Let Me Go

- Chapter Eighteen - Luca -

It was well after lunch time by the time everyone had managed to pack their bags and get down to reception to sign out of the lodge. Trusting a bunch of high school kids to get their shit together was apparently a bad move.

Harry, who was packed up and ready by about 4pm last night, had his things already neatly packed away on the bus and stood beside me next to the roaring fireplace as we watched the other students fumbling with their things and frantically trying to get organised. We were supposed to leave hours ago, five hours ago, to be exact. It took everything in me not to compel everyone to just get onto the damn bus.

Elora was back to playing mouse, evading even Harry, which to be honest gave me some amusement watching her attempt to be subtle against two vampires that could not only hear and see her every movement when she came into a room, but also her heartbeat beating out of her chest when she saw us. It must have been confusing to Harry, he didn't realise it was me that she was avoiding like the plague, although it wasn't that different than usual I guess.

"Luca, can I have a word?" A voice comes from next to me and when I turn my head, Tommy stands almost right up against me. I can see Harry smirking before he pushes off from the fireplace.

"I'll get a us seat." Harry tells me, holding down a smile before turning and walking out the front doors. Snow comes floating in on a wind and those around the door all pull their coats tighter at the sudden temperature change.

I look back to Tommy with a face of boredom before I look to his feet, raising an eyebrow at how close he is. It takes him a moment before he realises and takes a step back, shuffling his feet as he does.

"I'm waiting." I tell him and he narrows his eyes in annoyance. He's never liked me or Harry and he's made that known whenever possible. I knew he used to enjoy the fact that Elora wanted nothing to do with me, but in the same breath he wanted to spend more time around us. Hated Elora's attention being on me, but wanted me to notice his own attention. Make that work.

"What's happening between you and Elora?" He asks, crossing his arms over his chest and standing straighter like if it came down to a fight he might win. The fact that I can look right over his head makes that threat a little cute.

"What exactly are you asking me?"

"Are you and Elora a thing? First she asks you into that cupboard and then I hear you two are taking trips to the hot tubs alone - "

"Why the fuck would any of that be your buisness? You're aware you guys broke up, right?"

"Oh c'mon. That was just a spat, we have them all the time. Her family loves me, we'll be back together in a couple of weeks. She just needs time to get over it."

Over my dead body is this guy going anywhere near her again.

"Cute, Tommy. If this was all then I'm going to go find a seat." I tell him, turning away before he reaches out and clutches my forearm. He has balls, I give him that.

I turn back and grab him by the collar, pushing him against the wall as the trinkets on the fireplace shake from the force. The room around us goes quiet, people suddenly paying attention and that just spurs me on more, showing people the kind of person Tommy is. Someone that plays a part really fucking well, but underneath is nothing but a weasel. 

"Put your hand on her again and I'll cut it off. Got it?" I growl at him and his hands move to mine, trying to pull me off of him. 

"Yeah. Yeah. Got it, man." He nods almost manically.

"Give me a fucking reason. Any reason to beat the shit out of you and I'm going to take it and enjoy every fucking moment of it." I whisper and his eyes widen to the point that it looks painful as he nods again and when I let him go he sags against the wall. I don't bother sticking around, instead I make my way to the door, ignoring the others in the room that witnessed what I'd just done. It wasn't the first time I'd had to threaten somebody but it had been a while, it was a good reminder for these people to leave me alone.