First Magic by Raven Steele (ebook reader screen txt) 📖

May sat next to me on the bleachers, her hand stuffed into a potato chip bag rummaging around for the last bit of crumbs. “Where’s Christian?”

I scanned the football players running onto the field. Stadium lights reflected off their silver helmets. I found number fifteen—Christian’s number—just as he and several of his teammates plowed through a long paper banner that cheerleaders were holding. The crowd around us cheered.

I pointed at him. “He’s right there with Adam running over to the sidelines.”

At the sound of Adam’s name, May jumped to her feet and cheered along with everyone else.

I had doubts about coming tonight, but none of those had mattered when May had called me thirty minutes ago begging me to meet her here. I didn’t admit it to her, but it was my first high school game I’d ever attended. I’d never had a friend to go with me before. Sad, I know.

Now that I was here, I was glad I’d come. The energy in the stands was contagious, something I needed right now. I could tell by the way my body felt that it wasn’t even going to be close to a full moon tonight.

I stood with May and whistled loudly, my voice adding to the already fevered pitch.

“I didn’t expect to see you here,” a husky voice said in my ear.

I sucked in a breath as chills skittered across my flesh. I spun around, stunned to see Matt sitting behind me. He hadn’t been there five minutes ago.

“Matt!” May exclaimed happily when she saw him. “Join us.”

She slid over giving him space to sit between us. I frowned as he maneuvered next to me, his shoulder bumping mine.

“Are you a football fan?” I asked him, pretending that I didn’t like the way his thigh had found a comfortable home next to mine.

“Tonight I am. I was bored.”

I snuck a peek at him. Like always, he looked super-hot wearing baggy Levi’s and a plain red t-shirt, his blond hair swept to the side. Part of me wondered why I hadn’t considered him boyfriend material; my body clearly was attracted to his. But within a few minutes, I knew exactly why.

My eyes locked with Christian’s, and he winked at me just before running onto the field. My heart leapt within my chest, sucking my breath away. It didn’t do that with Matt.

True to his word, Christian had kept things casual between us all week, but, if we were honest with each other, both of us had deliberately looked for opportunities to be together as much as possible. It just felt good.

The football game moved quickly, and I enjoyed every second of it. I especially loved watching Christian play. There was something familiar about his quick and flawless movements, but I couldn’t put a finger on it.

With only a few minutes left of the game, Christian completed a touchdown pass. I stood to cheer with everyone else, but after only a few seconds I had to sit back down.

Matt leaned into me, his brows drawn together. “What’s up?”

“Nothing, just feeling a little light-headed.”

“Do you want me to take you home?” He grabbed my hand before I could answer.

“No,” I said, a little too quickly and withdrew my hand.

He smiled, but it looked forced. “Are you ready for Mr. Steele’s midterm on Monday?”

“Midterm?” I didn’t mean to stare, but I honestly had no idea what he was talking about.

“The big test. If you don’t get a passing grade, he’ll fail you for the whole semester.”

Air deflated from my lungs. “I’m dead.”

“I can’t believe you didn’t know. All we did in class today was review for it. Weren’t you listening?”

Clearly I wasn’t.

I took my time standing. “I’ll be right back. I have to go get my trig book so I can study all weekend.”

“Do you want me to come with you?”

“No, watch the game. I’ll hurry.” I carefully stepped down the bleachers, but considered falling in hopes I’d break a leg. That would get me out of the test.

I moved deathly slow across the lawn toward the school. I hated walking in the dark when the moon wasn’t out. Gratefully, the stadium provided just enough light for me to see my next steps.

I entered the front doors and, as quickly as possible, maneuvered my way around the half-lit school until I found my locker. I retrieved my math book and was about to close the door when I heard laughter. I held still and focused my hearing, but jumped when something smashed against lockers.

More laughter.

I crept to where I could peek around the corner. On the other end of the hall, three guys walked in my direction. And one of them carried a bat.

I pressed my back against the wall. Great, just what I need. I moved back down the short hallway to the doors. Very quietly, I pushed on the bar that normally opened, but what I suspected turned out to be true. The door was locked. I would have to return to the main entrance past the wanna-be gangsters.

“If we can’t beat them on the field,” I heard one of the boys say. “We’ll at least make sure they remember us.”

Another crashing sound. My nerves jumped as if I’d been hit instead of the metal lockers.

Their voices grew closer. I frantically looked around for a place to hide, but schools weren’t designed to have hiding places. I decided my best option was to act like I hadn't heard or seen anything. I turned the corner and walked quickly.

“Hey!” one of them shouted.

I kept moving, gripping my math book tightly to my chest.

“Wait up,” a deeper voice called.

I quickened my pace. Footsteps pounded the hard floor behind me.

I thought about my Light magic, hoping I could spark something I could use, but like the moon, it had retreated.

A hand grabbed my shoulder and spun me around. A tall boy stood in front of me with a crazy grin and dilated pupils. His face was littered with pimples, and if I hadn’t been so scared, I might’ve been tempted to connect the dots.

“Where are you going in such a hurry?” he asked. His buddies moved behind him like a pack of wolves.

“She sure is pretty,” said a frumpy-looking boy. He held an open beer can in his hand.

“I was just going back to the game,” I said and turned to leave.

Pimple face put his hand on my shoulder again. This time he didn’t remove it. “So you’re a student here at gay-land?”

The boys behind him laughed.

“I really have to be going.” I shrugged my shoulder hard enough to make him lose his grip.

“Whoa! Not so fast.” This time he grabbed both my shoulders. My math book crashed to the floor. “I bet you’re a cheerleader here, aren’t you? Or maybe on the ‘never-been-drilled-team’.”

His friends laughed even harder.

“Let go of me,” I growled. I would’ve given anything for it to be a full moon. I could’ve easily out run them, probably even out fight them if I had to, but I was on my own.

“Let’s decorate her,” one of the other boys suggested.

“That’s a great idea, Tek. What do you think, Blondie?” he said to me. “You wanna show some school spirit?”

I brought my knee up as hard as I could between his legs. He doubled over with an agonizing grunt. I bolted toward the doors but one of the guys tackled me from behind. I fell face first and felt my lip split against the floor. Blood filled my mouth.

“I’ve got her!” Tek yelled. “What should we do with her, Jared?”

“Give me a sec, moron,” Jared moaned.

Tek rolled me over while straddling my waist. Above me, the bigger kid whose name I had yet to learn, stared as if he’d never seen a girl before.

“I’ve never kissed a chick this hot before,” he said.

“That’s cause you only hang out with