Voila chapter 3 of Jealous Heart. Read, review. Pleeease review.

Chapter 3

Swimming

I sat up in my room, reading. I could barely stay awake. I still felt sick and tired. I didn't want to fall asleep again though. I fell asleep and had the most horrid dream. It was about Claire. They tried to kill me. I dreamt that Claire had gotten me drunk on purpose. She wanted me to die. She came back when she discovered I was still alive. She wanted to finish the job. I woke up then, and I didn't want to go back to sleep again.

My bed was drenched. I constantly poured water on my face every time I started drifting off. I could see her face every time I closed my eyes. Her piercing blue eyes, narrow and evil, her pale skin and bright lips, the bloodstained knife she held in her hand. I shuddered at the thought. She was pretty, very pretty, but very evil.

I heard a knock at the door and heard my mother answer it. Probably one of her friends she gossips with at the town square. I opened my book and continued reading. Then I heard a knock at my bedroom door. I went and opened it, and barely managed to stop myself from screaming when I saw Claire standing there.

"MARY!" she cried, grabbing my shoulders. Her knees buckled beneath her, and her strong hands brought me down to the ground as well. "Mary, thank goodness you're alright."

I could see tears in her eyes. Part of me felt more comfortable. There was no way this girl would murder me. The other part felt…I don't know what I felt. Sorry for her, but I hated her and I wanted her to suffer. She stole Gray. I shook my head. No, Mary, don't lose your best friend over a boy. But the vision of her and Gray kissing filled me with hate. Well, at least pretend to like her.

Hesitantly, I wrapped my arms around the sobbing girl and whispered into her ear. "Shhhhhh, it's OK, Claire, it's OK."

My ex-best friend wiped her tears and looked into my eyes, lip quivering. "If an-anything had happened t-to you, it would be all my f-fault," she sobbed. "I shouldn't have forced you to d-drink that, I-I didn't know you'd get d-drunk."

Tears filled my eyes. Claire cared for me. Claire didn't want to hurt me. Claire didn't realise I loved Gray. I might have considered her my best friend again, had Gray not walked through the door at that moment.

He saw us, both crying and hugging there on my bedroom floor. Well, I don't really think he saw me. He just saw Claire.

"Claire!" he gasped, pulling her from my arms and wrapping his around her. "Baby. It's OK. Tell me what's wrong."

"I-If anything happened to M-Mary it would be my fault," she sobbed. Gray looked at me, and I hoped he would suddenly feel concern for me. He obviously knew what had happened. But no, I wasn't important. Claire was all that mattered.

"Claire, it would not be your fault. See, Mary's fine, it's not your fault she took too much wine. It's not like you forced her to have more than a sip."

And with that, he walked out the door without as much as a glance at me. Claire didn't look back either. She just snuggled next to Gray, like nothing else in the world mattered.

I heard the door close, and then grabbed a pillow and screamed into it. I screamed until there was no more air left in my lungs. I sat on the floor, panting, sobbing, and wishing Claire had never come to Mineral Town.

***

I walked past the library. I remembered all the times Gray and I had spent in the library reading together. I walked past the church. I remembered when Gray and I were kids, before Claire came to town. We'd play outside the church all the time. That was when my life was good.

I walked past Doug's Inn. I remembered the times where Gray and I would have dinner there. I walked past the blacksmith. I remembered watching Gray through the window. He'd see me, and we'd both blush.

I walked to the beach. I remembered the time spent here with Gray. I remembered having lunch with Gray at Kai's shack. I remembered playing in the sand as little kids. I remembered when I almost drowned when I was only seven. Gray was almost ten. He rescued me. That was when I started loving him. I stared out into the ocean, tears filling my eyes. I collapsed down on the sand, and began bawling my eyes out. I always went swimming when I was upset. I wiped my eyes, and went home to put on my blue one-piece swimsuit under my dress, and then went back to the beach. My parents were out so they didn't see me.

It wasn't summer, so Kai wasn't there, Won had gone to some other island or town or something to sell things there, and Zack, well, I didn't know where he was but he wasn't here. I was alone at the beach. And glad about it.

I took of my dress and stepped into the water. It was a warm day, and the cool water felt good. I stepped deeper into the water, and began swimming with the waves. They rushed me to shore, and then back out again. I closed my eyes, relaxed. It didn't last long. I decided to swim back, but I was caught in a rip. It was dragging me back. I screamed as loud as I could. Above me I could see a wall of rock. If I could just grab onto a groove I could climb up onto the rock ledge and walk back to shore. But it was too slippery, I couldn't hold on.

"HELP ME!" I screamed. "SOMEBODY H-,"

I was dragged under before I could finish my sentence. I was brought back up again, gasping for air. I waved my hands around wildly, screaming. I saw someone at the beach, too far away for me to tell who it was exactly.

"HELP ME!" I cried, the waves dragging me further and further back.

The figure ran up the rock ledge. I realised it was Cliff. I would have laughed at the fact that this was the second time Cliff had been around to save me if I wasn't being dragged under and the only thing going through my mind was I'm going to die. He's too late. I'll die.

Cliff knelt down on the rock ledge above me, and reached down. "GRAB MY HAND!" he yelled. I reached up, but I was dragged under. I couldn't reach. I saw Cliff take off his jacket and jump in. He's insane! I thought. He'll die too!

I had no idea Cliff was such a good swimmer, though. He swam over, and I grabbed onto him. He lifted me up a little, and I was just able to reach the drier rocks. But as I let go of him to climb onto the ledge, he was dragged under.

"CLIFF!" I screamed. The waves brought him back up, and he yelled one word, "CLIMB!" before being dragged under again. I climbed onto the ledge and looked down, praying to see my saviour climbing up behind me. But I couldn't see him anywhere.

"CLIFF!" I called again. I couldn't see him. No! I thought, tears burning at my eyes. He's drowned, and it's my fault.

Through my tears, I didn't notice the enormous wave building up behind me until the last moment. It splashed over the ledge as well. The ledge I was on wasn't very high. I gripped onto the rocks to stop the wave from taking me back down again. I looked up and saw a brown figure lying on the beach. "CLIFF!"

I ran across the rocky ledge, my feet bleeding, but I didn't care. Please be OK. I thought. Dear Goddess, let him be OK!

I knelt down beside him and rolled him onto his back. Then I screamed. He wasn't breathing.

Ooooooh, bet you didn't see that coming! Actually, neither did I. It just kind of happened. I hope you enjoyed it, though. Please review. If I don't get reviews I don't update quickly. Please tell me what you thought. REVIEW!