I had been strolling down the beach with the three girls, chatting and laughing, and ignoring the weird looks they had been giving me, assuming it was because i wasn't wearing a swimsuit rather choosing short shorts and a tank top, for almost an hour, when i noticed something odd.
"Excuse me ladies, i need to check on something."
And without waiting for them to respond, i dashed down the beach.
When i came to a halt next to what had caught my attention, i began to circle the giant, ominous looking black truck that was just standing there on the beach. Stopping by the cab of it at the front, i looked up and in a move that would've made Kyoya proud, quirked an eyebrow.
"What on earth…"
I whispered the words to myself, and would have been lying if i said my anxiety didn't jump just a bit at the sight of the intimidating vehicle that stood silent and alone on the beach. However, just as quickly as it was there, it was gone. The hosts are my family, and they've promised to protect me. Also, I flicked another glance at the giant black, truck, Ootori would've seen and noticed this by now, so if it's here it's here for a reason, but i do think i'll ask him. A shiver of foreboding stole over me, creeping up my legs, and runnings it's chilly fingers over my spine. Attempting to ignore the goosebumps that had appeared on my skin, i went to walk away, when Honey's cheerful voice from the back of the truck stopped me.
"Haru-chan! Over here! Over here!"
Confusion swamped me, and i didn't waste a moment sprinting to the back of the truck. Only to find it opened, with Honey standing at it's edge waving to Haru while little flowers danced around him, and several of the Ootori's personal police force standing ready at hand. They must be hot...they're wearing their full uniforms...youch...
Haruhi was staring up at Honey in confusion as well.
"Um...is this thing even allowed to be on the beach?"
Seconding her question to Honey, i turned to the twins who were standing nearby, and repeated it to them. Adding the elusive 'what's going on' to my question as well. They surprised me, by turning, with identical grins, and tugging me a few steps away. Leaning on close like a football huddle, they pulled me down with them and began talking in their weird way. Out of sync, then in sync.
"Well ya see Nala…"
"We're doing a fear test…
"Because none of us know what Haruhi is afraid of."
I blinked. Then blinked again. Suddenly, a snort slipped out of me before i could stop it, and i started to chuckle.
"You guys are all idiots."
"Nnnaalllaaaa!"
They gave me identical pouty looks, which surprised me slightly after how Kaoru had acted earlier with Kyoya and I, but i rolled with it. Shaking my head i stood up straight, just in time to watch the door to the truck bed roll shut….with Honey and Haruhi inside it?
Choosing to ignore that, i turned back to the twins.
"Trust me guys, it'll be a fail. Nothing scares Haruhi. Remember what went down with my...father at the police station? That didn't even phase her! She doesn't have enough common sense to be afraid of anything, and what she is afraid of doesn't take common sense. You won't figure it out!"
I danced away as i sang out those last words, and laughed at the twins as they groaned at my cryptic saying. I only laughed harder when the truck began to shake and we all heard Honey screaming,
"It's dark and scary in here!"
Poor Honey-kun...putting himself through his own worst fear to try to find hers...honestly those boys. Smirking, i glanced up at the cloudless sky, and the sun just starting to barely sink in the distance. Last i checked, the worst thing they can do is suck a person's blood and make magic fog. I doubt they can call thunderstorms over here...I broke out of my thoughts as i saw the girls i'd been walking with running up to me again!
"Nal-chan! We saw you walking away and thought you might like to join us again?"
I grinned at my look a like as she spoke, Hell she even kinda sounds like me. but agreed to go with them.
"Where are we going this time?"
Kana grinned at me, and pointed to the giant rock formation that towered over the beach. It was my turn to grin as i fist pumped the air.
"Awesome!"
I all but scrambled up the rock face, helping the girls as they needed help, and laughing with them at how horrible we were at getting up a simple rock, because by the time we reached the top, the sun was setting.
Laughing, i danced to the edge of the rock ignoring the girls calls of warning, and shutting my eyes, i tipped my head back to smile up at the sky as i let the wind tug my hair too and fro.
"It's beautiful up here isn't it Nal-chan?"
Cracking an eye open, i glanced back at Kana and nodded.
"Yes! It's wonderful! I've never had a view of the ocean like this!"
She smiled at me, her eyes softening as she took in the look of joy I knew was on my face.
"The breeze up here is wonderful!"
The quieter girl spoke softly, but her eyes were full of joy too. There was a brief moment of silence as we all got lost in our own thoughts with the ocean stretching out forever in front of us, and the wind teasing our hair with its gentle fingers. The silence didn't last long however as a coarse, rough voice broke the silence.
"Oho! There's girls up here!"
Spinning, I teetered for a moment at the edge, before managing to right myself and step in front of the girls. Two college aged guys had snuck up on us. Narrowed eyes and greasy hair were unappealing to say the least, but it was their leering eyes and domineering sneers that took the cake.
The guy who had spoken flipped the hood down on his hoodie vest and began eyeing up Kana and my look alike, while his friend sauntered forward.
"Hey girls, let's play together."
I didn't move to confront him, but I didn't step back either which forced him to stop in front of me. Cocking my head to look up at him I sneered, my lips curling to reveal my teeth.
"Sorry buddy, but we're set so feel free to fuck off. Or, better yet, your friend their looks lonely so go take your gay self and screw with him rather than with our heads. Thanks, now bye bye."
He stared at me in surprise, as well as his friend, before nasty snarls darkened their faces. The one guy was all up in my personal space, and for a moment I couldn't breathe as a flashback of angry hands grabbing me ran through my head, but I shoved the thoughts away. There would be time to panic later, and as for now, I had to keep the girls safe. Kana spoke up from behind me, dragging their attention from me to her.
"What are you guys doing here? This is a private beach you need to leave."
The guy in front of me brushed by me and bent a little to capture her chin in his hand.
"Who cares about that? It must be lonely just having girls around huh?"
"Please stop!"
Her voice was full of horror as his hand started to slide down her neck.
*SLAP*
Everyone stared in shock at where my hand now was. I had slid a step back, and slapped his hand away as it had slipped lower onto Kana's chest.
"The lady asked you to leave you douchebag. Now walk away."
"What does that mean sweetheart?"
Creep number two ran around behind me to pull the other two girls into a hug. I slow, wicked grin slid over my face, and I tilted my head back to stare at them with narrowed eyes.
"It means this."
So saying, I let out an ear piercing scream. It had the guys leaping away from the girls in shock, but sadly no one on the beach seemed to notice because they were too far away watching the fear test go on. .
"Why you!" The guy who had been touching Kana hit me. Hard. "Why'd you go doing that? You've ruined our play time." He narrowed his eyes on me and jerked his head at his friend who came to stand beside him. Effectively backing me up to the edge of the cliff, the first guy leaned closer. "We'll just have to make it faster than we wanted to."
"Would you go away now? You're bothering us, and we did ask nicely."
My voice was scathing, but as I spoke I wiggled my fingers at the girls to run, and run they did. All three of them scrambled down the narrow path like mountain goats screaming at the tops of their lungs.
Gradually their screaming faded as they got further away, but that left me alone at the top, with the two guys.
Our of the corner of my eye, I saw the girls sprinting down the beach, Kana in the lead, and heading straight for the hosts, and internally I smiled. Good. At least one of us can get out of this. I was pulled out of my thoughts, by the guy gripping the front of my shirt and tugging me closer.
"Now that we have you alone..." He trailed off smirking, and a shiver ran through me at what I thought he was going to say. "You've been a helluva lot of trouble to get a hold of. Nala." I went stalk still.
"What're you talking about?"
He grinned wider, and I had to wrinkle my nose at the offensive odor coming off his body and from his mouth.
"I mean, that there's people payin a lotta money to find you and had you returned to them. When we saw you up here from down the beach, we couldn't believe our luck." His eyes roamed up and down my body again making me want to claw his eyes out. "Of course it was an added bonus that you're cute, and we're allowed to play with you before we return you to the ones up top."
"It's kind of hard to return something that was never owned in the first place." And so saying, I stomped down on the instep of his foot before bringing my knee up, hard.
He let go of me with a howl of pain. Doubling over in agony. Of course, that just meant his friend go to take over. Hoodie vest dude grabbed me by the upper arms and shoved me backwards. Almost off the edge of the cliff. My grip on him, and his grip on my shoulders was all that was holding me up as I balanced precariously over the edge.
"Don't go trying to act tough when you're just a sissy girl." He laughed. "What's with these spindly arms? Bitch, you should just go swimming in the ocean."
"Yeah?" I let a smirk slide over my face despite my almost mind numbing fear. "Well if I go, then you're coming to." And so saying, I let go with one of my hands, slugged him in the face, and tried to yank him backwards.
However, my grip on him slipped, and with a small horrified cry, I fell off the cliff edge and began to plummet toward the water below.
I could've sworn that as I fell I heard someone shriek my name, but I only had one thought on my mind.
I can't swim.