holy ground [j.h]

Chapter 9

Another year, another cheer and football barbecue. It was a PCEP tradition for the teams to merge for hot dogs and burgers grilled by our coaches in the high school parking lot, and as senior captain there was no way I could miss the joyous occasion. I pulled myself out of my bed to throw together an outfit, landing on my favorite black leggings and a white USA hockey sweatshirt I swiped from Johnny's closet. I was sitting on my bed with my car keys in hand while blasting "Act My Age" by One Direction as an attempt to psych myself up for the drive over to school. The parking lot is a shit show filled with teen drivers and parents, and I had to face it all on my own. My parents were swinging over from work and I had to fend myself in the lot. The serenade of my favorite boyband was cut off by the ringing of my phone, and I was confused once again as I read the name displayed across the screen. 

"Hello, Finn Reilly." I said into the receiver.

"Hello Elena Cameron." I could hear his smile through the phone. "You're still coming to the barbecue, right?"

"It would be pretty fucked if the cheer captain didn't show, wouldn't you think?" I laughed.

"Yeah, not setting a good example." He took a pause. "Have you left your house yet?"

"Nope." 

"My alternator is all kinds of fucked up. Do you think you could give me a lift?" He asked, and my heart just about fell out of my chest. Driving to the Reilly residence was no easy feat for me, it was nauseating every time I had to go to a pregame dinner or postgame party. But how do you say no? I don't know what an alternator is but if he drove and his car blew up or something I would feel pretty guilty.

"Yeah, sure." I replied as nonchalantly as I could muster, and I seemed to have convinced him as he didn't even falter.

"Ok cool, see you in like 15?" He said, not even realizing the peril he just put me in.

"Mhm." I hung up, fighting the urge to vomit as the One Direction song picked up right where it left off. I tried to steady my breathing for a few minutes, before pulling myself off the bed and out into my Jeep. I was a panicked mess, and not even One Direction could fix this one. I had to call someone, so I threw my phone open and called the first person I could think of that could calm me down in a crisis.

"Hey, Elena Gilbert." The sound of Jack's voice caused my jaw to unclench and I could feel the tension in my neck muscles melt away like butter.

"Hey Hughesy." I breathed, a smile on my face immediately.

"What's up? Don't you have that, barbecue thingy tonight?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm-"

"Driving, aren't you?" He cut me off, catching me off guard.

"How'd you know?" I half laughed.

"You sounded nervous, so I just put two and two together." 

"Well that's a new one for you." I teased, hearing him laugh on the other side of the phone. "Tell me about your day, or something good, because I'm about to deal with the four way stop from Hell on Townsend Drive and I might throw up all over my steering wheel."

"Townsend? Why are you on Townsend? That's the opposite direction from school Lains. I know you're not great with directions, but that's pretty bad even for you." He asked me, confusion creeping into his voice.

"I'm on my way to Finn's to pick him up, his alternator thingy is apparently fucked up? Don't know what that means, but he asked me for a ride." I explained, trying really hard to not burst into flames.

"He asked you for a ride?" He repeated my words, a newfound tightness in his voice. I couldn't decipher what it meant, I was too focused on not crashing my car.