Sink or Swim

Part 3 Sneak Peek!

Hey, besties!

I have a few chapters written for part three, and I really want to start posting again soon! I am really struggling with a title, so if any of you have ideas please share.

Anyway, I wanted to give you the first chapter of the final story in the Deep End trilogy. This next story has a lot more chapters from Cal's POV because I know you all enjoy them as much as I do 😉 All of your comments and voting for my chapters warm my heart. Thank you so much for the support! 💕

Here is the full first chapter! Enjoy ❤️

Chapter Song: Blame- Ryland James

Seeing her hurt.

It was an ache. Dull and heavy in my stomach, but not completely gut-wrenching as I would have thought.

It was fire lodged in my throat. As if someone threw a lit match into my mouth only it didn't extinguish. It continued to burn me from the inside out.

My insides screamed and groaned at the sight of her. Confused at whether or not I was going to grovel at her feet or walk away and never come back.

It felt as if I was finally able to breathe after holding my breath for years. My throat burned for water, for anything, and finally receiving it. The weight on my chest slowly sank to my stomach. Filling my entire body with a heaviness that tried to bring me to my knees, but I was frozen in place.

I couldn't move.

Seeing her is what I would imagine someone getting glasses for the first time. Everything was crystal clear. Edges sharpened like the corners of her mouth twisted but unsure whether to smile or sneer at the sight of me. The colors intensified like the green on her hoodie wasn't just a dark green, but a jewel. An emerald to be exact.

For the first time in years, I could inhale and exhale without dreading the idea of breathing. My breath didn't hitch or get caught in the back of my throat. It wasn't until I saw her that I let go of a breath I didn't know I was holding in.

"Uh-huh. Yep," I responded countless times. Maybe if I said it a twelfth time he'd get the point that I wasn't listening and hang up.

I gripped the steering wheel tighter and tighter with each complaint he threw. How nobody cared for the company, and if he wanted to he'd let it burn to the ground and we'd be left with nothing. Sucked that I was the only person he told this to. Not that I'd want anyone else to hear it, but I wish it wasn't me.

"Listen dad I gotta go. I'll see you in the meeting Monday." After saying yeah a few more times I finally got to hang up. Letting out a low breath I pulled into the driveway.

I turned my keys and pulled them out letting the silence fill the air. It was the only time I had to myself these days. Without a second thought, I grabbed the case of beer and seltzer and walked up the cobblestone path.

I'd never tell Liam how much I liked his walkway to the door. I thought Riley did a great job picking it out, but I made fun of Liam for it. For no other reason except to get on his nerves.

I didn't even ring the doorbell. How he trusted me to have a key to their house was beyond me, but it worked out when I didn't feel like staying with my mom anytime I was in town.

"Hello," I called down their entryway. I heard the shuffling of footsteps nowhere near me. As I walked closer to their kitchen I thought I might have heard Riley mutter "shit," but I couldn't tell.

"Liam where are you? Riley, I brought you those seltzer drink things you asked for," I called out to know one as I set down the packs on their counter. They were probably in the living room without me. "Hey! Did you guys really start Bachelor in Para- oh?" I stopped walking.