The Rivals - Dylan Allen Page 0,28

to do with my money. I’ve stopped minding. I just wish I would meet someone who would be honest about it.” I say the words out loud that I’ve only ever let fester in my chest, and they sound as awful as they feel.

Her voice softens. “Oh, Hayes—”

The blare of sirens and the glowing from their flashing lights cuts her off.

The spell is broken, and I switch to action mode. I speak quickly and urgently down to her.

“I told them not to alert anyone inside. But it’s going to be impossible for them to get out here without that now. And people are going to come out and see what’s happening.”

“Of course, they will,” she says dejectedly. “For once, I’d love to not make a dramatic exit.” And I feel her pain. More than I can say.

“I’m going to go and make sure they don’t come too far, and I’ll do my best to make sure your dignity is in one piece when the night is over,” I tell her and start to get up.

“No, you can’t leave me alone with them!” she cries out, and her eyes widen with fear. “What if they drop me? What if I fall?” she cries. Her chest heaves and arches her back off that wall.

“No, don’t worry, and don’t move. I won’t leave until they get here, but I want to go and stand by the entrance to make sure that no one else comes out here. The last thing we need is for you to have to push through a crowd of people.”

“I’m so scared. Please promise you’ll stay close by. I just want to hear your voice, please?” She pleads with me with such earnest vulnerability that it makes me wish I could be the one to bring her up to safety.

“I’ll make sure you’re safe. And I’ll be just behind the rescuers, okay?” I search her eyes until she nods.

She looks over to her left and whimpers.

“Don’t look. Keep your eyes turned up here.”

“It’s so dark. I’m scared, Hayes.” She hiccups my name, and my heart squeezes in my chest. A sudden gust of wind picks up her thick mane of hair and blows it wildly around her head.

She screams! “Oh my God, are there birds?” Her hands wave frantically around her body.

“No, it’s just your hair, Confidence,” I call. I look over my shoulder when I hear shouts and chairs scraping the ground.

“What if they can’t find a way to get me up?” she asks tearfully.

“It’s really not that far. It’ll be a breeze, and I’ll be right here. I’ll make sure you’re safe. I promise.”

I’ve barely managed to keep myself safe. But I’ll be damned if I don’t excel at it for her. I hear the commotion before the back flap of the tent explodes open.

“Down here,” I call out and start to lift off the ground.

“Haaaaaaaayes, I can’t see you anymore!” she screams.

“I know, but I’m here. I need to make room for the rescuers. One second!” I yell and then rush a few feet to meet them.

A woman in a short, multicolored sundress comes dashing out. Her eyes are wild with fear. She runs at me. “When I heard a woman had fallen, I was afraid it was TB, and then I see you.” She reaches me and shoves me in the chest. “And I knew it was her. What did you do to her?” she snarls in my face.

Then, she crumples against my chest and covers her face with her hands. “I should have stopped her!” she wails.

I put my hand on her shoulder and pull her back. Her green eyes are clear of anger, and I can see her distress is real.

“Come on,” I say and start walking again. “I told her I’d be close enough to hear her, and right now, I’m not,”

When I reach the rescue party, Confidence is shouting, “He left me!” over and over.

“No. I didn’t,” I shout over her.

“You did.” She sounds unhinged. “You promised me, Hayes,” she wails.

“I didn’t leave. Your friend came down, I was just—”

“Oh my God! Cass!” she shrieks.

“TB, I’m so sorry, I’m right here, don’t worry,” her friend yells over her shoulder.

“So, what’s the plan?” I ask one of the men who’s talking on his walkie-talkie.

“We’re just getting anchored, Signore Rivers,” he says. “Then we’ll send Danelo down to secure her harness, connect her to the rappel, and we’ll pull her up. Once we’re anchored, it will only be a matter of minutes,” he