Being McKenzie Prince ✔

Chapter Nine

The instant that Harper stepped off the edge of the pier I did not even hesitate. I dropped my school bag, climbed on to the railings and jumped in after him. There was no uncertainty in my actions. Harper and I may not always see eye to eye and we have this whole understanding where we sort of hate each other, but I could not just stand by and do nothing. What kind of person would I be if I just let him drown? Even if I had no real plan of how I was going to save him or myself.

My body hit the water like a ton of bricks. I could feel the water trying to grasp at me. I fought to open my eyes under the water. Once I opened them I could feel the way the salt burned. It felt as if though something was scratching at them.

My chest felt as if though it was falling in on itself. I knew the second I opened my mouth that the water would come streaming in and then there would be no possible way that I could help Harper.

It took me a few seconds before I saw Harper's body as it floated in the water. His eyes were closed and there was blood coming from the back of his head. It was obvious that he must have hit his head or his neck. His body seemed motionless.

There was a moment of silence and peace. Similar to the previous time when I had been in this position. This time though I did not jump to end my life. I jumped to save a life. The silence did not last long and the ocean came to life around me. The sea threw me against a bunch of rocks and I opened my mouth to scream out in pain. Instead of a scream coming out, water came rushing in.

#

I gasped as I woke up in the hospital bed. My throat felt sore. Instead of being glad that I survived jumping off the pier a second time, I was terrified. My mother was going to kill me. Not only did I skip school, but I ended up in the hospital.

I tried to sit up straight and moaned. Skye rushed to my side. His hair looked like a mess and his eyes looked red. It looked like he had not slept in days. He hugged me and I flinched at the pain in my body.

"What the hell were you thinking Mac?" He let go and looked down at me. He touched his bottom lip with his left hand in anxiousness.

"I was not...I just...He just jumped and I..." I coughed again. My voice sounded raspy and dry.

"Wait. What? He jumped? Harper Brown jumped off of the pier, as in to kill himself?" He reached for a glass of water next to the bed and helped me to take a few steps.

"Yes...That is what I said." I picked up my left hand and touched my head. It was paining as if though someone had hacked it open with an axe. There was an IV attached to my hand pumping something into me.

"How long have I been here?"

"Three days. Mac...Um...I don't know how to tell you this, but people are saying that you pushed Harper off the pier; on purpose."

"What?" I sat up straight and fell back down. Everything hurt. Who would in their right mind think that I would try to kill someone?

"What happened Mac?"

"I...I was at the pier writing in my journal...Harper showed up. He was weirder than usual... We only said a few words to each other. Literally only a few words, not even a whole conversation. He stepped onto the railings and then he jumped, well, more like fell backwards on purpose, but he did it himself. I jumped into the water after him to save him. I tried to save him and this is how he repays me? Where is he! I am going to kill that idiot!" Skye bit his lip as he looked at me.

"Mac...Um..."

"What? Where is he?"

"He...He is in a coma. They managed to wake him up for a few seconds and that was when he said that you pushed him, but he has been unconscious ever since."