Amara couldn't move.
Her body was still on the ground, soaked, trembling slightly, but that wasn't what held her still.
It was him.
Ethan.
Too close.
Too real.
Too aware.
Her lips still tingled.
And the worst part?
She couldn't stop thinking about it.
She pushed herself up slowly.
"You…you didn't have to,"
"You weren't breathing," Ethan said.
His voice was back to normal.
Calm.
Controlled.
Like nothing had happened.
That somehow made it worse.
"I would've been fine," she muttered.
Ethan raised an eyebrow.
"You were drowning."
" I wasn't drowning,"
"You swallowed water and panicked."
She glared at him.
"I said I would've been fine."
A pause.
Then,
"You don't know how to swim."
Her jaw tightened.
"That's not the point."
Ethan stepped back, grabbing a towel and tossing it toward her.
"Dry off."
The distance between them felt wrong.
Too sudden.
Too cold.
Amara wrapped the towel around herself, avoiding his eyes.
But her mind wouldn't let go.
That moment.
That closeness.
That feeling,
No.
She shut it down immediately.
It didn't mean anything.
It was just,
CPR
That's all.
"Next time," Ethan said, turning away slightly, "watch your steps."
She scoffed.
"Next time? I'm not going anywhere near this pool again."
"That would be wise."
She rolled her eyes.
"God, you're impossible."
"And yet you keep ending up around me."
She froze.
Just for a second.
Then forced a laugh.
"Trust me, that's not by choice."
Ethan didn't respond.
But something in his expression shifted.
Barely noticeable.
But there.
Silence settled between them.
Not comfortable.
Not awkward either.
Just…
Heavy.
Amara cleared her throat.
"I should go."
"You should."
Neither of them moved.
Her heart picked up again.
Why wasn't she leaving?
Why was she still standing there?
Why was he still looking at her like that?
"Amara."
Her name in his voice made her look up.
"What?"
He held her gaze for a second longer than necessary.
Then said,
"Be careful."
Her brows furrowed.
"With what?"
"Everything."
The tone wasn't casual.
It wasn't teasing.
It was serious.
A chill ran down her spine.
"You're not going to explain that, are you?"
"No."
"Of course not."
She turned and started walking away.
But something about the night felt different now.
Quieter.
Too quiet.
Halfway to the house, she slowed.
Her instincts prickling.
That same feeling from before.
The one she couldn't explain.
She turned slightly.
Nothing.
Just shadows.
Stillness.
"You're imagining things," she whispered to herself.
And kept walking.
But behind her,
Somewhere beyond the dim lights,
A figure stood.
Watching.
Waiting.
And this time…
It wasn't just a feeling.