Vapor (unedited)

1.3

Thoughts raced in her mind when Zach closed his locker and lets out a huge sigh. Like a humongous sigh, the one filled with utter disappointment. 

Elis looked up reluctantly, suddenly nervous and worried. He was staring at his locker with empty eyes, palming the painted steel feeling cold on his bare hands. She wanted to ask whether he is alright or something is wrong, but she was so scared that she didn't even realise she was holding her breath.

"Are you staying?" he asked suddenly.

"Huh? Uh- Uhm... I- Yeah. I guess. Why?" she stuttered, closing her locker. The sound when steel met steel rung in her ears. 

"Alright," he glanced to her, a smile on his lips. "I don't have practice today and I'm a bit worn out today, so I'm going home."

"You're not staying?"

Zach shook his head, this time he smiled tiredly. "Tell your mom I said hello." he said before walking away.

"Okay..." she whispered to herself, watching him go.

This one whole day since Colton got back, Zach seemed restless and distracted. He frowned a lot and refusing to look at Elis a lot of time. He didn't even sat with them during lunch. At first Elis didn't really bother and she thought it might be one of those days where it just wasn't his day, maybe something happened that made his mood sour. But 'til the end of school period and just right then when he walked off, it actually bothered Elis. Like a lot. She just couldn't shake off the feeling that it was something that she did.

"Zach!" she yelled, walking fast (and trying to avoid from bumping others at the same time.) 

She managed to caught his hand when they were out from the school building. When he turned to her, he seemed to caught off guard.

"Elis-"

"Have you talked to Lily?" Elis asked, panting a bit. It was just the sudden use of an amount of energy can tire her out easily.

He was confused. "About what?"

"You know they knew about our case." It sounded better in her head, but never mind.

He was quiet and then he sighed again. "Elis, if you are not staying, I can send you home. It's nothing about that, trust me. I'm just tired," he told her with a soft tone, gently releasing Elis' light grip on his wrist. 

Elis didn't know what to say to that. "N- No. I'm... alright," she paused, examined him for a moment. "Yeah, get some rest. We'll see you tomorrow." she pulled a smile on her face, stepping back.

"Thank you."

Elis wondered why, when she watched him drove off from her sight, her heart shattered.

***

The lines on the textbook no longer appalled her and it never did. She just gets even more confused line after line and one paragraph to another, her brain was going to explode. She sighed after almost an hour and a half making her own notes (with Lily's help of course), putting her head on the table and shutting her eyes for a brief moment. 

"I don't even know why I'm studying this shit. Nothing ever stuck in my head." Colton whined, closing his notebook. He puts the notebook in between the open pages of the Chemistry textbook and slamming it close. 

Lily scoffed. "You and your nut head of yours..." she muttered lowly, rolling her eyes in a very sophisticated manner in return purposely annoyed Colton. 

Lily was angry and mad about a lot of things, and the matter with Colton was one of them. Although, in some reasons, they just avoid to talk about it in front of Elis. 

Colton squinted his eyes towards Lily with a pout. "I'm sorry I screwed up, but I am not in control of this unseen chemistry going on in my system, alright?" 

Lily rolled her eyes again. Elis frowned when she leaned back on her chair. "You know I kinda know about you guys now and I am seriously feeling left out right here, partly because I think I am your friend, am I not?" Elis pointed out, looking at both Colton and Lily.

Colton shrugged, he seemed calmed while Lily tensed up, guilty fell on her face. She rubbed her temple with her thumb. 

"Is it about me and Zach? The soulmate thingy?" Elis inquired.

The corner of his eyes twitched slightly and he averted his gaze.

"If it's about that and I hope one of you told him abou-" 

"He knows." Lily cut her off, looking directing into her eyes. 

Elis paused, arranging her thoughts and nodded. "Well, that's good. In regards of our case, why does it bother you so much now that the feelings are mutual?"

Lily shook her head, frowning deeper. "I don't want to see you guys drifting apart..."

Elis huffed and shook her head. "I don't know about you, Lily. But, to me, when something is truly fated, their soul is liberated. Something Maya Angelou said." She shrugged.

"Isn't it like, what ever happens, they will turn back together? Like werewolves fooling around before they met their mate. Isn't it something like that?" Elis continued.

Colton and Lily were silent, wondering about the piece of thought. "It's true though." Colton agreed, putting his elbow on the table and rested his jaw on his hands. 

"It is." Lily stated, but her eyes stared at the pen she was holding, the little thing she did when she was thinking.

"So, what are you indicating?" she asked after a while.

Elis shrugged again. She noticed Colton staring at her, a thought popped in her mind.

"I don't know. I just wanna try and love Colton back," she turned to Lily.

"I wanna fall in love with him." Elis deadpanned.

***