Dynasty Boys

Chapter 4

Elle

I couldn't breathe. Tears welled up in my wide blue eyes, but I couldn't reach my phone. I was too scared to move. That gaze... I knew it. I had seen it only a few hours earlier.

Dark, chilling eyes were staring at me through the window, right in front of my bed.

How did he find my house? Did he follow me from the pharmacy? No, that couldn't be. My eyes had never left the mirror on my way home, and there was nobody behind me.

Was I dreaming? It wouldn't be the first time. But I wasn't sure. What was I supposed to do? Calling my grandma would be useless, she could get hurt by... I didn't even know who.

Sweat clung to my skin, and my mouth trembled. I wanted to stand up, scream, run, do anything, but I couldn't find the strength. The closest neighbor was always traveling, and Cali, even if she could fight, couldn't kill anyone... not that I wanted her to.

We were alone. Vulnerable.

My eyes stayed locked on his, refusing to let fear show. But my ribcage betrayed me, rising and falling with quick, shallow breaths.

He wore a hood, but I could still make out the devilish smirk on his face. He knew I wouldn't recognize him. I wanted to yell or move, but I was frozen. I closed my eyes, praying the nightmare would end. After a few long seconds, I finally managed to gather the strength to open them again.

However, he was now gone.

Was it all in my head? I could have sworn it was real. I hadn't been asleep. After a few shaky breaths, I mustered the courage to get off my bed and slowly walked toward the door. I blinked several times, trying to convince myself I wasn't still dreaming. I reached my grandma's room and opened the door quietly.

As expected, she was snoring peacefully, unaware of what had happened. Maybe it had been nothing but a product of my imagination, or my PTSD.

___

As soon as I stepped foot into St. Williams Knight High, I felt the eyes on me. The students' glares pierced through me even though I wore the same black and grey uniform as everyone else. I kept my head down, clutching my phone and the school map, trying to keep my hands from shaking.

I hadn't mentioned last night to Grandma. She'd been sleeping, and I knew she'd think I was crazy. Sighing, I rounded a corner and bumped into someone, small, but solid. My phone nearly slipped from my hands.

"Ouch! I'm so sorry! I wasn't paying attention..." I heard as a brunette knelt to pick up her books, looking up at me with wide eyes. A few moments later, I bent down to help.

"No, no! It's my fault," I mumbled,  my voice barely above a whisper.

We stood up at the same time. She smiled, extending a perfectly manicured hand.

"No problem, honey! I'm Lila! Nice to meet you!" Her smile was so bright, it practically hurt my eyes.

"Hi! I'm... I'm Elle Taylors. Nice to meet you, too!" I stammered, surprised she wasn't walking away in disgust.

Lila was petite, but had the kind of presence that made her seem taller. She could easily pass for a model. Me? I was taller with curves, definitely not the type of girl someone like Lila would hang out with. But something about her smile made me forget that for a moment.

"Are you the new girl?" she asked, excitement in her voice. The loud question earned a few annoyed glares from nearby students.

"Yeah, I just started today... I'm kind of lost, to be honest," I said, glancing at the map in my hand. This school looked like a maze.

"No worries, Elle! Let me show you around. St. Williams Knight isn't as big as it seems," she said, looping her arm through mine.

She gave me a quick tour, pointing out where my classes would be and even showing me the breathtaking library. I couldn't wait to dive into a book there. She also mentioned the good teachers, and the ones everyone hated.

She finished her tour with the cafeteria, where a few students were chatting and eating. Some of them were eyeing me. I lowered my head, trying to act like I didn't notice, but I couldn't stop myself from chuckling quietly. I really thought I could be invisible.

"You'll probably hate Mr. Jacobs at first. He's strict, but, he's the only one who doesn't assign homework for the weekend," Lila said with a mischievous grin, adjusting her black, expensive handbag.

"Okay, I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for the tour!" I voice my thoughts, glancing around at the cafeteria.

"No problem! You're welcome..." Lila trailed off, her smile faltering as she stared at something behind me.
Confused, I turned around and froze.

There he was. The same guy from last night. And he wasn't alone. He stood with three other handsome guys, all exuding the same dark energy. When his eyes met mine, I felt my breath catch in my throat. That smirk was still there. My heart pounded, each beat echoing in my ears. I didn't even notice Lila had started talking again until she patted me on the shoulder.

"That's Sawyer Bryant, Nathan Walker, Vaughn Bates, and Carter Knight. They run this school," she whispered, lowering her voice so only I could hear.

"Trust me, stay away from them. They're exactly what your parents warned you about. Those angel faces? Just a mask for their ugliness." She adds softly while linking her arm with mine and pulling me away.

As we walked toward my first class, I couldn't help but glance back. Carter's gaze was still fixed on me, that same smirk never leaving his face.

I was sticking to my plan: ignore the drama, and most importantly, ignore those guys.

__