Page 14 of Ominous: Part 1
I have to lift my chin up to see his dark eyes, no flecks of emerald there at the moment, maybe because there are no windows in this part of Castle Hall. It’s a little dreary, ideal for holding secrets.
His smile is easy, but there’s something to the press of his lips. Daring me to call him out.
“Do you know my schedule?” I manage to keep my tone hard, despite the fast beat of my pulse.
For the first time around him, I feel more than anxious when he answers. His voice is even, low.“What do you think?”
It takes an effort to hide the shiver skating its way down my spine.
Is something wrong with Eli? Chaucer, my car, reading my files, staying in the shadows even though he claims to have listened to me every day I read aloud in Latin? Now, this very, very specific course. What’s next?
What other secrets of mine are left?
I drop my left hand from my backpack strap, shaking it out slightly, making sure the bracelets cover my wrist.
Too many.
“I think you’re stalking me.” The thud of my pulse beckons my retort along, lacking any amusement.
Eli doesn’t smile or speak or brush it off. He just keeps staring at me. His lack of a denial, of a defense, causes the shiver to work its way back up, wrap around my shoulder blades, and creep over my neck, brushing my throat.
And if I am?He seems to be challenging me to walk away. To tell him he’s crossed a line. The tension between us pulls tighter.
“I’m not interested in stalkers,” I manage to say.
He tilts his head like he’s studying me. “And what are you interested in?”
But before I can answer, I hear a vaguely familiar voice call out, “You comin’ next Friday, Eli?”
Slowly, with reluctance, Eli turns his head. I focus on the fullness of his lips, even as his words echo in my brain.“What do you think?”A premonition.
I realize Eli hasn’t answered the question, and I haven’t torn my eyes from him in order to find the source of the voice. But when I hear a brash laugh, I look up. There’s a very tall, very blond guy smiling down on me. He looks like he was spit out of a prep school catalog, save for the way he’s bleached his hair white.
His crystal blue eyes, trained on me, are boring, like the still surface of a bland lake you might find in a family friendly magazine between an ad for tampons and cheap perfume.
He’s got on the black blazer of our uniform, wearing the same black shirt I am, our pants both black, mine rolled up over my boots, a sneak peek of my Slytherin socks showing. He’s in white boat shoes, and I resist the urge to roll my eyes at his entire ensemble. It’s like he’s trying to be edgy with his bleached hair and pierced ears, but everything else about him reeks of conformity.
“Hey,” he says, drawing out the word, his voice deep and full of rich, white, spoiled dickhead, complete with a head nod. “I’m Dominic, we have English together?” His mouth is smiling but his eyes are full of a darker amusement as he brazenly looks me up and down.
Irritation burns through my chest, both with his stare and the fact I didn’t realize we had a class together.
It must show on my face.
“Ouch.” He shakes his head, laughing a little as he runs a hand over his jaw, causing his blazer sleeve to be pulled taut and reveal the blue veins along his wrist. For the first time, I notice black smudges beneath his eyes. They’re faint, closer to violet, I guess, but definitely there. Like he’s sick or tired or maybe both.
Something in those circles reminds me of Sebastian and I feel the slightest bit softer toward him at the exact same time I decide I don’t want to be his friend.Especiallyif he’s friends with Eli.
He taps the back of his hand to Eli’s chest, and we’re both looking at Eli now.
Eli’s expression reflects nothing. And he says… nothing.
Dominic gives a little laugh. “Come on, you should inviteher.”He turns to look at me. “Edith, is it?” I can tell in the sarcastic curl of his mouth, he knows my name exactly and he wants me to correct him.
I don’t give him anything at all.
Eli turns his gaze to me. I should just go to class, but they both have me trapped against the locker bank. Gripping the straps of my bag, I say, ignoring Dominic as I lift my chin, “I have to go to class.”
Eli’s lips tip upward. “Do you?”
