Chapter 3 ( Reborn)

Austin’s POV

The sun was setting over the McKenna mansion, everyone was having all the fun they could and I just gave a random smile, not like I knew them.

But you know, when you’re handsome and fit, you get eyes on you wherever you walk in. Music pulsed through the air, mingling with the laughter and chatter of high school seniors eager to celebrate Amy’s birthday.

I walked in, feeling slightly out of place, but determined to enjoy the evening. “Hey Mel” A young lady waved towards two ladies sitting by the pool, and I looked towards them.

I couldn’t pick who the ‘Mel’ was but I knew it wasn’t the lady that gave an answer.

“Stop it, Amy. I’m not in the mood for that.” I smiled as I watched the two dramatic ladies, and took a seat right behind them waiting to see Jackson around somewhere.

I knew who Amy was instantly, no wonder everyone was drooling over her.Her blonde hair caught the last rays of sunlight. She looked radiant in a light blue sundress that swayed with the breeze.

Jackson had told me she was beautiful and I didn’t believe it until I saw her. I was busy looking around for Jackson while I observed both of them. I didn’t know multitasking was so hard, but both of them were so entertaining.

“Come on, Mel,” Amy coaxed, her voice light but laced with concern. “It’s my birthday, and you haven’t smiled in days. Can’t you just enjoy tonight?”Mel sighed heavily, her hands gripping the edge of the pool tightly.

“Amy, I’m trying, but….” She paused, her voice cracking slightly. “It’s just hard, okay? Everywhere I look, I see people happy and carefree, and it feels like...”Amy placed a gentle hand on Mel’s arm.

“I know it’s been tough. But you’re not alone, Mel. You have me, and tonight’s about having fun, not dwelling on the pain.”Mel’s expression hardened. “You think I’m dwelling on it? You think I’m just sulking? My mom died, Amy. How am I supposed to just move on?”Amy’s face fell, hurt flashing across her features.

“Mel, that’s not what I meant….”Before Amy could finish, Mel stood up abruptly, splashing water onto the pool deck. “You don’t get it. You’ll never get it.” With that, she stormed off, her wet feet slapping against the tiles as she left Amy standing alone in the pool.

I had just walked in, minding my own business, but I guess I didn’t do enough of that. It appeared Mel was badly hurt and I wouldn’t want to argue with ladies. So, I just got up from my chair and searched for Jackson.

I looked around, and I knew I needed to leave if I didn’t find Jackson. I was walking out, after calling Jackson severally and I got no response, Mel, not paying attention to where she was going, crashed right into me.

The impact jolted us both, and she stumbled back, looking up at me disgustingly.“Watch where you’re going,” she muttered under her breath, brushing past me without a second glance.

I grabbed her hand, not hard, just enough to get her to stop. “Hey,” I said, a little sharper than I intended. “You ran into me. The least you could do is say sorry".

She whipped around, her eyes blazing.

“Let go of me.”I didn’t. “Not until you apologize.”

Her answer came in the form of a sharp slap across my cheek. My head jerked to the side, the sting spreading like fire across my skin. “Don’t you dare touch me,” she hissed before yanking her hand free and walking away, leaving me standing there, stunned.

I rubbed my cheek, watching her retreating figure. What the hell just happened? I was still processing the whole thing when I noticed Amy climbing out of the pool, water dripping off her as she made her way over to me.“Sorry about Mel,” she said, trying to sound casual, though her eyes betrayed her worry.

“She’s... going through some stuff.”I shrugged it off, forcing a smile. “No big deal. I’ve had worse.”Amy’s eyes narrowed slightly as she looked me up and down.

“So, who are you, exactly? I don’t remember inviting you. And I haven’t seen around here” “Jackson invited me.”She raised an eyebrow. “Jackson? I didn’t know he was bringing anyone else".

Is it a problem?” I asked, leaning in slightly, testing the waters.“It might be,” she shot back, not missing a beat. “Especially if you’re here to flirt with or bully my best friend.”I held up my hands in mock surrender. “Neither, I swear. I just got here. But it’s obvious you two are close".

Amy’s expression softened slightly, curiosity replacing the suspicion. “What’s that supposed to mean?”I shook my head, not really wanting to dive into the complexities of female friendships. “Nothing. Just an observation. Anyway, Jackson said it was cool if I came, so….”She cut me off, waving her hand dismissively.

“Forget it. I don’t care anymore.” Her eyes narrowed again. “But what did you mean about me and Mel being close? What did you see? Have you been prying?”I smiled, trying to deflect. “ First off, keep your voice down, then you can stop saying I was prying. Just tell me you really want to know”

“Yes,” she said, crossing her arms, clearly not amused by my evasiveness.I leaned in a little closer, lowering my voice. “You’re protective of her. She’s hurting, and you want to fix it, but she’s pushing you away. Typical best friend stuff.”

Amy’s shoulders relaxed a little, and she seemed to consider my words. “Maybe you’re right,” she admitted, her voice softer. “But that doesn’t make it any easier.”“It never is,” I agreed, offering her a small, genuine smile.

“But tonight’s your night. Happy birthday, by the way.”She smiled back, just a little, and it lit up her face. “Thanks. I should be having fun, right?”“Exactly,” I said, but before I could say anything else, the ground beneath us gave way as Amy stepped a little too close to the pool’s edge.

She let out a yelp as she slipped, her hand grabbing for mine just as I lost my balance too. The next thing I knew, we were both plunging into the pool, the cold water shocking the breath out of me.

When we surfaced, sputtering and laughing, the sound of laughter erupted from the other kids around the pool. For them, it was hilarious, two people accidentally falling in.

For me, it was kind of fun, but I could tell from Amy’s expression that she wasn’t exactly thrilled.She wiped the water from her face and climbed out of the pool, her movements a little more frantic now.

“Great,” she muttered, her voice laced with annoyance. “Just what I needed.”I followed her out, trying to hide my amusement. “Hey, it’s just water. You’ll dry off. And that was fun”She turned to face me, and in that moment, her foot slipped on the wet tiles.

She fell forward, right into my arms. My instinct was to catch her, and for a second, I had her pressed against me, her blue eyes wide with surprise.“Let me go!” she shrieked, pushing me away as if I’d burned her.

“You’re taking advantage of this, aren’t you?”“What? No!” I protested, but she was already backing away, her face flushed with embarrassment and anger.“

Just stay away from me,” she snapped before turning and running toward the house, her wet dress clinging to her as she disappeared through the door.I stood there, dripping wet and completely bewildered. So much for making a good impression.

As I started to follow her, maybe to apologize, I found myself face to face with Mel again. She was standing near the entrance to the house, her arms crossed and her expression downright hostile.

“What’s your problem?” I asked, exasperated.She glared at me, her eyes narrowing in contempt. The nerve. I smirked, stepping closer. “ What if I told you I could make you smile? You should stop frowning. At this rate, you’ll have wrinkles before you graduate.”

“Try it, and I’ll slap you again,” she shot back, her voice icy.I leaned in, closing the distance between us.

“Go ahead. I dare you.”