The Skylar Experiment : Beginnings

Chapter Eighteen - One of Luc's People

I'D LEFT THE KITCHEN grumpily after breakfast. I knew it was for the best, but how could I possibly appreciate the perspective of being watched all the time?

He'd knocked on the guest door and dropped some clothes, telling me to hurry up. It was time to drive me home, and he couldn't wait to get rid of me. I also looked forward to leaving.

The jeans were way too long for my legs. I had to roll them a million times to avoid tripping over them. When I was ready, Luc waited in the driveway next to his Range Rover, browsing through his phone. I closed the front door and hopped down the steps.

Just as I was about to grab the handle on my side, the door clicked open by itself.

"Show-off," I muttered.

"Christ, let me live. I never got to see a stranger's first reaction before."

We settled, and he revved the engine and backtracked, engaging into the narrow dirt road that trickled down the hilltop. We didn't talk for the longest part of the trip, but he was more than relieved when I let him know I'd leave town today. No one would have to watch the house.

"How did you find me yesterday? You knew something would happen if you were at the party."

The brain fog of last night's events cleared, leaving me with this question. Why would Luc have bothered otherwise? In hindsight, he'd been suspicious the whole time.

" It was only a matter of time until that thing would hurt you. After learning you were going to Adam's party, I had no choice but to go because Wanderers are mostly active at night." His lower lip curved like he tasted a lemon. "You left the party before I could stop you, so I headed to the one place you shouldn't be to check."

"The forest," I completed, shameful. "And there I was."

His silent, yet severe judgment skimmed over me. It screamed You moron.

Gosh, I really messed up. People weren't joking when they said you could do really bad stuff while intoxicated. I never partied before, and it couldn't have been good to drink so much right away...

"The moment I neared the woods, I heard the screams."

I wanted to facepalm so hard... or fuse into the car seat to never be seen again. Why was I like that? What the hell was I thinking? I swore to never escalate to that level of drunk ever again.

When the mass of trees gave way to reveal my house and an ounce of glee arose in me at the thought of being home, Luc parked his car.

"One last thing," he said as I prepared to leave.

"What?"

He smiled tightly, gazing into the rear-view mirror. "Until further notice, I'll be driving you home from school every day."

▲▲▲

I sat on the gym floor next to Emma. A long-sleeved shirt covered the bite mark.

At first glance, it was glaring she'd been aware of what happened with me over the weekend. The air around us thickened with unspoken words. I processed once more all I'd discovered. How I'd brushed a certain death.

I hadn't mentioned any of it to Dad while we spent all Sunday together. He'd hit the ceiling, and I wasn't sure how to handle that.

I finally looked at Emma, whose stare hadn't wavered for the last minute.