Behind the Curls (Harry Styles, One Direction fanfic)

Chapter Seventeen - A tragic day.

Harry's POV

I held Zayn tightly as I swam against the waves. It was the roughest sea, I had swam in and I was a great swimmer (if I may say so myself.) Every so often a huge wave would force our heads under the water! Choking and spluttering, another wave threw us out to sea.

I focused my eyesight on the shore, and kicked as hard as I could. Niall was eating an ice cream and burying a sleeping Stan in the sand. Liam was on his phone, probably texting Danielle and the others were still playing football.

"LOUIS!" I screamed, trying to catch his attention. He looked around but didn't spot us.

"LOUIS!!!!" I screamed again, this time catching his attention. He pointed at us, as the others ran into ocean.

"NO...It's too...dangerous." I shouted, catching my breath. Zayn was coughing too and trying to kick but we weren't going anywhere. I was getting tired now, but with my last drop of energy I kicked my legs and swung my arms, determined to reach the sand.

I kept kicking and kicking, I was so close to the shore, I could almost feel the golden sand. Liam ran into the water, it was shallow enough for it to be safe. He grabbed Zayn as Andy grabbed me and hauled us out of the water as I sat on the sand panting.

"What the hell happened?" Liam questioned, angry and worried at the same time.

"It's too rough. No-one can swim in that!" I said, trying to get my breathing back to its normal pace. Zayn was continuously coughing; he had swallowed to much water.

"Zayn, why were you in the water?" I questioned him angrily.

He looked down, with tears in his eyes. "I wanted to prove to you guys, that I'm not an idiot."

"Not being able to swim doesn't mean you're an idiot. But do you know what does?" I shouted walking towards him.

He shrugged his shoulders as Niall comforted him.

"Going into the ocean in a storm, when you can't swim. That's what makes you an idiot! You could have killed us!"

"I'm sorry." He said looking down ashamed.

"Leave it Harry, he needs to get checked out at the hospital but the main thing is everyone's safe."

"Not everyone." Josh called, as he looked around frantically.

"Where's Emmie?" Niall asked realising she was missing.

"Oh shit." I cried as I dived into the water, only to be pulled out by Louis.