For the first time since getting to know Kye, really getting to know Kye, I was terrified of him.

ELEVENDAISY

Two days had gone by since I watched Kye beat a guy until he was bleeding and broken on the ground.

Knowing Kye was feral was one thing.

Seeing it in action was another.

He had punched and punched until the guy was on the ground, hitting him a few more times until he knew he wouldn’t get up, and then walked away like nothing had happened.

His knuckles had been bleeding and his lips had split open from being hit, but he hadn’t seemed fazed, and drove around with me in the car for another hour after.

Even now, the thought of how wild he went made me shudder.

I still didn’t think he would ever hurt me, but how could someone be that brutal and not be expected to turn on me at some point?

The thought was stuck in my head as I waited outside for my friends. We were headed out to the boat today, and I needed to not be lost in thought about Kye. The car pulled up, three of the girls packed inside. I slid into the back seat and came face-to-face with Sydney.

“I didn’t know you were coming today,” I said, the polite edge to my tone not hiding the anger that rolled through me. This was the girl that was trying to sleep with my boyfriend before we even broke up and then succeeded immediately the second we did break up. What reason did I have to be nice?

But it didn’t matter. I was going to play nice and not cause any issues, like always.

Jessica and Isabella turned around in the front seat, both giving me an apologetic smile. They felt bad for me.

I was the loser Dean dumped, and Sydney was his prize for that. The tight smiles were a harsh reminder that I was the pathetic one here, and they honestly pitied me for it.

Of course, they did this on purpose.

“Is that a problem?” she asked, wincing a little.

“No, not at all,” I said, smiling and hiding any ounce of anger I had. “I just didn’t know. Ready?” I asked, facing Jessica and Isabella. They smirked and turned back.

We pulled out of the driveway and headed for the beach. The conversation lulled into surface level topics. It was easy enough, but I could feel my anxiety bubbling underneath, making me watch every word that came out of my mouth. Anything I said would be ammunition if they turned on me again, and this time, I was going to be a lot more careful about what I said.

I got into the boat, the lazy rocking already setting me on edge. The entire group consisted of us four girls and the three of the guys. Dean, Steven, and Michael were taking turns driving out farther into the lake, trying to get us far enough out that we wouldn’t be bothered by anyone else.

I was too busy trying not to throw up the farther out we got. I had always gotten a little sick on boats, but their careless driving was making it get out of control.

The glint in Steven’s eye since we got on the boat wasn’t making me feel any better.

I didn’t want to make a scene, though. I didn’t want to ruin everyone’s day or be called names for backing out.

This was fine. I was safe, and it was just my anxiety making my thoughts get out of hand.

The rest of the group teased and joked, poking fun of me for holding on so tight to the railing of the boat, but the deeper the water, the more anxious I got. Jessica and Isabella came to my side, and the knot in my chest grew.

“Soooo,” Jessica started. “Tell us about Kye.”

Isabella looked at Dean with a smirk, but she still talked to me. “Yeah, tell us all about the new boyfriend who is mysteriously not here today. I thought you would bring him.”

“Yeah, he couldn’t make it. Maybe next time.”

Dean snorted. “Couldn’t make it because he’s not actually your boyfriend? Or because he already broke up with you?”

“Neither,” I said as sweetly as I could. “He’s just busy today.”

“Right,” Dean said, the cocky smile still on his face. “Maybe he just couldn’t handle spending the day with me here.”

“You think Kye would be bothered by you?”

“I think he might be annoyed about you wanting to spend your day falling all over me.”

My eyes narrowed, and I looked him over. “I have literally not said a word to you until right now.”

“Doesn’t mean you haven’t been eyeing me up the entire time,” he said, laughing as he fist bumped with Steven.

My lip curled, and I looked at Jessica, who was trying to hide her laugh.

Isabella gave me a sad, apologetic look, and I wanted to hug her. I hadn’t had a friend care in so long that even her one sympathetic look made me emotional.

Just as fast, though, her eyes went wide. By the time I felt hands on me, it was too late.

“Come on, Daisy, let’s go for a swim.”

I screamed, fighting back as Dean grabbed me while Steven and Michael grabbed Jessica and Sydney.

“Dean, put me down! You know I hate the deep water.”

“You know how to swim. What’s the problem?”

“Because I’m scared. Put me down!” I screamed, as he threw me into the water.

For one terrifying moment, I was engulfed in darkness, my frantic kicks and splashing doing little to bring me back up to the surface. The panic threatened to overwhelm me as I struggled against the fear. When I finally broke the surface, a hand was already outstretched, waiting to help me up.

Isabella.

The rest were laughing, the other two girls giggling as they made it back into the boat, but I was nearly screaming.

“Bring me back. Take me back to shore right now.”

“Calm down,” Dean said. “You know how to swim.”

“And I told you I didn’t want to be thrown in because I’m scared. Take me back right now or I’m going to call my dad and tell him that you’re out here drinking.”

Dean rolled his eyes and the other guys groaned.