Chapter 6: The Crazy night.

The moment Mateo turned, he saw Ava drowning. Without hesitation, he plunged into the water. He didn't even kick off his shoes, just launched himself towards the water. The splash echoed across the pool area. Beneath the surface, the chlorine stung his eyes, but he didn't care. He had to save her.

Her black dress billowed around her like a ghostly shroud, her limbs tangled in the pool's underwater lights. He grabbed her wrist, the skin shockingly cold. With a surge of adrenaline, he pulled her upwards, breaking the surface.

"Ava!" He gasped, hauling her onto the rough concrete. Her head lolled back, eyes closed, lips tinged blue.

Lucas knelt beside her, his face contorted with fear. "Let go of her!" He shoved Mateo aside, almost falling on top of Ava. "Ava please wake up."

"Get off!" Mateo snarled, his voice thick with panic. "Give her some air!"

Lucas ignored him, frantically pressing on Ava's chest. "Come on, Ava, breathe, damn it!" His voice cracked, tears spilling down his cheeks. "She's not... she's not..."

A woman with a bleached-blonde beehive knelt beside them. "Honey, she needs mouth-to-mouth. You gotta do it now!"

Mateo immediately pushed Lucas aside. "Get out of the way!" He tilted Ava's head back and kissed her. It was supposed to be a CPR but, Mateo seized the opportunity, changing the CPR kiss into a passionate kiss.

Lucas's rage blazed, his eyes felt hot, like they could pop. He looked like a volcanoe ready to erupt. Then, Ava started coughing, spitting out water.

"Ava, thank goodness you're okay!" Mateo yelled and hugged her right away. This made Lucas even angrier.

Lucas grabbed Ava's arm. "Come on, Ava, we're leaving." He picked her up and carried her.

"Lucas, do you want me to come with...?" Sophia tried to act like she cared, but he walked right past her before she could finish talking.

Lucas drove out of there fast. Nobody said a word in the car until they got home.

Lucas went straight into the house. He couldn't get the picture of Mateo kissing Ava out of his head. It kept playing over and over.

The front door slammed shut, the sound echoing through the quiet house. Lucas didn't bother turning on the lights. He knew the way. His hand found the liquor cabinet, the cool glass of the bottle a familiar comfort. The cap twisted off with a sharp crack, and he took a long swig, the burn a welcome distraction.

"Lucas, hey..." Ava's voice was soft, hesitant. She stood in the doorway, her hands clasped nervously in front of her. "Look, it's not what you think. Mateo and I, we're just friends, that's all. I swear."

He didn't look at her, just took another pull from the bottle. "Go to bed, Ava." His voice was flat, empty.

"Please, Lucas," she pleaded, reaching out to touch his arm. "You don't have to do this. Put the bottle down."

He jerked his arm away, the bottle clattering against the counter. "I said, go to bed!" The words exploded from him, raw and harsh. Ava flinched, her eyes wide and hurt. He'd never yelled at her like that before. Tears welled up, and she turned and fled down the hallway, the sound of her bare feet slapping against the hardwood fading into the distance.

Lucas stared at the empty doorway, the echo of his own voice ringing in his ears. A wave of guilt washed over him, mixing with the hot anger that had been simmering all night. He took another swig, then another, and another. He lost count of how many bottles he emptied. The room started to spin, the edges blurring. He pushed himself to his feet, the world tilting precariously. He lurched forward, his hand outstretched, searching for something to hold onto.

Lucas slammed Ava's door open, the sudden bang echoing in the quiet room. He didn't bother with the light switch, the dim hallway spilling enough illumination to reveal her curled under the thin quilt. "Ava," he breathed, the name a raw rasp in the quiet room.

She didn't move. He walked over to her bed, the floor making noise as he did, and sat down. He smelled her perfume, which was sweet and familiar.

"I'm sorry, Ava," he whispered, his voice thick. "I'm so damn sorry." He ran a hand through his hair, the gesture rough and frustrated. "I couldn't… I couldn't protect you. And I'm not angry at you, Ava. God, I'm just… I'm angry at myself." He reached out, his fingers hovering over her cheek before finally cupping it gently.

He lost his balance, his weight shifting, and he braced himself against the bed, his hand sliding down to her shoulder. He didn't pull away. He couldn't. His fingers traced the curve of her collarbone, the thin cotton of her nightgown a flimsy barrier. The air crackled with a tension neither of them acknowledged.

He leaned closer, his breath warm against her ear. Then, he kissed her. It wasn't gentle, wasn't hesitant. It was desperate.

Ava's eyes snapped open, wide and startled. "Lucas," she breathed, her voice barely a whisper. She tried to push him away, her hands finding purchase on his chest, but he didn't budge. He was too close, his heat radiating through her, his scent filling her senses. Her heart pounded against her ribs, a frantic drumbeat echoing his own.

He kissed her again, harder this time, his lips moving against hers with a desperate urgency. And then, something shifted. Her hands, instead of pushing him away, curled into the fabric of his shirt, pulling him closer. A soft moan escaped her lips, a sound of surrender, of something long denied.

He lifted his head, his gaze searching hers, dark and intense. He trailed kisses down her neck, the soft skin there yielding beneath his lips. His hand slid beneath her nightgown, tracing the curve of her hip, then her thigh. She gasped, her legs parting instinctively.

He kissed the inside of her thigh, his lips hot against her skin. A cry, a mixture of pain and pleasure, ripped through the quiet room. She arched beneath him, her fingers digging into his back, pulling him closer, desperate for more.

He fumbled with the strap of her nightgown, the thin fabric tearing under his impatient fingers. He tossed the garment aside.

"Aah!", a loud moan was unleashed by Ava, filling the entire room.