Free Rebounding by Shanna Clayton

stop treating me like a child. Goodbye!”
    She hangs up the phone and tosses it out into the sand as if she’s angry with that too.
    “Probably not a good idea,” I say, startling her. “I’ve lost too many to count that way.”
    “Max,” she says, holding a hand over her chest. “You have a bad habit of sneaking up on people.”
    I walk to the edge of the patio where she’s standing. She’s a mess, and I hate seeing her like this. The girl who saved me two years ago blew me away with her kindness and her strength. It kills me to think that part of her was destroyed.
    “They figured out you left?” That’s already obvious, but I don’t know what else to say.
    She sniffles and wipes the tears beneath her eyes. “Yeah.”
    “Are you…do you want to talk about it?”
    “No way.”
    Thank God.
    The whole consoling people thing isn’t something I’m used to. Every time someone tried to console me in the past, I did the same thing. I kept my mouth shut. I closed up or ran away. Not exactly the best method to deal with problems, but to each their own.
    Charlotte lifts the bottle of wine to her lips and takes a giant swig. Then, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she says, “You know, I’ve been here almost two weeks, and I haven’t gone swimming yet.”
    She sets the bottle down on the cement by her feet.
    “There’s a storm coming,” I point out. “Now’s not the best time.”
    Completely ignoring me, she tears off her shirt in one swift motion, revealing a silky purple bra underneath. “Come on, Max. Where’s your sense of adventure?”
    She tosses the shirt behind her, and I catch it. Running out into the sand, she shimmies her shorts loose. They slide to the ground, and she steps out of them.
    My heart is pounding. I’m not sure what to do. She’s crazy, half naked, and beautiful. I’m torn between wanting to get as far away from her as I can and chasing after her.
    She runs into the ocean, treading through the water until it hits her waist, and then she dives headfirst, swimming for the horizon. A giant wave crashes down. Right over her head. I stop breathing.
    Oh, shit.
    Without thinking, I run as fast as I can. Before I get there, her blonde head resurfaces, and I slow down, letting out a sigh of relief. She’s still swimming, oblivious to how dangerously high the waves are getting. I shake my head. Little idiot.
    I pull my shirt over my head, then dive in after her. If I stand back and do nothing, she’s going to drown to death.

ELEVEN
     
    Char
     
     
    Another wave barrels into me, knocking me forward. It’s rough out here, but I don’t mind. Considering how I drank an entire bottle of wine by myself, it’s possible the slight buzz has numbed me. Okay, let’s be honest. It’s more than a buzz.
    All right, dammit, I think my dad was right. I’m drunk.
    I catch sight of Max out of the corner of my eye. One minute he’s in front of me, and the next thing I know he’s beside me, swooping an arm around my midsection. I kick my legs as he lifts me out of the water.
    “What are you doing?” I yell above the noisy waves. I’m not sure what’s going on, or why he’s dragging me back to shore. Doesn’t he see I’m trying to have some fun out here? God knows I could use some right about now. I glimpse his face, noticing the unmistakable anger. Is this about the storm he mentioned earlier? If that’s the case, he’s acting completely ridiculous. It’s not like it’s storming at this very moment. Geez.
    The way he’s carrying me makes it hard to look at him or speak to him. However, I can feel him. Even in my state, it’s hard not to notice the rippling muscles pressed against my back. He’s shirtless, and the warmth of his bare skin against mine isn’t all that unpleasant. Now that I’m aware of it, I can’t focus on anything else.
    We finally reach the shore and Max sets me down on the sand. Drops me, more accurately. I rub my hips and butt, grateful to know it