Soul Lines (Completed)

Chapter Four

Chapter Four
Elle's POV

The drive to school was only fifteen minutes, and I peered at myself in the mirror one last time as McKenzie tumbled from the front seat, disappearing into the crowd of students. She barely paused to toss a waving hand up towards Pop as she went, skittering around the side of the building to where her friends hung out.

Pop turned, his eyes were sullen, and he stared back at me silently. Only when I started to squirm did he finally sigh and say, 'Make sure you're home straight after work, Elliot.' His voice was filled with disappointment, too, and it crushed my spirit even more. 'Your Nanna wants to talk about what happened this morning.'

I promised I would, and dread pooled in my stomach as I flung myself from the truck, burying myself in the crowds, just as my sister had done. I cursed myself with each step as I pulled my damp stringy hair out from under my backpack, wishing I'd had the sense of mind to grab a hair tie.

I'd been stupid. I knew better than to fall asleep on the forest floor.

I was still lecturing myself on the stupidity of my actions when I found Kendra and Jacobi in the swell of students.

They were by the water fountains, talking with their heads bent together. Jacobi was the first to look up, and his eyes lit with amusement as he watched me from across the quad.

Kendra followed his gaze, finding me at the end of Jacobi's stare, and I watched her body deflate as she let out a breath of relief. After the relief, there was a spark of anger, which she let simmer for a moment before wrapping her fingers around Jacobi's sleeve and pulling him across the quad, a scowl painted across her brows.

'What the hell did you think you were doing? You nearly sent me to the grave with worry.' She gripped me by the shoulders, shaking me so hard that my teeth rattled together, but then she pulled me tightly into her arms. 'You could have at least texted me back! You walk into the forest and then don't return. What was I meant to think? I thought you were dead!' She shoved me away, turning on Jacobi, who held his hands up defensively, ready to wave his white flag of surrender. 'How were you not worried? You're like the grandpa of the group.'

'This is Elle we're talking about.' Jacobi gave me a knowing smirk as though he knew my secret. I blushed, realising he would have known the moment he'd stopped by the house and I wasn't there. 'She practically lives in the forest. I knew she was safe.'

'Well, if you knew, you could have told me.'

'Oh my god, Kendra. Calm down.' He rolled his eyes, following me as I approached the senior's building.

They bickered behind me as I stole through the thickening crowd of students. The hallways were teeming with conversations, and like weeds in a garden, everyone was trying to spread secrets.

I caught snippets of conversation as I shouldered through the thin hallways, their accusations and stories lightening my dismal mood. I almost turned towards a group to join in their gossiping, but then a gap cleared in the crowd, and I saw someone leaning against my locker.

My blood boiled.

Lachlan had his hand behind his head, leaning casually against the long row of lockers, scanning document papers, ignoring the people who passed by. He would have been attractive if he wasn't such a pig, and I considered bypassing my locker. I still had all my books from the weekend, so I didn't need anything.

The textbooks were heavy, though, and my arms were already tired, pain straining my muscles. I didn't want to find the strength to lug six books around all morning, and I couldn't ask Jacobi because he had bet me I'd ask him for help before the semester was out.

I must have hesitated too long because suddenly, the rounded edges of his nose flared, and he looked up. Lachlan's lips curled back into a sneer as his eyes dropped, rolling over my body. It felt like his eyes left a sticky resin over my skin, sickening me to my stomach. 'You reek like Vermiculo.'

I wanted to toss my books at him, but I wouldn't even get them two feet in front of me, so I clutched them to my chest instead, vulnerability taking over. 'Good thing I don't reek like you then.'

'What did you do, spend the night at the pack house?'

'What's it to you.' I snapped, trying to shove him away from my locker with my shoulder. 'You're not my boyfriend any more.' I tripped, his chest hardly moving from the effort. I hated being reminded that I was defenceless against his kind, and heat bubbled in my chest; he'd only proven it time and time again.

Jacobi slid between the gap I'd created, angling his body so I could only make out the shadowed side of his face. It was void of anger, his eyes stoic, but Lachlan couldn't see how his shoulder blades pinched tightly and his legs tensed, ready to fight if it came to it. His voice was steely as he addressed Lachlan. 'Get away from her locker.'

Lachlan huffed, his ego bolstering his confidence, and his chest puffed out. 'What are you going to do about it?'

'Nothing. But Elliot is one of us,' I peered at Jacobi, tracing the hole in my stockings nervously as they squared up to each other. Jacobi didn't flinch. 'If they find out you've been disrespecting one of us, they won't be happy.'

Lachlan snorted, stuffing the papers into his bag, his eyes trained on Jacobi. 'Elle lives on neutral lands. She's not one of you.'

'Her house backs onto Vermiculo land, and she's friends with me. That's enough to make her one of us.'

He huffed, glancing behind us as his top lip curled back. His eyes flashed, darkening as he looked back at me. 'I guess I'll talk to you later, Elle.'

'Don't count on it, dirtbag.' Kendra snapped angrily.

She ushered me into the girl's bathroom after I'd disposed of my books, her eyes dropping to my stockings. 'What happened? Did you get mauled or something on your way to school?'

'No,' I rolled my eyes, ripping open the new package and tossing the wrapper into the garbage can. 'I was just in a rush this morning. I accidentally tore a hole.'

'Did you wake up late or something? You look like a mess.'

'Yeah.' I twirled my hair into a bun, fastening it with the arsenal of bobby pins Kendra always had on hand. 'Just give me a minute.'

I pinched the toilet seat between two fingers and dropped the lid, perching precariously on the edge as I pulled my phone out. The battery was still dying, but I opened the last used app, warmth flooding over me as I found a new note opened on my phone.

You really should do your homework before it's due.

It was short, but it made my heart soar. As I clutched my phone to my chest, delight bubbling in my heart, Kendra knocked on the cubical door. 'Oh, and babe,' she called out, 'Your skirt is on back-to-front.'