WAS IT WORTH THE RISK?

BLADE

Her small body submerge down eight feet deepwater. I didn't blink twice and decide to turn away. Walking away from her. She will emerge from the water and work her way to the edge. And just on cue, I heard splashing of water and a loud gasp for air.

"Help! I can't swim! Blade! Help me!I can't swim! Please!" she screamed in between her gasping.

I rolled my eyes. "Try dog paddling, chihuahua! It's not that hard!" I said without looking her way, waving my hand goodbye.

I took another deep inhale of the cigarette not minding her attempt tochange my mind and puffthesmoke out. When I say no it's a definite no. No one can change that. And besides I know it's all a display of acting,she isn't really drowning. Forever is just makingit look like she was drowning because she wants me to accept her deal. Too bad her actingskillsisn't working on me. But I give her points for making it sound like she really is drowning.

"Help! Blade! Please!" I heard a gurgle and louder splashing.

"I can't swim! Blade!" she cried for help."What? What did you say? I can't hear you with all that water splashing," I said still not looking at her.

It won't be moments later that she will stop this farce and accept defeat. She will go over the edge of the pool and say that she will never ever ask for help and talk tome ever again which will put an end to this little game of hers. And I'll be rid of this crazy girl from meddling with my life. Seriously, she will go to such lengths just to finish that stupid bucket list. Is it really important? And does it have to include me in it? Can't she just do it alone without dragging me in it?

"Help! Please!" This time her voice came low and weak and then there was silence. No more splashing. No more calls for help.

"Had you given up yet?" I asked, walking.

After a few seconds of silence. "Do you already accept your defeat?" I asked still not getting a response.

I was put to a halt. My heart hammering inside my chest. Even if she was acting there is a tiny voice inside me saying that this was real and she really needs help. And she drowns and dies it will be your fault for not saving her. Again.

"Okay, you know you're silence won't get me to accept your offer so stop this." And still there was no answer, I whipped my head surveying the pool. My stomach clenched and my blood froze when I saw that she wasn't above water.

I frantically searched everywhere but she wasn't hiding anywhere. "Chihuahua?" I called out, my voice edged with fear. "This isn't funny. Come out from where you are hiding, chihuahua. Don't make me come and find you," I warned.

I squinted my eyes only to widen them again when I saw her frail body underwater. I cursed under my breath and immediately run towards the edge and dive into the water. I swam under, working my way towards her frail body, her eyes closed shut and her body limp. I swam faster until I got closer and grabbed her in one arm. I swam us both upward and when we emerge from the water I put her arm over my shoulder and I brought her closer to the edge.

I carried her now cold and heavy body above the edge and I follow in pursuit. She lay there lifeless. Her skin as white as sheet. I patted her cheeks and shook her body. "Hey, Chihuahua! Wake up! You hear me! Chihuahua!" I called out to her but she wasn't responding.I checked her breathing and it was like a nuclear bomb suddenly exploded in me I was totally shocked when I confirmed she isn't breathing.

"No, no, no." I muttered as I was starting to panic and I immediately took precautionary measures.

I immediately preform CPR. I placed my hands on the center of her chest. I pushed hard and fast as what I remembered the instructor did it when I had lessons I was forced to attend because of Arden and his fans last year. I silently thanked myself that I still retain everything I learn. "Don't die on me, you stupid, dumb, suicidal and crazy girl! Don't make me take responsibility of your death again!" I yelled to her unresponsive body.

"Come on." My fear kept growing as time passes and her lifeless body didn't move an inch. "Come on! Wake up, Chihuahua! Wake up,Forever!" My pumping was almost as fast as my heartbeats.Thirty chest pumps and two rescue breaths but still nothing happen.

I repeat the cycle twice and I'm starting to lose hope as time passes as my attempts to save her isn't working. But suddenly as I was giving her a rescue breath she suddenly shudder and cough the water out of her mouth. She move her body sideways to cough out more of the water and I rubbed her back to ease the pain. Relief washed over me as she was gasping for air, taking in as much as she can.

She gazed at me for a moment before she spoke. "I knew you would save me," she said a faint smile on her face.

The worry and relief washed away from my system and it was replaced by anger. "Have you lost your mind?! If I didn't save you, you would have drown! You would have died!" I yelled.

She slowly sat up right. "But I didn't."

I thought of scolding her but I put the idea aside instead I stood up. She looked upward to my face. "What are you doing?" she innocently asked.

"Can you stand up? I'm gonna take you to the hospital," I said. It be better if she can get herself checked.

"What?" she instantly stood up from my response. Her knees gave in by her sudden movements and she almost fell down but I was fast enough to catch her by her arms.

"Be careful!" My words came in spiteful than calm and reassuring. "And what do you mean 'what'? We need to get you to the hospital. You need to get checked."

She gripped my shirt her eyes misty with tears. She frantically shook her head. "No. Please. No, I'm fine really. We don't need to go to the hospital. I'm perfectly fine. Please don't take me to the hospital."

My forehead creased. "Perfectly fine? You can't even stand up without your knees giving away," I said starting to get irritated by her stubbornness.

I firmly held her left wrist her milky white skin contrast to my olive skin. "We are going to the hospital and that's final." And we might need to get that head of hers checked 'cause seriously this isn't something a person normally does. Drowning for the sake of a stupid deal.

She struggled to break free but my grasp was too strong for her frail body. "Wait! I said I don't need to go to the hospital. Stop! Please let me go! Let me go! Blade, I'm not going! I'm fine! Please!" she pleaded, desperate.

But I acted that I didn't hear a single word she said and dragged her towards the exit. It's getting dark and the cold is slowly biting my skin not to mention we are both drenched.She kept trying to yank her hand but we were almost near the entrance when I was suddenly put to a halt when I heard sobs.

I looked over my shoulder and saw tears flowing like a broken dam from her eyes. Her one hand gripped the back of my shirt firmly like it was the only thing that kept her together.

"P-Please. I'm begging you. Please,"she begged, her voice low almost like a whisper.

"Chihuahua," I muttered.

I was frozen in place by the sight of her tears and unknowingly my grip loosen. Forever covered her face with both of her hands and cried. Her tears, her defenseless being, wrench the ever so familiar feeling in me. Pain. It's like a have a punctured hole inside my chest and I can't find anyway to mend it until it was too late, the pain had already consume me.

Her shoulders shook and she cried loudly like I wasn't here watching her, witnessing her weakness. I wasn't reluctant to wrap my arms around her. Her warm body colliding with mine. She gripped my shirt and wailed letting her pain out. It wasn't just the trauma that she'd almost drowned, there was more to her tears, more to her pain. It's like the tears I saw when I first met her and the time at the rooftop were just the shallow parts of her pain. This was deep, much deeper than the depths of the pool she almost drowned in. Much deeper than the ocean. Much deeper than my pain.

But the question remains. Was it worth it to die just for a deal? Was it worth the risk?