My Soul Keeper (6 page)

I can’t walk fast enough. I wish I could erase the sight from my eyes. Gabrielle, of all people. She’s such a prude, it makes no sense. Maybe this is why she wanted me to not settle with Jacob, because she wanted him. My God, what if they’ve been doing this the whole time? How stupid do I feel?

I reach my house in a blur. I go straight up to my room, collapsing into bed; the tears flow freely onto the pillow. The feeling of being watched is all around me again. I reach out to try to touch the empty space surrounding me, a soothing atmosphere falls over me, my tears cease and sleep comes easily.

I wake, forcing myself out of bed to take a shower. I let the hot pellets assault my skin, washing away the nightmare that was my reality last night. How crappy can one night turn out to be? I switch off the taps and wrap a towel around me then step out of the bathroom to find Leah sitting on my bed, her fists clenched at her side.

“I can’t fucking believe that asshole and that bitch. I could beat the shit out of her for you?”

“Leah, I don’t want that. Let them have each other.”

“I’m not defending him, Simone, I hate him for hurting you, but he chucked her out. He went crazy. I don’t think he wants her.”

“Then what a waste. To ruin us for nothing makes it worse.”

I feel sadness more for the friendships I’ve lost.

My cell keeps alerting me to incoming texts I know are from Jacob.

PLS 4GIVE ME I LUV U

WE NEED TO TLK PLS

PLS DNT DO THIS

After the tenth text, I delete the rest without reading and spend the day watching old movies. I’m dreading school tomorrow. The thought of everyone talking about it, of seeing them both. Betrayal leaves a lasting mark on you. It cuts deep, making you feel vulnerable.

When my alarm goes off, I feel exhausted even though I’m just waking up. I pull my hair up high into a ponytail and slip into my hip-hugging new jeans. They’re skin tight and daring for me, but I need to feel good and to show Jacob what he could have had, well that’s Leah opinion anyway, and I need to summon my best friend’s way of thinking to get me through the day. I pull on a red top that shows a little more cleavage then I usually would allow, but I resist the urge to wear a sweater. After applying some makeup, I pull on my leather knee high boots and leave without breakfast.

I see Leah waiting for me as I pull up at school.

“Wow. You look hot, Simone. Like, fuck me hot, but your face doesn’t match the feisty outfit. You can’t be timid in front of him. You have to show him you won’t put up with his bullshit,” Leah advises me.

I close the door to my car and hug her briefly.

“Don’t look now but the hot guy with the gorgeous fuck-me-eyes from the party is staring at you. Lucas I was told his name is.” She grins.

I look behind me and there he is, his dark brown eyes roaming over my body and making me blush. My eyes are torn away when Jacob’s truck roars to an abrupt halt right next to my car. I walk towards Lucas before Jacob has time to get out.

“Hey,” I say weakly as I approach him. He smiles darkly at me and I feel like he’s caressing naughty parts of me with just a smile.

“Hey, Simone.” He embraces my name. I find myself biting my lip and squeezing my thighs together.

He reaches out to me with both hands stroking down my arms. “I didn’t see you after that dumbass from the party got kicked out.”

Warmth travels from his hands and heats my body all over, just like the first time he ever touched me. Is this normal? Is this what real attraction feels like? Anger emanates from him as he speaks about me being groped at the party; it’s intoxicating, like the anger is seeping into my skin from his touch.

“What the fuck, Simone? We need to talk,” Jacob’s voice bellows as he pulls Lucas away from me and stands in my view. “Simone, please don’t throw away our relationship.”

Anger flares through me, and I push at Jacob’s chest. “Me? Me? Jacob, you threw us away, straight down Gabrielle’s throat. I hope it was worth it because we are over.”

“It wasn’t. She said shit about you not wanting to have sex with me and that we were going to be virgins at college. Then she was doing what she was doing before I could stop her.”

I shake my head in disgust. “That’s pathetic, Jacob. You let her do it and, for your information, I won’t be going to college a virgin. It just won’t be you I’ll be losing it to.”

He gasps and I see genuine pain in his face. I feel the warmth from Lucas’ touch fade from me and cool air hits my skin. People are looking at us and I can’t believe I said all those things out loud, or even at all. It was out of character and not even true.

“Oh my fucking God,” Leah croons, linking her arm in mine and pulling me away into the school building and straight to the toilets. “I didn’t think you had that in you. That was amazing.”

I look at my image in the mirror. “I can’t believe where that came from.”

“Well he needed to hear it. And what was with the hot new guy? He touched you and shit. He wants you.”

I shoot her an evil look. “Hardly, Leah. He was just concerned about what happened at the party.” The bell rings to signal our first class.

I leave Leah in the bathroom and head straight to my locker, gathering my English books. I make my way to the classroom. When I arrive, everyone else is already seated and I let out a breath of relief to see Gabrielle’s seat empty. I ignore the whispers and stares and take my seat next to Gabrielle’s empty one.

Heat prickles my neck. I turn to see Lucas behind me, penetrating me with his eyes. Passion floods me, my breathing becomes heavy. Darkness surrounds us and all I see is him, his eyes stripping me naked. My body breaks out in a hot sweat from the fire in his gaze, his eyes devouring me. I imagine the touch of his lips against my fevered flesh, his tongue licking at the little beads glistening on my skin. He’s so close; his breath hovers, teasing my neck, making me groan in need.

“You’re on fire.” His words caress me.

“Simone, you’re on fire!”

The room’s bright again and people are staring at me with open mouths. Lucas stands behind me, talking into my ear.

“Simone, are you feeling okay? Your skin’s on fire. You may have a temperature.” Reality rushes in and embarrassment colours my cheeks.

“I’m fine,” I croak out, and his dark laugh vibrates against my shoulders.

“Do you mind if I sit here?” He points to Gabrielle’s chair. I shake my head no and he slides in next to me. “So you broke up with your boyfriend?”

I nod, unable to speak.

“He’s a fool to have lost you.”

Mrs Mitchell speaks over everyone, bringing the attention to the front of the classroom. “Hush, please,” she orders.

“I’m sorry to have to be the one to tell you this but we have just been informed that Daniel Stevens’ car was pulled from the Peter River. Unfortunately, he was inside.”

Collective gasps and cries echo around the room, I’m unmoving in my seat, trying to soak in this information.

“He was missing since Saturday after leaving a party. It is assumed he was drunk driving,” she continues. “I know this is a shock and if any of you feel the need to speak with the guidance counsellor, you may do that now.”

“Oh my God,” I breathe. Lucas puts his hand to my thigh, and again the warmth from his touch spreads across my body like an uncontrollable fire. “I’m sorry. Was he a friend?” All I can manage in reply is a weak shake of my head.

I feel his touch all the way to my core. Desire fires deep in me and I want to strip naked right here and offer myself at his mercy. He removes his hand and it takes a while to control my breathing.

“If no one wants to leave then please just take a few minutes or read quietly from your text books.”

The week passes. Everyone’s grieving. The halls are filled with stories of Daniel, and flowers adorn his locker. Everyone forgets that he was a drunk driving, sexual assaulting school bully to some. Lucas continues to watch my every move. I can feel his stare burn into me when he is watching me. I’ve tried to keep some distance from him. It’s upsetting him, I can tell. It’s also given Amanda time to flaunt herself, which makes me feel slightly jealous. I can’t control my emotions lately. I don’t feel like myself.

Memories of the blue-eyed guy from outside the party occupy my mind constantly when I’m not around Lucas. I feel like a thought slut for thinking about two guys when I’ve only just finished with Jacob.

My room feels empty, which is a weird sensation. The calmness, the presence hasn’t been there all week and it leaves me feeling lonely. I know it sounds crazy, but crazy is pretty much my life right now. My best friend seduced my boyfriend and a new guy at school has me melting and wanting to drop my panties just from a touch. While a stranger has my heart fluttering and butterflies stirring my insides.

Junior is asleep in his crib when I go into my mom’s room to ask her if she needs anything from the mall. She comes from the bathroom, her hair wrapped in a towel

“Hey honey, I don’t need anything but,” she flashes me a small smile, “Dad sent you extra money for clothes. He says you’ve earned it. I agree. Thank you for helping out with your brother.”

I wrap my arms around her and squeeze. “Take it and enjoy yourself. We love you,” she insists, handing me a wad of cash.

Not seeing Simone all week left my craving for her unsatisfied, and vibrating my blood with anticipation for when I could feed it again. New charges have kept me busy and the temptation to touch her when she was reaching out to me in her bedroom after the party nearly consumed and broke me. Distance was what I needed but now I need to see her again. I waited long enough; I have proven to myself that I’m strong and not a fool to human weakness.

Sensing her soul, I appear close to her. She’s in a shop so I go to the coffee stool positioned opposite and order a drink. The girl serving me blushes when she hands me my change. I can sense her attraction to me; it radiates off her in waves and has her embarrassed because of it. I smile with a wink at her and drop the change into the tip jar. I hear her intake of breath and laugh quietly to myself as I turn and almost spill my cup onto Simone’s chest.

“Oh my go-” she gasps and her eyes twinkle with recognition. A smile falls over her face, stilling my heartbeat. “We meet again.” Her soft musical voice flows.

“I’m sorry I nearly scalded your…” I look down at her impressive chest and back to her face, which is tinted with the pink flush from my gaze.

“Body,” I offer with a shake of my head, which earns me a giggle. It nearly floors me. Pulling a stray hair from her mouth, she watches my movements. Parting her lips, her tongue darts out to moisten them; I caress her bottom lip with the pad of my thumb, taking the hair with it across to her cheek. There’s an electrical storm erupting inside my body. Her eyes are glazed. Everything around us has fallen into silence; we are the only two who exist in this moment.

My thumb retraces its journey to her mouth, and with a press of her lips, she kisses it. My whole body crackles and tingles. She’s turned on and it magnifies my own arousal. Leaning forward without thought of consequence, I touch my lips to hers. Her body melts into mine; the taste of her red lips is like the sweetest forbidden fruit. The warmth of her tongue slips into my mouth and I meet it with my own, grasping her face, deepening the kiss. Her supple body moulds further into mine, her breasts pushing against my chest, our hips pushing into each other’s. The whole world falls away and I feel like Heaven has claimed me and this is it; she is my Heaven.

“Holy shit!” a voice shouts out, ringing in my ears.

Simone pulls away, breathless, her pouty red lips still slightly open and swollen from my kiss. Her eyes roam my face with bewilderment. “That was…”

“Amazing,” I finish her sentence.

Her friend grabs her shoulders and turns her from my gaze. It breaks the spell. I notice we have gathered an audience as we’re standing in the middle of the mall making out like we were in a private room. She looks around and drops her face to the floor, embarrassed. Lifting her chin, I whisper, “Never look down Simone, only up.” I bring my lips to her forehead before walking away once again.