Soul Lines (Completed)

Chapter Nine

Offering no resistance, he relinquished the bottle of Jack as soon as I grasped the smooth neck between my fingers. Pouting a little, he watched me lift the bottle to my nose, sniffing the dark liquid. Bile bubbled in my throat as the cloying dry haze burned the back of my throat. It reminded me of death.

'I can't believe you're drinking this.'

'Have some?'

I shook my head, holding the bottle away like a toxin. I wrinkled my nose involuntarily, disgust flooring me. 'I can think of nothing worse. Just smelling it makes me want to vomit.'

'It's not my fault that you and Kendra thought you could handle a bottle to yourselves.'

My mouth fell open, and I laughed, shoving my hands against his chest. 'It was too! You totally encouraged us.'

He gave me a flat look, his eyes seeming to wilt before me as they dropped, 'No one can encourage you to do anything. You're entirely your own person.'

I smirked, eyeing him carefully. 'How are you doing?'

His eyes snapped open, crystal clear. 'I'm fine.'

The words rolled off his tongue without hindrance, but I knew him better than that. All those nights spent drinking in Kendra's basement were enough to tell me that Jacobi's weakness wasn't his focus or speech but his walk.

'Prove it.'

With the bottle dangling between my fingers, I pointed to a spot a few feet away. He wobbled towards it, his face set with grim determination as he marched along an imaginary line. He turned, snapping his feet together and throwing his hands into the air as if to say tada.

'Now strike a pose.'

Jacobi, sober, never, in a million years, would have thrust his hip to the side, placing one hand on his waist, lacing the fingers of his other hand through his hair, a smouldering pout on his lips.

Laughter bubbled out of me, like a fizzy drink shaken before being opened, uncontrollable and unstoppable. I couldn't catch my breath, wheezing through tears as I doubled over, grasping Jacobi's shoulder.

'Elle?' Jacobi's voice was probing, concerned as he dug his fingers into my arm. He wasn't so worried the next time he snapped my name, huffing with annoyance as I bubbled away. 'Can I have my drink back, please?'

'Well, since you said please.' I bit sarcastically, breathing heavily. He either didn't catch the sarcasm or didn't care to because he snatched the bottle back, swaddling it within his hands as though it was his lifeline. 'Ugh. Jacobi.' He turned his cheek to me, snubbing me arrogantly. 'I need you to slow down, at least. I'm going to head home, okay? I can't be here to drunk test you in another half-hour.'

'Okay.' I sensed he wouldn't listen to me when he lifted the bottle to his lips and tilted back. His eyes widened, and he lowered the bottle, spluttering. 'Wait. How are you getting home?'

I knew him, and his tone only meant one thing. Laughing, I reached out to steady him. 'Not with your help. I'll probably walk.'

'But,' he tried to place a hand on my shoulder, missing, his whole body swinging forward. He pulled back at the last minute like the drinking bird toy that tipped back and forth on my Pop's desk. His gaze turned glassy momentarily, the words dying on his lips. 'That's like three,' he swallowed a hiccup, and I turned my eyes to the bottle, 'three hours!'

'Yeah, but I'll be okay.'

'You need someone to walk you home.' He jabbed a finger into my chest, crashing into me as he stumbled forward. 'For safety.