Effortlessly, I kicked my legs as I glided in the water, not knowing how I was doing it since I didn’t know how to swim. Turning my head from left to right, I saw nothing and moved my body.

I glanced up and saw the sun illuminating the water, but it was far, and couldn’t reach it. Groaning, I looked ahead and saw the little girl again.

I moved towards her slowly and watched her body floating in the water. Her short, shoulder-length red hair reminded me of mine when I was little. Her eyes were closed, and she didn’t move when I extended my hand to touch her cheek.

I observed her freckles and cute face when abruptly her eyes snapped open, making me yelp in surprise.

Her dull green eyes stared into mine and I tried to get away from her, but she grabbed my wrist. Frowning, I tried to shrug her grip, but it was strong and I couldn’t move.

“Let me go!” I screamed, and that’s when the water hit my throat.

I closed my mouth again and my eyes squeezed shut when it was getting hard for me to breathe.

Opening my eyes again, I saw no one there. The little girl was gone, leaving me to struggle. Kicking my legs, I moved up but couldn’t even though just a minute ago I was swimming.

My throat burned, and I gripped my neck as if it would lessen the pain, but nothing happened. I shut my eyes as my heartbeat became slow.

Am I going to die?

Sensing something shifted, I opened my eyes to see a hand coming toward me. I couldn’t see the face of whom it belonged as it was blurry, but I wasn’t scared of it and had the urge to go closer. I extended my hand towards the big one and grabbed it. The hand pulled me and my body moved upwards. Blinking my eyes, I cleared my vision as the face came close to me and my eyes widened when I recognized it.

Finlay?

He had a huge grin on his face as he put his hands over my waist and pulled me closer to him. I steady myself by putting my hands over his shoulder and suddenly I could breathe again.

“What are you doing?” I asked, darting my eyes over his face.

“I came here to save you.” He smirked and my eyes landed on his lips.

Gulping, I darted my eyes back to his and saw him intensely staring at me.

“I missed you,” I murmured, putting my hands on his face.

“I missed you too Amber.” He mumbled, and my heart jumped in joy.

“Fin... I think I like you.” I whispered.

We leaned our heads and my eyes fluttered close as I felt his breath on my lips. I was about to taste his pink plump lips when I heard a sound and halted.

“What’s that?” I backed a little.

“Time to wake up.” He winked at me, making me frown.

“What- AAAAAH!”

I was pulled down, and my back landed on something hard, making me wince.

“F**k!” I groaned and opened my eyes to see I was on the floor of my room with my feet tangled in the duvet.

My brows knitted in confusion as I tried to remember what happened. I saw the nightmare again, but this time it was good. The hand I used to fear was of a guy who saved me from drowning and the guy was. A gasp let out my lips and my eyes widened.

Finlay!

This whole time it was him?!

But... How?!

From the corner of my eye, I saw something shined. I turned my head and looked under my bed to see a familiar box. I grabbed it and got up from the floor.

He hide it under my bed?

Plopping on my bed, I opened the box and saw it as it was before. The picture, letters, and ring everything was inside.

Finlay...

It’s been almost five days since we had our fight and I haven’t seen him. I told him to stay away from me and that’s exactly what he did. Even though he invaded my life without my permission and stayed in my house. It took only ten days for him to make me like him.

The past days have been miserable without him. Every time I came to the house from work, I felt lonely more than ever. Finlay was such a nice guy and a roommate to be with. He was cheeky and fun to be with, and whenever my mood was down, he cheered me up.

Now I lost him.

Because of my foolishness.

I sighed and thought back to my dream. They began after I met him and now I saw him saving my life. That made me think if only me seeing him was somehow connected to it.

I glanced at the clock, knowing I had little time to get ready for work, so I quickly picked up my phone and called my mother. She is an early bird, so I knew she was awake.

“Everything alright?” She asked as soon as she picked.

“Good morning Mom. I’m fine. How are you?”

“God, Amber, you scared me. You never called this early in the morning.”

“I know I just... Missed you.” I mumbled, running my finger over the box.

I did miss her. It has been so long since I talked to her.

“What happened?” I opened my mouth, but she cut me off. “And don’t say nothing because I can hear it in your voice. Is New York not treating you well? You can always come back.”

“I’m happy with my job.” My eyes went to Finlay and his mother’s picture. “I wanted to talk to you about something.”

“What?”

“I’m having a nightmare about the time I drowned.”

“But that was years ago.” Her voice was laced with confusion.

“I know that’s why I wanted to ask you exactly what happened. I remember little.”

“I’ll tell you about it later. I need to cook breakfast for your father-”

“Mom, please, I need to know... Like right now.” She always avoided it and I stopped asking because I wasn’t interested until now.

“Fine...” She cleared her throat. “Well, it happened when you were around six years old. I took you to the lake with my friends and their children. You were playing with them around the lake and I was sitting at the benches with the mothers and...” She stopped as her voice cracked.

“What?”

“I should have monitored you, but I didn’t. I wasn’t a good mother and almost lost you.” She whispered, and I knew she was crying.

My mom cries so easily.

“Mom, I’m alive don't cry.”

“But that day...”

“What happened next?” I urged her to continue.

“You slipped in the lake and I didn’t know until I saw a commotion going on there. I ran towards the lake and saw a little boy bringing you towards the edge. You were lifeless and cold when I touched you and you weren’t breathing... Amber, you were dead.” She sobbed.

“Mom...” I almost whined.

I didn’t mean to make her weep. I want to know what happened.

“I sat there crying as I watched the boy giving you CPR and pumping your chest. You didn’t breathe for whole two minutes but the boy didn’t give up and suddenly you gasped and began coughing...”

She told me how happy she was and continuously apologized to me for not paying attention. Now I get why she’s so protective of me and didn’t want me to leave her.

“Mom, I’m fine and healthy. Now stop crying,” I grumbled when she didn’t stop.

“I’m so sorry, baby.”

“Who was the boy? Do you remember his name?”

“Of course, I would never forget the boy who saved my only daughter’s life. His name’s...” She sniffed. “... Finlay Reed.”

Now that struck me like lightning.

• • • • •

A/N

Connecting the dots? 👀

What do you think of the chapter name? I couldn't think of anything else 😅