My Soul Keeper (9 page)

I look to Jacob’s sad expression and shrug. “I didn’t think… I didn’t know… after everything, I was just going to stay home.”

“Please let me take you? We had this planned for months.”

“Things are different now though, Jacob.”

He pushes his tray forward with force causing his soda to spill, and stands, the hurt and anger radiating from him as he goes to walk away. I reach out to stop him. “Sure, we can still go.”

He turns and faces me his frown seeps into a small smile. “Thank you.”

“So, that’s settled then,” Liam says. “We can ride together.”

“God, look at Amanda. She looks ill,” Leah says. We all look over to see Amanda shuffling along in a daze. I feel heat rise up my neck and I know without turning around that Lucas has walked past me. He crosses paths with Amanda. As she sees him, she fumbles forward, knocking his tray and it drops to the floor with a bang. He glares at her and she immediately drops to her knees, collecting the mess. He leaves her to it and sits next to an overly excited Mia. She smiles at him and starts stroking her neck flirtatiously.

“Hey,” she breathes. He smiles back at her and then turns his gaze to me.

“Hey Simone.” Everyone looks at him, then to me.

“Hey,” I answer shifting uncomfortably on my seat.

“Sooo…” Liam breaks the tension, “Limo?”

Leah turns her attention to Liam. “Of course a limo. I want the works so break out your Visa platinum card.”

“I’m eighteen, Leah. I don’t have a Visa platinum card.”

“Whatever. You and Jacob can share the cost as he will be taking Simone in the same limo, and whoever else wants to share” she scoffs, looking at Jacob, who’s still glaring at Lucas.

“Simone, you still letting this jackass take you to the Prom? Didn’t he cheat on you with your friend?” Lucas’s deep voice carries over the table, melting me into my seat.

“Fuck you, Lucas. Mind your own business,” Jacob warns, standing to try to intimidate and drive his point home. He gains a dark laugh from Lucas.

“Got to say, Jacob, Gabrielle is cute, but damn. Simone is just so delicious.” His eyes bore into mine as he says it and it feels as if he’s licking my skin. A shiver haunts throughout my body.

“Fuck you,” Jacob roars over the table. He picks up his tray and launches it across the table. Food rains down and Lucas dodges the onslaught effortlessly, laughing as Liam jumps up to drag Jacob from the cafeteria. I look around the table at my open-mouthed peers and then to Lucas.

“Why bait him?”

“Because he’s a fool.”

“He’s still my friend, Lucas.”

He laughs, mocks me. “You’re too weak, Simone. He put his dick down your friend’s throat and you still forgave him.” It was a statement, not a question, and his crass tongue makes me flinch.

“Nice way with words. I didn’t say I forgave him. I won’t take him back.”

“Then let me take you to the prom?”

Amanda comes over and puts a fresh tray of food down for Lucas.

“No thanks, Lucas. I told you I only want to be your friend.”

Amanda’s eyes find mine. “He wasn’t asking to be your boyfriend, Simone. God, you think you’re so special,”

Lucas reaches for her and pulls her onto his lap. “Don’t be jealous, Amanda. Looks like you get to go after all.”

She looks like a bundle of nerves and her voice comes out at barely a whisper. “Oh well, actually, I’m meant to go with Lance from the football team. It was arranged ages ago.”

“Are you saying you’d rather go with someone else?” he questions, staring into her eyes.

“No, I can cancel. I’ll tell him. Please, I want you to take me.”

He pushes her to her feet and taps her ass as she scurries over to Lance, who’d been watching the whole show.

“Hey, I’d dump my boyfriend if you wanted to take me,” Mia giggles, earning her a raised eyebrow from Lucas.

Leah grabs my shoulder. “Come on, we should check on Liam and Jake.”

I nod and stand to leave.

“I can’t believe Jacob did that to you with your best friend. What that must do for your self-esteem,” Mia taunts.

“We used to be friends. Why are you being a bitch?” Tears flood my eyes without permission.

“I wouldn’t say friends, Simone. We put up with you because you were with Jacob.”

“Fuck off, Mia, you total bitch,” Leah growls in my defence.

Lucas’ eyes find me as a tear drips to my cheek. He walks around the table until he is standing in front of me. “Hmmm, Simone, is it weird that your tears turn me on?”

I look at him to confirm what I just thought he said. He swipes the tear with the pad of his thumb and takes it between his lips and sucks. I hear my intake of air as he moans softly then looks over to Mia.

“Your boyfriend’s been banging Jasmine every Sunday while you’re at church. Let us know what that does for your self-esteem.”

She gasps and Jasmine drops her forkful of food and gapes at him.

“What?” Mia asks, looking to a shocked Jasmine.

“Oh my God, Mia. I’m so sorry. We… erm…”

Leah laughs hysterically as Mia starts tearing at Jasmine’s hair. Jasmine’s screams fill the cafeteria and everyone crowds around our table to watch.

“You dirty skank! I’ll kill you!” Mia screams.

Teachers rush over to separate them and disperse the other students crowding and chanting, encouraging the two to beat each other.

“How did you know that?” I ask.

“I know her boyfriend. He told me.”

“Time to go, Simone,” Leah tells me, pulling me through the crowd and out the door.

The rest of the afternoon goes by uneventfully. I manage to avoid a run in with either Jacob or Lucas. When I walk through the front door of my house, my mom hands Junior to me.

“Please watch him for an hour.” Her eyes plead with me.

“Sure.” I take him into the living room and cuddle him; he falls straight to sleep. I reach for the remote and watch a recorded
Grey’s Anatomy
that I’d missed. Half an hour in, Leah knocks and opens the front door.

“Hey, want to watch movie tonight?” She plonks down on the loveseat opposite me.

“Yeah, sure.”

“Aw, little man’s awake. Can I hold him?”

“Well, being as you just woke him up, yeah I suppose.” I tut, placing Junior in her embrace. Leah coos and gagas at him.

“He has dark eyes,” she announces.

“What?”

“The baby. He has brown eyes.”

“Yeah, well, so do both my parents and all my relatives. I’m the only one with blue.”

“That’s so weird. I was just learning this in biology. It’s impossible for you to have blue eyes. One of your grandparents must have blue.”

I laugh at her. “I’m pretty sure they don’t and I have to say, I’m impressed you actually listened to anything you learned in biology. You do know you got into college, right? You don’t need to fake interest in class anymore.”

“Whatever.” She scowls, continuing her cooing to Junior.

I find myself standing outside the movie theatre in a line to see the new
Twilight
film for the third time. I don’t mind the film choice; I can’t get enough of Edward and Jacob. But the fact that I see Liam walking out of the theatre shaking popcorn at us makes me realise I’m actually a third wheel on their date.

“Leah, you didn’t tell me you invited Liam,” I groan.

“I texted him and he said he was bored, so I invited him last minute. You don’t mind, do you?” Her big brown eyes and pouting lips remind me of Puss in Boots. A smile lifts the edges of my face.

“No it’s fine,” I lie.

“I got your tickets already,” Liam tells us, holding out four tickets.

“Four?” Leah asks.

“Yeah, erm, I wasn’t alone when you texted.” He looks behind him and we both follow his gaze to Jacob exiting the men’s room. He waves as he approaches us with an awkward smile on his face.

“Hey, you ready?” Jacob asks.

Leah squeezes my arm as she pushes me forward. I squint my eyes at her and follow the boys into the theatre. Liam hands our tickets over to the usher, who rips them in half and tells us which cinema we’re in. I wait until everyone is seated before I take the aisle seat next to Leah.

“I won’t bite, Simone,” Jacob moans from three seats away.

“I know. I like the aisle, though, so I can use the bathroom without disturbing anyone.” I smile and shove an elbow into Leah’s arm.

“Ouch. Fuck, Simone. That’s going to bruise.”

The boys look over at us and I shrug like I don’t know what she’s talking about. I’m grateful when the screen lights up and the loud trailer begins playing, since it takes the attention off me.

As soon as the film starts, I’m lost in the action on the screen. I forget the awkward situation of being on a non-date with my ex-boyfriend, my best friend, and her make-out partner. God, this day sucks.

“That was good for a chick flick,” Liam says as we file out of the theatre.

“Frankie’s Diner?” Leah suggests, making me moan internally. Frankie’s Diner is where everyone hangs out and, after the drama at lunch, I’m not sure I can handle another show.

“I could eat,” Jacob tells her and Liam nods his approval.

“Actually, I ate already, so I’m going to take off. I’m beat.”

“When did you eat? I’ve been with you all day.” Leah stumps me. I give her a fake smile and the evil eye.

“Let me take you home then, Simone,” Jacob offers. I shake my head and cross my arms over my chest.

“No, it’s fine. I want to walk.”

“Fine, whatever,” he snaps and walks off across the road to Frankie’s Diner.

“You sure you don’t want me to come with?” Leah asks.

“No, really. Go have fun.”

“Okay. Call me later.” She uses her hand to make a phone signal and waves it at her ear. She’s so animated. Like I need her to confirm what she meant with the words
call me later.

“I will.” I laugh and wave to her and Liam.

A warm peaceful feeling falls over me; I start to think it’s just the relief of not being in Jacob’s awkward presence anymore until I see Shamar coming out of Frankie’s Diner, and Leah standing behind him, pointing both hands at him, miming.

OH. MY. GOD!

I laugh at her dramatics and then my eyes lock with the tranquil bliss of Shamar's. He stops still. Leah disappears into the diner, leaving me and Shamar just to gaze at each other for what seems like forever. I feel the air crackle and I want to dart towards him and throw my arms around his neck, tasting the beauty of his lips.

“Fuck you! You don’t even know her. I will knock you out,” Jacob’s voice echoes in my ears as he’s being pushed through the door of the diner by Liam. He leans over Liam’s head, pointing his closed fist at someone. When the door closes, he pushes Liam off and holds up his hands, nodding his head. I see Lucas appear in the window, smirking out at Jacob. Jacob notices and starts yelling at him through the glass. “Come outside, Lucas, you fucking pussy.”

Lucas’s eyes find mine across the street and Jacob follows his eyes, turns, and sees me. He flips off Lucas and runs toward me, without thought. Straight into the road.

Knowing she’s in there on a date with her ex is painful. I shouldn’t be watching her anyway, but I’m across the street. That’s an improvement, right?
Damn… it’s not. I’m becoming a stalker
.

I go to get some coffee, which is another human vice, but hey, it tastes good. As I exit the diner, I bump into Leah, Simone's friend. She gives me a knowing nod as she walks past me. Then I see her. Her blue eyes lock with mine. God, she’s breath-taking. I can feel her heartbeat spike with attraction, but she feels soothed by me. God, I want her so bad.

A commotion beside me spills from the diner and I recognise the boy. It’s Simone's ex-boyfriend, screaming at someone. I turn to watch Simone as I feel her mood change. She’s upset and uncomfortable. The smell and sound of screeching tires fill the air; a heavy thud rings out and I see Jacob fly across the road.

Simone screams as she runs to him, fear emanating from her. I am paralyzed for a few seconds before I can take in what’s happened. I run over and check his vitals. Simone drops to her knees in front of me and people file out from the shops surrounding us.

“Call an ambulance,” I shout, slipping my jacket off and laying it under Jacob’s head. Sobs wrack Simone's chest and all I want to do is pull her to me and console her.