Chapter 1 First Kiss

I grip his hand, letting him pull me down the trail.

Nerves flutter in my stomach, fingers quivering as I walk steadily along the path, trying not to stumble over and into the river below. The sound of the waterfall we walk toward roars in my ears, allowing my hurried breaths to go unnoticed to my recent boyfriend.

This is going to be my first kiss. I've finally graduated high school only yesterday, and to celebrate, Alec has taken me down to the local waterfall to kiss me. We have been talking about this for weeks now, and it's finally happening with nothing to interrupt us. The snow crusted grass has me sliding uneasily down the path, Alec's steady hand guiding me toward the waterfall. The path falls behind it, sheltered by the rocks above. Shivering, I glance down into the water, the surging white foam from the falling water swirls tauntingly, shattering any chance of ice forming.

"Do you think this is a good idea?" I ask, voice shaking as Alec pulls a stray tree branch out of the way, letting me step up it. He glances back at me, warm hazel eyes gliding over me as he pauses right at the side of the river, spray from the waterfall raining down upon us lightly.

"Yes, of course. I come here all the time." "With other girls?" I question flatly, lips tilting up slightly. He tilts his head to the side, dark hair spilling around his ears as his eyes glitter enchantingly. He really is beautiful...

"No...Just you baby," he assures me quietly, not taking his eyes off mine. It's going to happen now. Suddenly nervous, I glance away, looking onto the other side of the river where a denser forest leads out of town. Out here, we are completely alone, but Alec and I have been dating for a while now, and I trust him. Not to mention, Alec is the most beautiful man to have come out of our school. So why am I so nervous? A shadowed figure suddenly passes across the corner of my vision, causing me to flinch. Narrowing my eyes, I concentrate on the tall trunks, seeing nothing but lush, snow topped vegetation. I release a long, so breath.

"It's so beautiful here." Alec reaches out to grip my chin, turning my to look at him, noticing how distracted I've suddenly become.

"Not as beautiful as you."

"Don't ruin it," I mutter, rolling my eyes playfully. "Is this where you want to do it?"

He nods, eyes gleaming. My stomach continues to churn, nerves fluttering inside me. We stand right next to the waterfall, the roaring sound echoing in my ears. Despite that, it's peaceful, the perfect place to kiss Alec for the first time.

"I am so ready to kiss you," he murmurs, reaching up to gently hold either side of my face. His fingertips are cold against my skin, an icy breeze sweeping down the valley, pulling strands of stray hair across my face. Alec brushes them away, leaning down slowly. I close my eyes, bracing myself for his lips to press against mine. Instinctively, I step back with my right foot, right before Alec can kiss me. My boot slips out from under me, the ice forming at the side of the river cracking and collapsing, drawing my leg straight down into the river. Alec reaches out to grab me, but slips, letting me glide through his fingers. With my balance off, I topple back and straight into the water, the weight of the waterfall pinning me straight under the surface.

Panic slices through me, the shock of the glacial cold of the water causing me to gasp, drawing straight down my throat. Coughing beneath the water, I swing my arms around, but the white wash swirls me around, the force of the water drawing me deeper. Pain burns in my throat, heart pounding in my chest. Blinking through the water, I see nothing but bubbles in my vision, the edges turning dark as each second passes. A rock bumps my hip, sending me turning over under water. I'm being dragged down the river. I'm going to die. Right before unconsciousness can grip me, I feel hands on my shoulders, grabbing at my thick woollen jacket which has been holding me down. My head breaks through the surface, body being dragged back onto the trail from the water.

Gasping for air, I brace myself up on my elbows, coughing water onto the dirt path below me, gripping the grass tightly between my hands despite the snow that coats it. My lungs burn, vision blurred as I try to make sense of everything. The hands are still on my shoulders, gripping the fabric of my shirt tightly as they are frightened I'm going to pass out again. I roll onto my back, staring at the grey sky, breathing in slowly.

The figure leans over me, drawing their hands away. I frown, expecting it to be Alec, but he's nowhere to be seen. Instead, it's a complete stranger. My vision still spins, but I can see his outline. His hair is dark, clothed in black also. My lips part slightly as I struggle to breath.

"You saved me." He doesn't say anything, getting to his feet. Before I can say another word, he disappears.