Page 24 of Losing Ansley

“Thanks, man. I appreciate it.” I nod and look back at Ansley. She’s right. I need to prove to her that I want to be with her. I’m not even sure Dylan would care. He’s never threatened me or anything. It was just a promise two six-year-olds made to each other, and the only time it ever got brought back up again was after that day on the lake happened. I’m going to talk to him. Hopefully, he’ll be okay with it; if he’s not, I’ll deal with that as it comes.

Lincoln: Eleven

“Oh my God, Lincoln! I can’t believe I wasn’t there!” I hear mom in the house crying. We left the lake house in the middle of the night to come home. I want to run to the woods to escape it all, but I don’t want to leave just in case Dylan’s mom and dad get back from the hospital soon.

They took Ansley to the hospital to get her checked out because she was also under the water for a long time. I can’t get the image out of my head. I run my hands through my hair.

“Lincoln?” I look at Dylan and realize he’s talking.

“It’s not your fault, Dylan,” I reassure him. Again. “It happened so fast.” I close my eyes, trying to get the image out of my head. Her foot got stuck. Ansley tried to help at the expense of her own life. All I can hear is Ansley’s screams for help and me running to them and then not seeing either one. I got Ansley out, but she was like a rag doll. I wasn’t even sure she was okay.

When I finally got Ivy. I knew. I shake my head and focus on Dylan again.

“We promised each other,” Dylan says, and I swear if he says that one more time, I’m going to scream. Dylan’s parents get home, and I want to run and make sure Ansley is okay, but I stop when I see my dad’s shadow in the doorway. Dylan doesn’t notice, though; he takes off. My dad walks out and glares at me. I swallow.

“How could you not save your sister, boy?” I tighten my hands into fists and stare at him. I’ve told him over and over. I tried. “What was the point of putting you in swim lessons if you couldn’t do that, huh?”

MY PARENTS REFUSEDto go to any swim meets after that day and I refused to allow Ansley to be afraid of the water. I guess it’s time for me to stop being afraid of what her brother may or may not do. Giving Ansley one last lingering look, I walk out of the bar.

CHAPTER NINE

ANSLEY

"HE'S GONE," Caroline whispers, and I look over my shoulder to where he was standing, missing him already. Turning back to Caroline and Liv, I grab my drink and down it. Liv pats my forearm in comfort.

"We would have told you, Ansley, if we knew you'd be so upset," Liv says, and Caroline nods earnestly, her blond hair falling into her face. I shake my head and give them a sad smile.

"It's not your fault. I should have known he'd know I was coming. Dylan told me he asks about me every time they talk. He keeps asking me why we're fighting this time." I go to grab my drink but realize I just drank it all.

"I don't know what to tell him. Lincoln says I'm his but refuses to kiss me or tell Dylan. I'm so sick of it all." Liv and Caroline share a look of sympathy, and I hate it. I don't want to be pitied. This is why I don't talk about this. This is why I don't talk about my childhood. Like they can read my mind, they both lean forward.

"We're your friends Ans," Caroline says. "We love you and want to make sure you're okay." She stands and rubs her hand down her belly. She's not showing yet, but I guess it's intuitive for a pregnant woman to do that.

"I'm going to grab you two more drinks and me a ginger ale. I can't wait for this period of constant nausea to pass." When she returns and hands us our drinks, Liv turns to me, her black hair swinging over her shoulder. I admire her. She's so beautiful, and she has no idea. She could be Snow White with her black hair, ice-blue eyes, porcelain skin, and bright red lips.

"Are you really okay?" She asks, and I shake my head.

"I hate this, Liv. It is killing me to ignore him. You two knowing how I feel about him has been such a relief. Finally, having someone to talk to about it is nice. I always give him a hard time and never completely ignore him." I admit to them, and she tilts her head.

"Maybe this will get through to him?" She suggests, and I lift one shoulder in a shrug as Caroline nods in agreement. I take a sip of my drink and glance around the pub.

"I'm not a fan of this place," I tell them, and they both nod. "We shouldn't have to go up to the bar to get our drinks unless we're at the bar. And I'm starving." I complain.

"I'm a little surprised. I hate that I suggested this place now." Liv comments, and I wave her off. It's not her fault.

"Want to go somewhere else after these drinks?" Caroline asks, and we all nod and finish our drinks. As we're walking out, Liv leads the way but stops suddenly, and we bump into her.

"Liv?" Caroline and I say at the same time. She turns suddenly and hides behind me.

"It's him." She whispers, and my heart begins to beat wildly in my chest, thinking she's talking about her stepfather. I put my hand behind me and scan my eyes over the area.

I've never seen her stepfather in person before, but Liv has shown me a picture. Then I see him. It's not her stepfather. It's the man from the restaurant we saw several weeks ago.

He looks different tonight. At the restaurant, he wore a suit and demanded attention and respect. Not that he doesn't require that here, but he is dressed differently and covered in tattoos.

I overlooked that at the restaurant because his suit covered his arms. He's standing around a table with a group of people talking. As if he can sense our eyes, he looks up and turns toward us.

"Oh shit!" Liv whispers. He turns his body toward us and begins walking over.

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