Page 32 of Wrecked
She glances in the direction of the shore, likely noting we are at least two miles away. “I can’t,” she cries, “I can’t do it. I can’t, Nate…oh my God…”
“Look at me,” I demand, “you can. And youwill. I know it looks far, baby, but I am going to be right beside you the entire time, okay?”
“Don’t leave me,” she whispers through her silent tears, “you can’t leave me, please.”
I wait to speak until she is looking directly in my eyes. “Never. I willneverleave you again, Pip. You hear me? Do you understand what that means? You have me,forever. Now, I need you to get into this water, hold onto this wing, and kick your feet. Can you do that for me?”
“Yes,” she whimpers, eyes filling with tears as she nods her head repeatedly.
“Good girl. Let’s go.”
She slides back into the water beside me and turns around to grab ahold of the slippery metal. We both kick our legs in the direction of the shore, letting the buoyancy of the wing keep us afloat. A few minutes pass, and she moves her hand down the smooth exterior until it meets mine, settling hers on top. Shestares straight ahead, but the tension in her neck and shoulders eases under the simple, casual touch.
“If you let a shark eat me after all this, I’m going to be really mad.” My head snaps in her direction to see her mouth slightly raised as she fights her smile.
“Are you teasing me right now?” I ask, shocked. She lifts her shoulder in a small shrug, turning her head to look at me, her eyes bright with hysteria.
“I might be losing it,” she admits, laughing at herself as tears pour down her face. I can’t help it. I start to laugh too. We’ve suddenly become manic as we continue to kick our way toward the shoreline…looking like lunatics.
Eventually, our laughter dies down, and we swim in comfortable silence, our metal float preventing us from getting too tired. The closer we get, the deeper the wing starts to sink, so I know it won’t stay above the water much longer.
“Pip, we are going to have to swim over the surf without the wing. It’s already sinking, and it won’t make it over the crest. Think you can do that for me?”
“Um…I…I think so.” She sounds unsure, but so incredibly brave.
“That’s right, Pip. Yeah, you can. About twenty feet or so, and we are going to have to break through the surf. It will be easier if we swim underneath it.” I stop to look over at her. “You’re going to do great, Ellie.” My girl can do anything she puts her mind to.
“Nate…”
“Yeah, baby?”
“I’m scared.” Her voice quivers with her admission. I’d give anything to pull her into my arms and hold her right now.
“It’s okay to be scared, Pip, just as long as you remember that I’d never let anything happen to you,” I promise her, and I mean it. I will spend the rest of my life protecting this girl.
“Will you hold my hand?”
“Always.”
We get closer to the crest. As soon as it breaks, we will abandon our float and make a swim for the shore. I grab Ellie’s hand, knowing I won’t let go until we are on dry land.
“Nate…”
“Yeah, baby?”
“I meant what I said before.”
“What was that?” I ask, confused.
“If you let a shark eat me…I’m going to be really mad.”
CHAPTER 16
ELLIE (SOPHOMORE YEAR, HIGH SCHOOL)
Abiting gust of wind caresses the back of my neck as I flip through the pages of my philosophy book. I pull my hood up over my head to protect myself from the icy draft and start my notes on Aristotle. My final exam is tomorrow, so I am getting some last-minute studying done while I wait for Nate.
I sit at the top of our school’s stadium bleachers, bundled in my puffy silver North Face coat and gloves, while Nate runs the track below. Football season is over, but he’s keeping up his routine to ensure he doesn’t lose his scholarship to Ohio State. Despite the morning frost and chilled breeze, the weather has been mild enough for Nate to continue his outdoor routine—even this late into December.
