The train charges toward us, my stomach drops into my feet, and I watch as Jonathan, Axel, and Nicholas all dive over the side.
Tommy bobs up and down on the beam, but then she can’t hold herself anymore. She tips over, hitting the wooden plank next to her, and then sinks like a dead weight.
Did she hit her head?
I look at Hawke. “Someone has to go after her!”
But it’s Dylan I hear. “She’s just a kid!” she yells at Kade.
She tries to yank free of the cuffs, but of course, they’re still attached, and it’s no use. Kade just glowers at the water. Frozen.
I look down, not seeing her. I don’t want to jump. I don’t want Hugo to win, but if anyone gets hurt…
I don’t have time to leap, though. Kade takes Dylan over the edge, plummeting into the water below and going after the girl.
The engine fills the air, and I start to shake with the force, unable to stop. I shouldn’t have worn heels. I knew that.
Hugo, Hawke, and I stand on the edge, the seconds like a lifetime as the train rushes, almost on us. Hugo glances to the train and back to us, and I see the light in his eyes and know that look immediately.
No…
He moves toward us, Hawke sees him, but instead of Hugo forcing us both, Hawke grabs him first, and they both fall over to the edge. Hugo drops like a bullet, but Hawke catches the beam. I scream and crouch down to try to help as he hangs there.
But there’s no way I can pull him up.
He gazes up at me, and the train speeds past.
“It’s okay!” I yell. “Let go!”
His eyes hold mine, trying to stay for me, but he falls, crashing to the water.
My hair goes wild, and I hug the bag to my chest, so fucking scared.
But as I look left and then right, I see I’m the last.
I’m the last.
I can jump. It’s over.
But I can’t. I see them below, Kade and Dylan helping Tommy as they swim for the Shelburne Falls shore. Hugo and the others for the Weston shore.
And Hawke there, wet and treading water, waiting for me.
It’s not that far. Maybe twenty feet, but…
The force makes me stumble, but I don’t want to fall. I’m not going to fall.
That’s not how Hugo gets to end this.
“Fuck!” I cry out.
I leap, bag in hand, and my heart lodged in my throat.
I suck in a breath and crash into the river, immediately reaching for something—anything—and thrashing, because I feel like I’m sinking.
But I do what Hawke said. I kick. And kick some more and more until I feel hands grab me. I clutch him, and he pulls me up. I take a breath, but he cuts it off with a kiss.
“We’re teaching you to swim before next summer,” Hawke gasps. “How the hell did I miss that when we were out at the lake? Goddammit.”
I laugh, but I can feel hot tears on my face over the cold water.
“Get on my back,” he says. “And don’t kick anymore.”
I hold onto his shoulders and he swims us to shore. I watch Kade and Dylan climb to their feet on the muddy beach, Tommy walks off, dripping wet, and disappears into the brush.
We reach shallow water, and I stand up as Hawke grabs the bag from me and throws it back into the river. “Go find it, you son of a bitch!” he yells to Hugo on the opposite bank.
I look over at the Rebels and Green Street, some of them smiling and howling, others flipping us the finger.
But we don’t have long to wait. I hear sirens in the distance, and Hawke takes my hand, pulling me out of the river.
I toss the keys to Nicholas, liking him even more now. He chose my side, with Dylan and Kade. “Get them home, would you?”
He nods, looking tired and breathing hard.
Kade tries to pry the cuffs off him and Dylan with the bobby pin again.
I step over, take it from him, and finagle the lock, hearing it give. The cuffs release, and Kade nearly growls with happiness.
“Damn,” Dylan whines. “It wasn’t that bad.”
He just cocks an eyebrow. “Let’s go.”
They run off, and before I know what’s happening, Hawke is sweeping me up into his arms, carrying me into the shelter of the woods.
“I can walk,” I tell him.
But he just replies, “You don’t have to.”
He runs, holding me close.
I’m free.
His.
I bury my face in his warm neck. The first of a million more times I look forward to doing that.
Hawke
The train fades away, disappearing down the track and into the forest. Nicholas speeds off with Kade and Dylan, and I have no idea if they grabbed Tommy or not. She’s probably already making the trek on foot, but our phones are fucking wet. I’ll try to call her when we’re home.