Page 10 of Friend
It was inevitable.
He jerked his hand back as he scowled at me, and he threw his weight forward as he swung his other fist. I sidestepped it easily, allowing him to stumble face-first into the chain-link fence.
“Are you ready to give up now?” I asked, half-hoping he wouldn’t.
“Fuck you, Abernathy!” He turned back, facing me, and wiped the back of his hand over his mouth. Then, without another word, he rushed me.
His movements were slow and sloppy, and I could have easily taken him out with only one or two well-placed punches. But where one wolf fought, the others couldn’t help but join in.
I was impressed that Adrian and Drew waited as long as they did, but within a moment it was three on one. More, actually, as the rest of the class fed into the frenzy and began to brawl too, but I’d lost track after catching the clipped end of one too many side-swept fists.
A piercing whistle cut through the air, and the physical education teacher—along with two coaches who happened to be on site—were suddenly in the middle of our fight, trying to keep us from killing each other.
“What is going on here?” Coach Jones had stopped me from pummeling Cory’s face. He held my arm as he glared around at the group of us.
Cory, who’d always been very good at playing the victim when the situation called for it, whined as he pointed at me. “He started it.”
Coach Strumeier, who’d been the one tasked with keeping the werewolf in line, released his grip on the brown-haired ass-kiss and scowled sympathetically down at his nephew. “What do you mean?” the baseball coach asked. “Why would Abernathy attack you?”
“How am I supposed to know?” Cory shrugged, looking for all the world a submissive packmate. “Maybe he’s been letting his position get to his head.”
Coach Jones sighed, letting go of my arm. “Now that’s not true.” The wrestling coach, being an onmyoji himself, would know. “I’m sure Finn wouldn’t just attack someone without a reason.”
“Ask him!” Cory played his part well, but there was a self-satisfied smirk on his face when his eyes lifted to me. “He’s already killed a shifter, right?” I clenched my fists at my side and gritted my teeth.
How had he found out? Those records were sealed.
“He’s not stable. How am I supposed to know what set him off this time?” The werewolf smirked at me.
I bit my tongue. There was absolutely nothing I could say that would help—at least, not without throwing the spotlight on Bianca.
And I wouldn’t allow that to happen.
Even if my continual silence made me look bad, I did not regret my actions. And if I could do it again, I would.
“Finn.” Coach Jones moved in front of me and placed his hands on my shoulders. “What happened? Did you start it?”
No.
But yes.
I mean, it wasn’t like Cory had never made gross comments before. But hearing them directed towardBiancawas another thing entirely.
I should have just ignored it.
“Whatever.” I crossed my arms, looking away. The girls had stopped their stretches, and Bianca stood front and center, staring at me with wide eyes as she pressed her face against the fence. She looked confused—and concerned—and I knew she’d come to me later with questions.
My heart thundered as my resolve firmed.
I didn’t care if I got in trouble—I would do anything to protect that innocent expression.
“Abernathy…” Coach Jones’s posture deflated as he rubbed his temple. “Headmaster’s office,” he said finally, and I looked at him in horror. “Now,” he added, correctly reading my expression.
This was bull. They should just give me detention. That’s what happened last time.
“Fine.” I jerked away from the coach and stomped away from my staring classmates.
Talking to my father was thelastthing I wanted today.
