"Hey!" Nova tried to reach for it, already feeling the effects of the content. She was a complete lightweight. She didn't usually drink, even with her stress-filled schedule. Any stress release came in the form of little chocolate buttons or yoga.
The latter was better for her, but the former was a sinful treat to which she caved occasionally. Why was she thinking about chocolate buttons right now when Chad had finally arrived? Instead of looking at her all loving and relaxed, he was glaring down at her like she was the one who was over an hour late and had done something wrong.
"This was meant to be for us. You couldn't wait?" He swigged the bottle back and gulped a lot of the champagne down before wiping the sweat droplets off his forehead. He looked handsome in his suit, his jawline defined, but no matter how sharp he looked, the energy radiating from him was darker than any suit could disguise.
Despite that, Nova couldn't help the bubbling rage surfacing to her deep blue eyes, or the pressing tightness in her chest that felt almost claustrophobic. "Excuse me?" Her voice trembled slightly as she tried to keep it even.
Chad looked at her expression. "Don't tell me none of this." He pointed around the area with the bottle. "Was good enough for you?"
Nova frowned. "That's not it at all-"
"Oh, it's because I was a little late?" Chad stepped closer. "I had work, Nova. I'm here now. Don't ruin tonight by making this about you." He put the bottle in the bucket again.
White hot rage burst through her. She threw herself up, hands clenched into fists by her side. "What is wrong with you?! All you had to do was apologise for being late, and none of this would have happened. I had some champagne because I was thirsty, and I'd been waiting so long-"
"Here we go again. You only see the negative, I set this all up for us, and you can't even be pleased with this? Since when did my girl turn into a damned princess?" Chad interrupted, stepping closer, eyes dark and crazed.
Nova held her hands up. "I can't… This... I need space. I…" Anger throbbed at her temples, and dealing with Chad was tiring her out. "It shouldn't be this hard. Let's just go back.." She started to walk away when Chad grabbed her arm.
"No. I set this up for us. We will enjoy it." His grip tightened when she tried to free herself from him.
"You can't be serious-"
Gunshots were fired before Nova could finish her sentence. She gasped and was tugged behind Chad, her body squished between him and one of the statues at her back. "Is that a gun?!" She stared at the pistol in his hand.
A man's cry behind them whipped their heads around, then another in the opposite direction, much closer to her, heart thumping wildly. They were going to die. She just knew it.
Bruce signalled Chad as he aimed his gun in the direction of the gunfire and flashes of light popping off at each trigger pull. Chad rushed off, dragging Nova behind him. She didn't question anything except her high heels kept her from moving as quickly.
"Hurry up!" Chad pushed her ahead, making her stumble.
Nova grabbed onto a tree branch for support and then gasped, freezing on the spot when a man appeared in front of them, like coming out of the shadows with dark paint over his eyes and forehead. His spear pointed at her.
Chad dragged her back and aimed his gun at the man. He pulled the trigger, but nothing happened. Nova shook on the spot, expecting gore, but that was when she realised too late that he hadn't flicked off the safety. Chad did precisely that, but another native ripped it from him and tossed it back to another in the bushes. That same man punched him in the face.
With a grunt, he clasped his jaw. "What do you want? We haven't done anything!"
Nova started backing away, watching wide-eyed as the natives strode forward, expressions livid as they glared at them. More and more natives began to appear, and the forest became deadly silent. They started surrounding them from the treeline.
"Chad…" She said quietly.
"Quiet, N," He snapped. "We should negotiate with them. It's obviously miscommunication…" He then started speaking really slow English to them, loudly, obnoxiously and like he was teaching a child.
"No… Chad… Really.." Nova tried again as she looked around, and her breath halted at seeing some of them, even in the trees, hanging on with incredible grip strength as they watched them. "They won't-"
Chad ignored her and continued. It was a little cringy, and simultaneously, fear pounded at her heart, telling her to run. The natives started speaking among them.
"kill… be done with it." The words between English and their native language were distorted.
"If we kill them, won't more pale faces come? They came on boats the other day."
"Then we crush them too."
Wait, how could she understand them? Their native tongue was nothing like she'd heard before, yet now she knew what they were saying?! She shook her head, dismissing the questions that kept forming in her mind and focused on what they were saying now.
Nova listened and then gasped, looking behind her at the picnic, the lights, the food. "It's sacred land," Nova repeated in their language, unaware she just spoke it fluently, then switched to English, repeating it for Chad. "This is sacred land!"
"And how do you know that?" Chad snapped at her, head whipping back to frown at her. That frown faded when his gaze flicked past her, and his face paled.
"What is it?" Nova squeaked, turning and half-expecting a spear to pierce through her chest like those workers. Instead, a gasp escaped her lips, and ice sliced through her veins. It was Bruce.
He clutched at his bloodied stomach, staring at the crimson liquid before looking up at them as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
"She understands us?"
"That's not possible."
"It is if she is chosen by the gods to…"
Their words faded into the background. Nova's heartbeat thumped louder and louder, and Bruce slowly pointed to the side, his finger shaking.
Nova's gaze followed the direction of the finger and saw the small gap between the rocky wall and the lake. She couldn't leave him there! Her eyes betrayed her thoughts as Bruce slowly shook his head and glared at her, the menacing glare that could make any man shrink or run for the hills. "Go," he mouthed.
Teary-eyed, Nova blinked, and on his word, she made her decision. "They're distracted, Chad!" Nova took Chad's hand and sprinted in the direction Bruce pointed at. "Let's go!"
They passed Bruce as his head began to flop down. The natives whistled at each other and whooped to announce the couple had fled and manoeuvred through the small gap.
"What's the plan now? They're going to catch us up," Chad shouted from behind Nova as she tried to run in her heels. They were dangerously close to the lake. The worst thing to happen right now in this crisis would be to slip and fall in. The natives would be on them in seconds. They were already catching up.
Only luck kept them from closing in on them as they were single-filed around the lake. "I don't know! I'm just making it up as we go!"
"Kill them both."
"But she might be-"
"She's with him."
The sounds of drums beat louder in her ears, and her focus slowly slid to the lake. The lake that shimmered under the moonlight. The lake had stars swirling in a grand circle, a galaxy of starlight twinkling back from the surface.
The drums. The natives shouted and whooped, spears thrown.
Then, the sudden grab on her wrist yanked her back. "Nova, this way!"
Her heart thumped as time slowed. Her breath whooshed out of her as Chad released her and ran past her. Her ankle buckled, her heel slipped, and the drums pounded louder.
"Nova?!" Chad screamed.
The world seemed to tilt on its axis as the natives froze.
Chad lunged forward, reaching for her.
It was too late.
She fell into the lake.