Chapter 25

Andy's POV

“Andy, come on” Bree said softly, gripping my arms a little tighter.
“Don’t worry about Marissa, okay? I’ll talk to my dad. We’ll make sure Jake does not get out okay?” she said.

I nodded slowly, trying to take comfort in her words, but the fear would not fully let go. Jake had already destroyed me once. The thought that he might be free and come after me again to finish what he had started… It was suffocating.

But I had to believe Bree, she sounded confident. I decided to manifest that confidence too. I took a shaky breath and pushed the thoughts away to the back of my mind.

“Let’s go play some games and have fun,” she said, her voice firm but calming.
“You need to take your mind off all of this.” she said.

I tried to follow her advice as we got up to play some games. The sun was warm, and the laughter contagious. Tyler and Emily had already started a game of volleyball, and Bree had brought out snacks and drinks. Bree was right- I needed to relax. To let go of Marissa threats and the fear that came with them. But it was not easy. My mind kept wandering to that night with Jake, his voice in my ear and the helplessness I had felt.

“Hey,” Bree said, pulling me out of my thoughts again.
“I was thinking… We should have a pool party at my dad’s house tomorrow. You know, with some drinks and snacks. It’ll be fun. What do you think?” she said.

I blinked, grateful for the distraction. A pool party at Bree’s house? That sounded like the perfect way to shake off everything that had happened lately.
“Yeah, that sounds amazing,” I said, trying to match her enthusiasm.

Bree grinned. “Good. We’ll make it happen. No drama. Just fun.”

We got back to the games and left when it was already getting late.

The next day, we got ready for the pool party. Bree and I were dressed in our bikinis when people finally started arriving. As the afternoon sun shone down on the sparkling pool, gentle music drifted through the speakers, drawing people from the living room, patio, and poolside. Everyone was having a great time at the party, and the aroma of grilling food filled the air.

Attempting to de-stress, I stood by the swimming pool, enjoying a refreshing drink. Bree had really pulled it off even though it was with the help of the staff. Everything was going smoothly, and the house felt alive with activity.

Jason wasn’t around- he had gone on a work trip with Violet and I think that’s why Bree decided to throw the party. Polina was also off for the day, so it was just us, free to do whatever we wanted.

That was something, at least.

If I needed to escape, I could always slip upstairs. The house was so big, I doubted anyone would even notice plus no one was allowed anywhere other than the pool and the ground floor.

The party buzzed with energy, people drifting from the pool to the food, laughing and chatting. Bree was at the center of it all, of course, in her element, her laughter infectious as she teased Tyler about one thing or other. It felt good to see her like this- happy, carefree. Even if a part of me couldn’t quite let go of the nagging fear that had settled in my chest since Marissa’s threat.

I kept telling myself to focus on the fun. I even managed to join in on some of the games in the pool, letting the water cool me down as we splashed around. Bree was organizing some kind of water polo match, and I found myself smiling despite everything.

The sun was beginning to set and I sighed at the absolute beauty that surrounded me. Just as I was beginning to feel like maybe I could completely relax and enjoy myself, she appeared.

Marissa.

I spotted her from the side of my eyes at the front gate and I turned to see her walking seductively to the pool, her face painted with that same stupid smug expression she always wore. For a second, I froze, my body tensing.

What was she doing here?

But then I remembered. Bree had told me about her on and off relationship with Tyler. He hadn’t mentioned her today, but maybe he hadn’t known she was coming which means she must have invited herself.
Either way, no one seemed to care much about her presence. Bree barely glanced her way, and the rest of the group seemed too absorbed in the party to give her much thought. But I felt uneasy.

Nevertheless, I tried to do the same. I tried to not give her much thought. I turned away from her, focusing on the game in the pool, determined not to let her ruin the day. She wasn’t worth my attention. Not today.

For a while, it worked. I laughed with Emily, raced Tyler across the pool, and even won a round of water volleyball. It was fun, and for the first time since Marissa threatened me, I felt light. Free.

Oh how quickly things could change. Out of the blue, I felt hands wrap around my waist from behind as I floated in the shallow part of the pool to collect my breath after a game. I turned to see who it was and my whole body jolted with shock.

Jake.

He had that same twisted smirk on his lips, his face just a few inches away from me. My heart dropped to my stomach. My entire body froze and I was sure I had grown pale. It felt like my body gave up on its work as I struggled to breathe. How was this happening? How was he here?

"Hey, Andy," he said, his voice low and icy. Shivers ran down my spine. I tried to get out of his grip but his fingers dug deeper into my flesh, his hold on my waist became more firm.

My mouth parted slightly to scream, to shout for Bree, but nothing came out. Memories from that night on the beach flooded my head as my blood turned cold. I couldn’t think properly as everything played in front of me again. Panic filled my chest as I tried to pry myself away.

He pressed his nose closer to my ear.

“Miss me?” he asked. There was an underlying mockery in his tone and it made me want to vomit. I was one second away from breaking into pieces.