lacuna

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Eli's pov

I scrolled down my phone, dismissing every post that had popped up on Instagram. I was fucking frustrated. Where the fuck was she? Wasn't the first class over now? The bell rang like five minutes ago.

The guys next to me laughed and I was nudged aggressively on my shoulder, just as another roar of laughter erupted, bringing me back to reality from my thoughts. I looked away from my screen, scowling at the group next to me. They needed to get the fucking hint that I was not a part of them anymore. I ignored them, focusing my eyes back on my phone. That was when I saw a flash of a familiar brown colour from the corner of my eye and I looked up to see her by her locker, her back turned to me. Warmth filled me as my face broke into a smile.

I was about to make my way towards her, sliding my phone away, when a guy behind me said, "Come on, man, what happened to bros before hoes?". My eyes flared and I had him pushed against a locker in less than a second, holding him up by his collar so that he was slightly off the ground.

He struggled, fear evident in his eyes, "Hey-"

"Call my girlfriend a hoe one more fucking time and I'll make sure to cut off your fucking head and mail it to your mother" I snarled at him before letting go. I didn't wait to see their reactions to what I said as I turned around and swiftly walked up to Fal.

I got to her just as she turned around and she gasped in surprise. I smirked, eyeing her up and down. Her cheeks warmed as my eyes roamed her body, from her gorgeous legs to the black tank top she wore underneath my shirt. My fucking shirt. She looked fucking hot in it and I felt a sense of pride as if I'd accomplished something

She was mine.

All mine.

Before she could say anything, pulled her into me by her waist and kissed her deeply. She kissed me back, exhaling into me as her tongue grazed my lower lip.

I smiled against her lips and she broke away with a raised eyebrow, "Why are you smiling?"

"I'm with you," I said casually as I watched her cheeks turn a darker shade of red. I snuggled my face in her neck and breathed her in, the smell of vanilla and perfume filling me. Comfort. Warmth. Home. After placing a quick kiss there as well, I allowed her to gather her books, waiting as she arranged her bag again. Almost everyone in the hallway kept stealing glances at the two of us and I only pulled her closer to be by the waist till she got ready.

"Does this look like a hostage situation to you?".

I looked towards the sound and found Ash standing there with Justin, the blonde leaning towards the black-haired boy as if he asked him the question, their bags slung over their shoulders lazily. Fal saw them and greeted them both with side hugs.

"It depends on how you look at it" I replied and Ash shook his head, laughing. Justin had a coffee in his hand which I hadn't noticed before. The Starbucks logo shined at the front and to my surprise, he handed it to Fal without a single word, who stared at it for a moment.

"Is...this for me?" she said, looking up at him.

The boy shrugged, "I gave it to you, didn't I?". Fal glanced down at the coffee before looking back up at him again, her eyes shining but before she could open her mouth to say anything Justin spoke.

"I mean, unless you think I might've spiked your coffee or something or you just don't trust me enough to bring you one and totally not because I simply did it as a small gesture," he said and I coughed, hiding a laugh.

He fucking knew exactly how to get her to keep the drink he bought for her. Fal smiled, her eyes scrunching up in that adorable way. Fuck butterflies, it was a whole ass zoo in my stomach.