Instinct » Liam Dunbar [Book 3]

16

CHAPTER SIXTEEN » GATHER
"You don't get to walk away from this."

☽

"Hey!" I called out, trying to grab Liam's attention over the loudness of the school bell. "Liam!"

Eventually, he slowed to a stop, turning around with sunken shoulders, the sad, defeated look in his eyes still lingering from earlier. I made a quick jog to catch up with him, attempting an assuring smile as I reached him.

"You heading to the meeting?" I questioned, as the two of us both began to continue down the corridor.

Liam's eyebrows drew together in confusion, as if he had no idea what I was talking about. "What meeting?"

"Oh, you probably didn't get the message," I replied with a small shrug, motioning over to the other end of the corridor, where the boys locker room was situated. "Someone suggested we needed a meeting. Thought I better show my face."

"Oh," Liam responded indifferently, his expression seeming fairly distant. I didn't push it, and instead started making my way to the locker room, Liam trailing behind me silently.

I could hear murmurings already coming from inside, which hinted that a lot of people were there already; which was strange considering the bell had only just rung to dismiss class.

I pushed my confusions aside and stepped in, Liam close behind me. Upon our presence, the voices began to come to a halt, everybody's eyes turning to us, the intensity of their stares making me feel uncomfortable.

"Hey," I started unsurely, turning my head to share a look with Liam, but his eyes were elsewhere. "You started without us?"

"Yeah," one of the players, Nolan, replied casually, his eyes narrowing into a glare as he watched Liam. I realised that was who he'd been watching closely.

"So, why'd we need the meeting?" I finally asked, unable to keep my voice from wavering slightly as my eyes scanned around the room. "What's it about?"

Everybody was staring harshly, so harshly that it seemed as if they were ready to murder us and stuff our bodies in the lockers without a seconds thought.

"About how we don't want someone like him as our co-captain anymore," Gabe, a newer member of the lacrosse team, eventually spoke up, a sneer on his face as he glared at Liam.

"Someone," Noah repeated darkly, a chilling look in his eyes. "Something."

"Well he's your co-captain," I pointed out, taking a step forwards. "There's nothing you can do about it."

"We're voting him out," Gabe countered back, tilting his head to the side as he watched me smugly.

"Yeah, no. I think not," I stated firmly, keeping my gaze held on him. I didn't like the look on his face one bit, and I knew exactly what all of this was about. "I'm your captain, what I say goes."

Nolan took a step towards us both with wild eyes and an almost malicious grin on his face. "Then we'll vote you out too."

This time, it was Liam who moved forwards, his jaw clenched as he straightened up against Nolan. "You can't do that," he started, his whole body tensing. "What if we're not ready to go?"