Forever Mine

FIFTEEN

It seemed that the weather forecast for the weekend had been spot on. It was hot. Wearing a singlet and shorts while sitting on the balcony with her hair tied up high instead of being down, Roxy reached across to the small table for her lemonade. Droplets of water had created rivers down the glass and the ice cubes had disappeared. She grimaced at the taste of the watery lemonade and set the glass back down to continue reading her book. Despite her skin breaking a sweat, she sighed with bliss at the feeling of the sun warming her skin, relishing in the first relaxing day she'd managed to have since her arrival.

It seemed Isaac wasn't as tough as he thought he was and said they wouldn't train on weekends. Either he was going soft or he was just sick of watching her struggle through their training. Yesterday they'd attempted the six mile run again after building her tolerance with three mile lengths during the week. This time she'd made it back to the house on her own two legs. Although she secretly preferred being carried on Isaac's strong shoulders.

As much as her body ached from the hardcore training, she'd rather be pushed to her limits by drill sergeant Isaac than be at school. Ever since the food fight she'd been torn between her two new friends, along with Levi. They were the piggies in the middle while Abigail and Kayla acted like ice queens towards one another. One couldn't be within a two metre radius of the other without a glare or snide remark getting thrown. The four of them could no longer hang out altogether. If Kayla wanted to be with Roxy, then Abigail would leave with Levi. Or if she was with Levi and Abigail an approaching Kayla would quickly be sent the other way with a glare. No matter who hung out with who, Levi always had to go with Abigail.

Roxy didn't want to admit she was jealous but deep down she knew she was. Levi had been her friend first, one of the first true friends she'd made since arriving to Moonlight Ridge. She looked down at her bracelet and twisted her wrist to make the faces of the amethyst glisten. But then Abigail had claimed Levi as her soulmate and the once sweet and bubbly girl she'd met a week ago was gone, replaced by a possessive and mildly evil persona. Roxy hoped her friends would sort their rift out soon so things could resume some form of normality. Being able to have all her friends in the same room together again would be nice. Besides, they were in the same pack, surely the feud couldn't last much longer.

A presence by her bedroom door alerted Roxy to a visitor before a gentle knock sounded against the wood. She stood from the deck chair and padded her way to answer it, enjoying the breeze her ceiling fan pushed around the room.

'Hey, Kayla.' Roxy smiled warmly at her friend and stepped back to let her in. 'What's up?'

She gave a tired groan and flopped down onto Roxy's bed, her muffled voice saying, 'I just finished our punishment.'

Roxy winced and sat next to her. 'Three night shift patrols with Isaac? That's gotta suck.'

Kayla rolled onto her back to stare at the ceiling, moving her arms and legs against the duvet like a snow angel while her long dark hair splayed around her. 'You have no idea. I mean he's already a hard arse on patrols but when you're on them as punishment.' She gave a dramatic sigh. 'He broke us like wild horses.'

Roxy chuckled. 'So does that mean you and Abigail are talking again?'

Kayla scoffed. 'No.'

Her heart sunk. Great. So next week at school was going to be torturous too.

'I mean, Levi can't be her soulmate,' said Kayla. 'When they first met there was no connection and then the next day she's suddenly convinced they're soulmates? It just doesn't make sense.'

Roxy held her shoulders up in a shrug, hesitant to become involved. 'I guess it's not the same all the time?'

'I'm just looking out for her.' Kayla sighed sadly. 'I know she's been struggling watching everyone else find their soulmates. What if she really has convinced herself that Levi is her soulmate because she's so desperate?' She shook her head. 'It's not just that either. I don't even recognise her anymore, she's a completely different person. I didn't change when I found Tobias. Did you change when you found Isaac?'