Not Your Average Fairy Tale (Not Your Average Fairy Tale #1) by Chantele Sedgwick Page A

started pulling me toward the house.
    "Let me go!"
    He stopped. "No. I'm not going to let you embarrass me!"
    "Wait!"
    He started walking again, dragging me with him. "Quit being stubborn and come on!"
    I dug my heels into the ground. "Cameron! You're hurting me!"
    His nails dug into my skin and no matter how hard I tried, he wouldn't let go. "Cameron!" I looked around, seeing people watching us. Why wouldn't anyone help me? I tried in vain to pull away. "Cameron, let–"
    Before I could get the rest out, Cameron's hand ripped away from my arm, and he flew backwards over the swimming pool. He screamed, but he wasn’t falling in. Instead he dangled above it, fingertips skimming the water, feet straight up in the air.
    The wind blew furiously around the yard, trees bending so much the tops almost touched the ground.
    "What the ..." I glanced over, and saw Ash.
    He stood a few feet away, arms up as his chest rose and fell with deep angry breaths. His eyes were blazing, focused on Cameron, who still hung upside down in the air. Wind swirled around him, pulling on his clothes, whipping through his hair. My eyes stung, and I shielded my face as the wind grew stronger.
    "Let him go!" I yelled, hoping he could hear me over the windstorm.
    Ash met my eyes, his jaw clenched. His eyes looked darker than normal. He glanced at Cameron, frowned, and dropped his arm.
    Cameron splashed headfirst into the pool.
    The wind stopped.
    "Are you crazy?" I yelled at Ash. Cameron coughed and sputtered as he made his way to the side of the pool. "Cameron, are you okay?" I asked.
    His eyes narrowed and he pulled himself up the ladder. "You're asking if I'm okay after you pushed me in?" He climbed out of the pool, took his shirt off, and started ringing it out. Water splashed on my shoes and I took a step back, confused.
    "I didn't push you–" I started.
    "Oh, so I magically fell in the pool?"
    I had no idea what to say. Had he seriously forgotten what happened? I looked around. No one seemed to notice anything unusual.
    "I swear, I didn't–"
    "Oh, just forget it." He slipped his shoes off, not looking at me. "You know what, Kendall? Maybe your mom should put you back into counseling. You have major issues. I'm sorry your dad died, but this isn't about him. It's about you. Being all paranoid about nothing."
    I flinched as if I'd been slapped. "Cameron, I'm–"
    He put up a hand. "I said, forget it. I'm sick of you leading me on and then screwing me over every time," he said.
    "Cameron!"
    He ignored me and walked back in the house. I noticed Tessa standing at the edge of the pool, her eyes huge. She hesitated before coming over to me.
    "Are you okay?" she asked. "What happened?"
    "I'm fine," I lied. I was barely holding it together.
    "I saw him grab your arm, Kendall. Do you need me to go chew him out?" She scowled toward the house.
    "It's fine. I said some things I shouldn't have."
    "That doesn’t make it okay," she said. "Come find me when you're ready to go. I'm going to talk to him."
    "Tessa, wait!" I watched her walk toward the house, and knew she'd talk to Cameron anyway.
    When she was out of sight, I realized Ash was still there. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him shift nervously.
    "Kendall," he started.
    "Don't you say a word," I said, shielding my face with my hands.
    "Kendall, wait!"
    Furious, I headed around the front of the house, knowing full well that Ash was following me. I wiped angry tears from my eyes, and refused to look at anyone in the yard.
    "What was that all about?" Ash asked, appearing next to me.
    "I'm fine, Ash. Get over it."
    "If you were fine, you wouldn't be crying."
    I shook my head, not wanting to talk to anyone. Especially him. "Leave me alone!"
    He stepped in front of me, hands on his hips. "You aren't walking home by yourself," he said.
    "I am, too." I stepped around him and started walking again.
    "No, you aren't."
    "What the heck were you thinking back there? Did you not see all those people watching Cameron