جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 80

James's idea for everyone to drink ended up being one of the best ideas he'd ever had.By the time the sun was beginning to decline into the horizon, we were all feeling comfortably content.Everything was funny and stories floated out of our mouths carelessly.It was safe to assume that everyone was buzzed, especially James who became even more talkative and bubbly -- if that's even possible."Should we head back?" Lucas asked, pointing out how the sky was starting to turn golden orange. "I'm starving.""Hey!" Lucas jumped up, slinging an arm over Lucas's shoulder. "That's my line!"Our laughter from the beach still echoed in the air as we packed up our things and walked back to the beach house.I couldn't wait to get all the sand off my body, shower, and put on clean clothes. There really was no better feeling than spending all day in the sun and cleaning yourself afterward.I was already imagining the amazing sleep I would get tonight.Lucas unlocked the back door as we filtered in

For dinner later that day, we decided to visit the busy little beach town. It was bustling with activity as we stepped into the lively restaurant, and I was surprised to see so many people out.Everyone was dressed in breathable clothing, like flowy summer dresses or white linens.I was looking forward to enjoying a delicious dinner with all of my friends, old and new. As much as I loved James's cooking over the past few days, I was ready to just have a meal where all of us could relax without dirtying up the kitchen.We found a cozy corner table, and as fate would have it, the seating arrangements hadn't changed. James was once again next to Victoria and Emily, and I couldn't help but wonder if their conversations would result in another clash.After their movie this morning, I thought that they had settled their differences once and for all, but unsurprisingly, the two of them got into another argument. Except then, they were fighting over the remote.After about forty-five minutes

I couldn't believe it.The mountain hike seemed like a fantastic idea at first with the promise of breathtaking ocean views, but now, as Lucas and I stared at each other with equal signs of worry, I was beginning to think that maybe we had underestimated its challenges."Lucas..." I started then glanced around at the seemingly endless trees.I couldn't hear any sounds or see any signs of which way was the right way to go.We were completely lost."It's okay, Shana." Lucas immediately denied our predicament, trying to comfort me instead. "We'll find our way, we just need to head back to the trail.""Which is... where exactly?" I swallowed hard, looking up at him. "I don't know where we are right now, Lucas."Lucas frowned, studying the surroundings. "I know, Shana. It's hard to tell... The trail was clear before, but now everything looks the same."I hoped James was happy, wherever he was. He had successfully managed to split us up, leaving Lucas and me alone. And now here we were... L

As the paramedics sat us in the back of their vehicle to assess our condition, I tried to get Lucas's attention."Lucas," I called softly. When his eyes met mine, I gestured toward Kendrick with wide eyes, hoping that he'd see him.Lucas's eyes followed my directions, and I knew the moment his eyes locked with Kendrick because his entire demeanor went stiff and rigid.His eyes flashed back to mine, fear and panic taking over. I couldn't even blame him.What was Kendrick doing here? And how did he know what had happened?I looked back over at him standing around the police officers he was currently talking to. He kept gesturing toward Lucas with his fingers as if he was letting them know that Lucas was his son.Surprisingly, his usually stern expression was replaced with... worry? I almost rubbed my eyes to make sure I was seeing things correctly. Maybe the lack of water and exhaustion had me hallucinating things.But no, I wasn't seeing things. Genuine concern was on Kendrick's face,

Lucas POVVictoria was awake.Endless amounts of relief flooded through me, and I let myself finally release a breath I didn't even know I was holding.Victoria's awakening brought a mixture of emotions to all of us, and we couldn't stop ourselves from rushing over to where she was.Inside one of the ambulances, Victoria lay on a gurney. The blood that had dried on her face had been cleaned off, and there was an oxygen mask around her mouth.Her eyes blinked slowly as she took in her surroundings."Victoria! Oh, my baby!" Victoria's mother shouted, fighting her way into the ambulance to sit next to her daughter.Victoria took the mask off her face, and her eyes went from her mother to the rest of us.An equal share of relief passed over her features."You're all okay," she said quietly."The question is, are you okay, Vic?" James asked, shoving his hands in his pockets. "You took quite the big hit to your head."Victoria gave him a wry smile and sarcastically mumbled, "Thank you, Jame