your mouth. Take this."

He grabbed the stick and twirled it in his fingers.

"Have you never seen gum before or something?" I giggled.

Sam shrugged and pressed the button on his door, making the window go down.

"Samuel, don't you dare."

He flicked the gum out the window, "Yes, I do dare."

"When we get to Sleepy Peak, I am going to destroy you," She growled.

"Over a stick of gum?" He stifled a laugh.

"Yes," Mom hissed.

Max started to wake up and rubbed his eyes, "What'd I miss?"

"Oh nothing, just mom telling Sam he had bad breath and Sam throwing the gum she gave him out the window and now she's going to destroy him when we get to camp," I recapped for him.

"Oh, okay then."

"We're an odd family," Sam chimed.

"You can say that again," Mom scoffed, changing lanes in the process.

Up ahead was the big, green sign "Sleepy Peak - Exit 57 in 5 miles".

The word "family" rang in my head while my mom said something else.

'Family...are we really a family? I get I have Mom and Sam and My friends but....it isn't what others have, though. Other people have Moms and Dads who are together and still love each other. They host neighborhood barbecues in the summer and make hot cocoa together in the winter. They're always together. I must be too ungrateful. I'm a brat.'

****

Just then, I was back in that water, which was rising.

Up to my torso and soon my neck.

I'm chocking for air, my mouth gaping outside the water.

I blunge beneath the surface and sink down, down, down.

Air...Air...Air....

My ears are ringing, my head is fuzzy, my lungs are burning.

I'm desperate for oxygen.

Air...Air....Air....

****

"Y/n!"

I looked around, taken aback by what was happening.

Max had his hands on my shoulders, shaking me.

The car stopped on the side of the parkway.

My Uncle and Mother giving me the same, painful look they did the day of the divorce.

"What...What's wrong?" I managed to croak the words out.

My throat felt dry and scratchy.

My heart was beating loudly, each "thu-dump!" painful.

Max had tears prickling in his eyes, "Y/n, you literally passed out and stopped breathing!"

"I did?"

"Yeah, kid. What the hell just happened?" Sam asked, his usual coolness gone, "How do you feel?"

"My head hurts...really bad. I keep having these weird dreams and thoughts...I was just fine, so I don't know what's going on. Ha, ha..I'm kinda freaked out right now," I explained.

"Again with the dreams? Maybe you were thinking too hard?" My mom thought.

"Nah, I do that all the time and it doesn't make me pass out!" I denied.

Sam put his hand on my forehead.

"Tch. I should've known it from the start, you have a fever."

"Well shit. Just my luck," I sighed.

"It looks about maybe 100.3, so it's not too bad. As long as you stay warm and rest, you'll be fine," Sam reassured me.

"Phew! That's a relief!" My Mom flashed her determined smile and started driving again.

"How did he-" Max began to whisper to me but was interrupted by Sam.

"I have a PhD, kid. Trust me, I'm older than I look."

"Oh."

//Max's POV//

I looked over to see Y/n holding her forehead with her hand.

"What were your dreams about?" I asked her, whispering.

"I don't think I want to talk about it right now, sorry."

"It's alright," I nodded.

I wasn't going to force her.

We made eye contact and my stomach twisted when I saw the look on her face.

In her eyes, she looked like she was about to break down.

Fear was written all over her face.

She wasn't showing her beautiful smile.

The sparkle in her eyes were gone.

Despite my efforts to hold myself back, I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her towards me.

"Wh-What are you doing?? You'll get sick!" She panicked.

"I'll be fine. Since you're sick, you need to stay warm and I thought my body heat would help."

"Are you sure-"

"Just relax, kitty."

Warmth wasn't the only reason.

I felt the need to comfort her.

I wanted to make her feel safe.

I wanted her to know I'd protect her from whatever was haunting her.

I wanted her to feel loved.

My princess started falling asleep already, which made me chuckle.

'She's My Princess..'

**Timeskip and switch to your POV**

Outside of the entrance, we sat in the car.

I swayed anxiously in my seat, wanting to get the confrontation with David over with.

I was in no mood for him.

We slowly pulled down the dirt road.

Everyone was outside, including an annoyed looking Gwen and Worried David.

We stepped out of the now stopped car, the sickeningly hot air clashing with my condition.

David picked up Max and squeezed him, "I was so worried!"

"Let me the hell go!" Max hissed.

David put him down, without apologizing.

He looked to me.

"Y/n! I-...what's wrong? You look flushed."

"I...don't feel too good."

I gripped my forehead, feeling the blackness seep into my thoughts again.

I wobbled, my legs feeling like jello.

"She's gonna faint!" Yelled Nikki.

And, of course, I fell.

"I got her!" Max caught me before I hit the ground.

"*Sigh* Nice catch, kid," Sam nodded to Max and turned to David, "Her fever must've worsened from the heat. She needs to get somewhere cool, now."

The sharp tone is his voice gave off the sense of emergency.

"We can bring her into the counselors cabin until she gets better," David nodded frantically.

"Good. Do you have blankets and maybe some tea??" Sam said Coolly.

"Yeah we have that stuff," Gwen sighed.

Max was still gripping onto me tight.

He kept giving me these worried looks.

"We can take it from here, thanks for bringing them back," He thanked my mom and Sam and turned to Max and I and opened his arms, "We'll discuss about what you guys did later. For now, Y/n's health is what matters."

He gestured for Max to hand me over but Max refused.

"I'll carry her."

"It's fine, Max. Just-"

"Let me do it," He practically growled at David.

"Okay, Okay, you can carry her," Gwen interrupted.

"Bye Honey, feel better soon," Mom bent over and kissed me on the forehead.

"See ya soon shrimp," Sam waved and they walked towards the car after giving David our bags.

//Max's POV//

"Don't forget about graduation!" David called to them, as they drove away in the car.

'Oh yeah...that.'

I looked at Y/n to see that she was looking at me so I just gave her a small smile and she made a weak smile.

I started walking with Y/n in my arms.

Her arms were around my neck, like she did when we were in the lake from the cliff.

David and Gwen followed slowly behind us.

Once I got there, I waited for them to open the door.

Gwen unlocked the door and pointed to the small couch.

I put Y/n down on that couch and put a blanket over her.

David took her temperature which was 101.2 so it definitely worsened.

Y/n eventually fell asleep.

Gwen left to use the bathroom.

"She passed out and stopped breathing for a minute in the car," I told him.

"Oh gosh...it must've been bad," David refused to swear, like the pussy he is.

"Yeah...don't take the punishment too hard on her..."

"Ha! So you do care!" David laughed.

"Shut up! She's sleeping, moron!" I yell-whispered.

"But really, Max..do you have feelings for her?" He lowered his voice.

"...maybe I do, maybe I don't. But what's your problem with it??"

"I have no problem. It's just," He looked at Y/n and back at me "The way you look at her, the fact you actually smile around her, and the way you act."

"I guess it's...," I looked at my sleeping princess...

"too obvious, huh?"