Lost Paradise (The Savages of the Blue Lagoon)

6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

After handing my bag to the crew, I make my way up the stairs and head into the college’s privately owned jet.

Despite my upbringing and background, I’ve never had the privilege of flying like this, not like my father, his kids, his wife, and everyone else who is semi-related to me.

I was sent abroad for two years before attending Hawthornes because I finished my A-levels two years earlier, and the college wouldn’t take me.

An institution hidden away on an island in the Highlands, far from prying eyes, was exactly what my father had in mind for my education. I graduate in a couple of years, and then I’ll be twenty-one, which means I’ll have access to the private trust fund he’s arranged for me since the day I was born. All I have to do is sign an NDA about my paternal lineage, and I can fuck off with twenty million pounds in my pocket and go off on my own in the world.

No one at Hawthornes knows who I am. Well…except Emily, and that’s because she’s my second cousin, but she wouldn’t dare tell anyone she’s related to me. She’d rather snub me and pretend I don’t exist, which is ironic because she was all over my roommate, Zane, at the party.

Except he’s got eyes only for her friend, Eve Winters, and one must be visually impaired and utterly oblivious to not notice that phenomenon. The fella is literally panting and wagging his tongue around her. And I’m sure it was Emily who fed those stinging lies to Hawthornes’ resident gossip about Eve.

Although, what exactly happened between Astro and Eve that night at the party is hazy. Neither have declared much other than the obvious sexual tension between them. So it’s fair to say they haven’t had sex. Yet.

It’s still a toss-up between Zane and Astro, who will be the first to jump into bed with Eve. Her announcement yesterday about avoiding romantic entanglements had only served as a catalyst and an irresistible challenge for any male within earshot. Even if Eve’s intentions were unwarranted, she just challenged every male to break through her defenses.

I’ve spent the last forty-eight hours with my roommate, and unfortunately, I’ve also had to put up with how messy and unorganized he is. The bloke dumps everything everywhere without any systematized purpose. But he’s an easy character to figure out if one can get past his chaotic side of the room. Zane's competitive nature isn't limited to a sports arena; it extends to every aspect of his life. As an athlete, he thrives on challenges, and Eve is the ultimate prize—a gold medal waiting to be won.

Astro, on the other hand, operates according to a different set of rules. As a cocky gangster with a calculated demeanor, he’s accustomed to claiming what he wants without hesitation or regard for convention. He sees Eve not as a prize to be won but as a conquest waiting to be claimed. Playing by the rules is never in Astro's nature; he thrives on bending them to his will, using his charm and cunning to get what he desires.

This trip will serve one purpose, and the rivalry between Zane and Astro will intensify. It’ll be interesting to see how they’ll fail.

Because they will.

While Zane and Astro may be the frontrunners in this love war, they grossly underestimated the determination and cunning of their competitors. There are five males in this group, and all are interested in acquiring a piece of the pretty blonde lady who has just settled into the black leather armchair opposite me.

She’s strategically taken a single seat, making sure no one has an opportunity to sit too close to her. I’m the only one sitting near her, and she deliberately chose me because she thinks I’m the only one who won’t try to vie for her affection.

Of course, there’s Jack, who seems like a safe zone from the outside, but as much as that lad pretends to be dead to the world with his nonchalant penchant for blending into the background, he can’t take his eyes off Eve.

And Mr. Coldwell, who doesn’t seem that much older than us, can’t help but be drawn to Eve, his eyes lingering on her despite his attempts to appear friendly and neutral as he would with any other student. But there’s that code of conduct between the teacher and the student. Considering all his athletic achievements, he must maintain a strong mental and ethical discipline that will prevent him from acting according to his desires. But he’ll make sure to keep Zane and Astro’s paws off her even if he can’t have her for himself.

That leaves me.

The wildcard.

Unassuming and underestimated, I possess a keen understanding of the dynamics at play, observing the competition with a cool detachment. I’m the one no one’s taken into consideration as a possible rival.

While Zane and Astro may dominate the spotlight with their overt displays of competitiveness, Jack’s too busy blending into the shadows, and Mr. Coldwell is keeping the obvious two at bay. I’m biding my time, quietly confident in my ability to make a lasting impression on Eve.

I’ll be the one standing on the sidelines, ready to step into the fray and stake my claim when the time is right and steal her from right under their noses.

My thoughts are interrupted as the co-pilot pulls the door closed and turns the hatch to lock it. I watch him go back into the cockpit and shut the door behind him. Despite this being a luxury jet, there are no flight attendants or anyone other than the two pilots servicing this plane. Hawthornes Insititute made it very clear that this trip isn’t a holiday and we won’t be catered to.

The pilot's voice comes onto the speaker, giving us information about our flight and announcing that we’ll be making one refuel stop in Tunisia before reaching our final destination. As he’s talking, I’m observing Eve before me. She scowls to herself as she scrolls through her phone, no doubt checking her social media feeds for the latest updates.

“You know, if you just give everyone radio silence for two weeks, they’ll get bored and move on to someone who’ll feed into their obsession with public humiliation.”

She looks up from her phone, her bright blue eyes sparkling like titillating diamonds. I can’t help but notice there’s a certain sadness they hold. Eve keeps many of her inner struggles to herself, and I believe she harbors a significant amount of unexpressed turmoil.

“That’s social suicide,” she says in a tone as if I wouldn’t understand her.

“You’ll be damned if you do and damned if you don’t,” I reply. “The question is how much attention do you need and how much can you live without it?”

“Are you saying I’m attention-seeking?”

“I’m saying I think you care too much what strangers think of you.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Yes,” Astro suddenly joins in from across the aisle. “You do, Princess. You’ve been pouting since that post was released. Look at me, I don’t give a rat’s arse.”

She scrunches her face and looks at him in disgust.

“That’s because being embroiled in a scandal with me is one step up the ladder for you and twenty down for me.”

A chuckle escapes me, and Zane can’t hold back the laughter.

“Man, she’s put you in your place.”

Astro glowers at her. “You’re a conceited bitch who’s trying to be someone you’re not. You’re just some blonde bird rolling around in Daddy’s money. Come to my end of the world and see how real people live.”

“That’s enough!” Zane goes to unbuckle his seat belt, and Mr. Coldwell pushes him back in his armchair.

“That’s enough from both of you,” he commands, taking charge of the situation before Astro and Zane decide to pull out the fists.

He turns to Astro, “If you want to act like high school teens, then I’ll exchange your seating arrangement with Mr. Bancroft, and you can sit at the back of the plane for the entire plane trip.”

The engines suddenly roar to life, and the aircraft begins to taxi down the runway, silencing all of us. Eve finally gives up on her phone life, tosses it onto the table between us, and looks out the window thoughtfully.

Astro reclines in his plush leather chair and shuts his eyes. Zane engages in an animated discussion with Mr. Coldwell. They are no doubt talking about their training schedules, their voices mingling with an air of confidence and ambition.

I pull out a stack of textbooks and my laptop, determined not to let my academic pursuits falter on this two-week trip. Honestly, as much as I try to find something in common with the others, I couldn’t be more different from all of them. Only one thing threads us together, and it’s this blonde beauty who has her own set of personal problems that she keeps hidden from everyone.

I open my laptop and begin diligently typing away on a theory I’ve been working on for a while. Using this twenty-hour flight time, I plan to take advantage of it. The rhythmic hum of the engines provides a soothing backdrop to my thoughts as I focus on my work.

A sharp jerk jolts me awake, ripping me from the realm of my apparent slumber and thrusting me into a waking nightmare. My laptop lay forgotten on a table before me. A surge of adrenaline courses through my veins as confusion and disorientation cloud my mind. I struggle to make sense of the chaos unfolding around me. The once serene atmosphere of the cabin had transformed into a scene of panic and turmoil.

My heart pounds in my chest as I realize the gravity of the situation. The plane is in trouble—cabin emergency lights are flashing. Instinctively, my gaze darts to the windows, seeking answers. What I see sends a shiver down my spine—a scene of utter chaos and impending doom. The ocean below seems to rush towards us with terrifying speed. The once serene vista transforms into a blur of motion and turbulence.

We’re now plunging into a nosedive towards the unforgiving expanse of the water below. Fear grips me in its icy embrace as I brace myself for the inevitable impact. Time seems to slow to a crawl as the seconds stretch into eternity, each heartbeat echoing like a thunderous drumbeat in my ears.

This is it.

All eighteen years of my life, and this is how it ends.

Thoughts of unfinished business flash throughout my mind, a jumbled collage of regrets and aspirations.

As the plane plummets toward the unforgiving embrace of the ocean below, a sense of helplessness washes over me like a tidal wave. There is nothing I can do to alter our course or change our fate. All I can do is cling to the hope that somehow, against all odds, we will emerge unscathed from this harrowing ordeal .

The deafening roar of the engines is drowned out by the sound of twisting metal and shattering glass as the front of the plane begins to tear away before impact with the water. The world outside seems to spin and whirl in a dizzying blur of motion as we hurtle toward the water with terrifying velocity.

Then, with a bone-jarring thud, we strike the surface of the water, the force of the impact sending shockwaves rippling through the cabin. The front of the plane finally tearing away with a sickening crunch, leaving us exposed to the elements and at the mercy of the harsh ocean.

As the chaos subsides and the dust settles, I find myself miraculously unharmed, a small miracle amidst the devastation that surrounded us. Yet, even as relief floods through me, a sense of foreboding lingers in the air—a chilling reminder that our ordeal is far from over.

As the cold embrace of reality tightens its grip around us, I know that our only chance of survival lies in working together. With the plane rapidly sinking beneath the surface of the ocean, panic threatens to overwhelm us, but I refuse to succumb to despair. We have to act—and act fast.

Already assessing the situation, Mr. Coldwell turns to us, calls out our names, and we respond. His voice is steady despite the turmoil raging within me.

"We need to get off this plane, now," he urges, his words cutting through the chaos like a beacon of hope. "We need to find a way out before it's too late."

With a collective nod of agreement, we spring into action. Despite the urgency of our situation, there is a remarkable sense of unity among us.

“Each one of us with a partner, as there’s a big chance we’ll be separated as a group,” Mr. Coldwell commands. “Bancroft and Doukas, Winters and Harding, Jones, you’re with me.”

We navigate the rapidly flooding cabin in search of an escape route. The water rises around us with alarming speed, its icy touch sending shivers down my spine as we struggle against the relentless pull of the depths below.

Amidst the chaos, I catch sight of Eve—despite the danger that surrounds us, she remains remarkably composed, with unwavering resolve.

I finally reach the front of the plane that no longer has a cockpit. It’s our only exit, our path to freedom illuminated by the dim light filtering in from above. With a final burst of effort, I grab hold of Eve’s hand and hoist ourselves onto the surface, gasping for breath as we emerge into the open air.

Relief floods through me as I take in the sight of the vast expanse of ocean stretching out before us. We’ve made it—we've survived the odds so far.

“Climb the wing of the plane and use it as a makeshift raft,” I shout out to her, and she nods, following me.

When I grab hold of it, she joins me, and I search for the others to figure out where they are, and I don’t see them.

As I pull myself up and bring Eve with me, I see the others waving at us from a distance.

“Why have they drifted so far off?” she asks, and I find it odd too.

Then I suddenly feel it.

“Get off!” I shout, and she looks at me as fear rips across her face.

The sinking plane pulls at us with a relentless force, dragging us down into the murky depths of the ocean. Panic surges within me as the water closes in around us, swallowing the last vestiges of light and air. I fight against the suffocating pressure, my lungs burning for oxygen as I struggle to keep my head above water.

In the chaos, I reach out to her, my hands groping desperately in the darkness for any sign of life. I feel the weight of her body pressing against me, her panic gasps echoing in the water. We’re trapped, entangled in a deadly dance with the ocean's unforgiving embrace.

With every passing moment, the pressure mounts, threatening to crush us beneath its overwhelming weight. I kick and thrash against the currents, my limbs growing heavy with exhaustion as I fight to stay afloat. But the pull of the sinking plane is too strong, dragging us further and further into the abyss.

As the darkness closes in around us, I feel a sense of despair wash over me—a chilling realization that our chances of survival are growing slimmer by the second. I feel Eve let go of me and try to summon every ounce of strength and determination I possess as I

attempt to propel myself upwards toward the faint glimmer of light that beckons from above.

The ocean, greater in strength, is fighting to keep me.

I won’t let it. I can’t.