Chapter Two

Christian gaped at Elliot as he pulled into Anastasia's drive way.

"Get in the back Bro" Elliot ordered dismissively.

"What!?" "Fuck you!" Christian couldn't choose a single emotion easily right now, but gut wrenching fear and dread was about winning out over an irrational sense of…. Jealousy? Anastasia and Elliot? No fucking way was she the kind of girl for him, was she?

Elliot turned to him "Get in the back or I tell Mom you didn't get in until 3am this mornin'" He arched a brow in challenge as he draped his thick muscular arm over the back of Christian's car seat.

Ripping the strap free from the buckle and pushing the door open angrily Christian stood up just in time to see Anastasia skipping down her porch steps over the roof of the car, she beamed a smile at him just as he saw the curtains twitch in the window behind her, sending his blood running cold. Giving her no response at all he opened the back door and slipped inside. Consoling himself with that at least if the spectator fed back to Elena that Anastasia got in the front with Elliot it could build his case of innocence.

"Hey Princess, hop in the back with Christian and we'll go fetch Kate…"

What? Oh no-no-no. This was not happening his eyes flickered to the window, seeing the curtain still prised open and caught a shaky breath as he quickly ducked into the back seat.

"Not cool Elliot. Not cool at all" He muttered quickly through gritted teeth.

"What! Christian, she's a cute girl. It's a 'bout time you had a girl. Enough fawn over you all the damn time it's embarrassing. Unless o' course I really should be finding you a cute BOY?" He laughed at his own joke as if it was the first time not twenty first time he had made it.

Christian sucked in a breath as he punched the inside of the door, having tired of that joke a long time ago. If only Elliot had the first idea.

"NOT the upholstery!" Elliot snapped, his laughter instantly quashed as he turned back to scowl at him, the tension distracted as the opposite rear door clicked open and Anastasia slipped in beside him. The car instantly smelt of flowers or something sweet as she moved to free her trapped hair from the shoulder strap of her bag only for it to snag on the bag's buckle, making her yelp in pain. Christian's hands instantly twitched in his lap wanting to help her and they hovered mid-air, conflicted as she struggled. Finally unable to bear it he took the weight of her bag as his deft fingers untangled her. She looked up at him with large, innocent blue eyes as her cheeks coloured.

"Thank you Christian" And he watched intently as her teeth grazed over her lower lip as she smiled shyly. "And thank you for last night too" Her blush deepened and Christian caught the lightening quick glance Elliot gave him in the rear view mirror.

Christian wasn't used to girl's really talking to him, sure they seemed to like what they saw but he knew he intimidated them and he liked it that way, that and the fact most of the guys hated or feared him, it made for a nice life of undisturbed solitary.

Christian turned his body away from her without a word to look out of the window once again as the car picked up speed and headed back to the main road. He knew he was being rude and that was exactly what he intended to be.

The atmosphere was so heavy and awkward that something had to break it, the sound of Elliot's finger tips drumming against the steering with a rhythm just off an unheard beat was causing Christian to grit his teeth.

"So, Ana, right? You just moved here?" Elliot finally spoke.

Christian still refused to look at her. Avoid, ignore, spare. Of course the first fucking part had gone to shit with thanks to Elliot's latest pussy chase but he could do the best he could.

"Um. Yes." She stuttered and he sensed her nod. "From Portland"

Christian briefly idled that was why he'd not really seen her before, she was the new girl he vaguely remembered some stirring about, but he never paid much attention to school life, he was intelligent enough to enjoy some of the classes, but the social day to day bullshit of high school politics and popularity contests were beyond his concepts and interests. It all just seemed so… pointless.

"Cool. So not far then?" Elliot went on with the small talk, which Christian knew any information garnered would be retained for all of five minutes by his meat head brother.

"Far enough…" She replied and in that moment, she sounded so lonely that Christian almost looked at her. He tensed to stop himself, rubbing the bruise beneath his sleeve as a reminder, digging his thumb deep into it making it ache deliberately.

Of course, Ana's sentiment was entirely wasted on Elliot as he just went in for the kill and the information he really wanted.

"So, you and Kate are new BFF's or whatever you call it?"

Which Kate? Christian mentally ran through the catalogue of Kate's at the school as the car turned into a drive way as impressive as their own, a large red brick building sat prominent at the end complete with a portico porch and sash windows. Christian realised it must be Kavanagh, Kate Kavanagh, man eating blonde always busying herself with the school paper not to mention everyone else's business. It was no secret her family had money, she made sure of that. The girl had never wanted for a thing.

Elliot flattened his palm against the horn, causing a flock of birds previously happily busy with breakfast on the circular patch of lawn in the middle of the drive way to fly up in a flurry. A window opened on the second floor and Kate leaned out all pearly white teeth grin as she waved excitedly. "Gimme two minutes!" She called down, holding up two fingers like a peace sign, before disappearing again and closing the window behind her. Christian checked his watch. They were already running late, how is it possible she still isn't ready? He sighed heavily and focussed on the sight on the birds coming back to settle on the lawn.

Elliot turned off the engine while they settled in for the wait. Christian predicting that Kavanagh's two minutes would not be set by the standards of real time.

With the car quiet the silence now engulfed them.

Elliot cleared his throat and shifted in his seat causing the leather to creek beneath him. "So Ana, has Kate talked about me much?" Christian could hear the grin in Elliot's voice so certain of himself and what Anastasia's reply would be. Christian refrained from rolling his eyes as he rested his chin on the heel of his hand and ran his fingers over his lips.

"No" Ana answered simply, her voice full of sweet honesty. Christian crushed his eyes closed and pursed his lips tightly to hold back his amusement.

"Oh." Was Elliot's only reply, laced with shock and disappointment, causing Christian to have to pretend to cough to disguise his laugh.

"I mean, she mentioned you'd be giving me a ride today and everything… so… um. I guess that counts… I didn't know you two knew each other?" She stumbled, quickly changing subject as Christian felt her eyes on him.

"Know him? He's my little brother." Elliot laughed.

"Brothers? Oh…" Christian heard her confusion. He understood it, he and Elliot were opposites in just about every way.

"Yeah, we're adopted, we got a sister too- Mia."

Christian cringed inwardly, Elliot was so open, where as he was so private. He really didn't appreciate his personal business being common knowledge and adoptions always lead to questions.

Elliot restarted the car and Christian looked around to see why in time to see one of the double fronted doors opening and Kavanagh appear, blonde hair bouncing against her shoulders as she half jogged to the car.

Once Kate was in the car the conversation flowed easier, or rather was filled with Kate's incessant chatter that Christian happily tuned out as he rested his head back against his seat and they made their way to school. His eyes grew heavy as he continued to avoid looking anywhere but Ana and with each blink the want to reopen them grew less and less.

"Are you feeling OK Christian?" Ana asked in whispered concern. "You don't look too well" She reached across to gently touch her hand to his that rested at his side, making him jump and snatch his hand away like her touch had scolded him. He glared angrily at her, but he knew deep down he wasn't truly angry. He was scared and before the car had fully come to a stop in the school parking lot he was out of the door, shrugging his ruck sack up onto his shoulder and marching with long strides to blend with the heard of fellow students making their way into the building.

Ana got out the car the moment it was safe for a reasonable person to do so and called out after his rapidly retreating back. "Christian… Wait. We have first period together-"