Elemental

Chapter 7- Lyla

A/N omg you guys, thank you so much for over 200 reads!! Last chapter I was saying thanks for over 100, and now we're up to 200 and it's just amazing, I really hope you're all enjoying reading this story as much as we're enjoying writing it!

Comment down below: do you ship Liam and Lyla (Lyam) like Kaela, or do you ship Tristen and Lyla (Tryla) like me? What do you think of Duston? And what do you predict will happen next?

Love you all

Lou x

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As more couples swirled around me, I made my way off the dance floor and through the crowd, muttering apologies as I pushed past everyone. I sat down near the front of the room and scanned the mob, trying to find my brown haired boy.

Wait, MY brown haired boy? I'd never even met him before, and I loved Liam, I reminded myself. But when I saw that guy across the room... I felt something. A connection.

I tried to reason with myself. I'd probably never see him again after this ball, and he was wearing a guards uniform, so he would be even less preferable than Liam in my grandmothers eyes. I resolved to not look for the brown haired boy, and if I did meet him, be as rude and bratty as possible, so I wouldn't get a chance to like him more than Liam.

My mind made up, I headed towards the door. It was no use to get muddled with the silly daydreams about a mysterious boy in my head, when my real (although still secret) boyfriend was waiting for me.

I put my hand on the handle, listening for Pretchett outside, but I figured he must have gone to the front door to make sure there were no unwanted guests arriving.

Just as I began to pull open the door as inconspicuously as I could, a hand grabbed my shoulder. Fearing it was Duston, I turned around slowly, but thankfully it was only an old duke, Neptune I thought his name was.

He grinned at me, and his pale blue eyes twinkled.

"Lyla, I don't think we've properly met. My name is Neptune. Neptune Gold. I'm the duke of Atlantis, about 200 clicks from here."

He took my hand in both of his and shook it, and I smiled back at him.

"Pleased to meet you, Duke Neptune. Are you enjoying the ball?" I asked politely. He held my hand for a few seconds longer than necessary, then hastily dropped it. He studied each of my eyes in turn, before replying.

"Yes my dear, although a smarmy old codger like me isn't very likely to have anyone ask me to dance." He chuckled, stared at my face once more, and walked away, muttering, "Yes, she'll do very well."

I shook my head. Smarmy old codger? More like barmy old codger.

I watched as he began talking to my grandmother, gesturing towards me. Strange.

I turned back to the door, and almost had a heart attack when I saw Duston standing right between me and it. He was just a centimetre away, so I took a step backwards and almost bumped into a crowd of kids who looked about my age, also heading out. I smiled at them, and one of the boys at the front smiles back and said,

"We're going to find somewhere else to hang out without all these old people. Want to come?"

"Sure," I replied, grateful for an excuse to get away from Duston, "I'll show you around."

"Oh, you're Lyla Parc! Sorry, I didn't recognise you," the boy said, showing a beautiful array of perfect white teeth, "I'm Ethan, this is Everett, Danielle, Tessa, Lloyd and Emma." He indicated each of the other people in turn, and then gestures to Duston. "Who's this? He can come too if he wants."