Storm (Elemental 1)

Quinn whipped her head around. “I do not want to be a cheerleader,” she hissed.

“Look for the signs,” the girl called. “Next Thursday!” Then she was off, jogging across the field, cheerleader skirt bouncing, a dark ponytail flying behind her.

Gabriel watched her go. “God, that Tamar is one hot piece of—”

“Easy,” said Nick. Becca noticed he was still watching Quinn. “That was pretty good,” he said.

“Thanks.” Quinn climbed onto the bleachers and pulled out her own Trig book.

Gabriel stepped closer, watching her. “Didn’t I see you sucking the face off Rafe Gutierrez last weekend?”

He was quickly killing any of Becca’s residual feelings of gratitude.

“Jealous?” said Quinn.

“Maybe,” said Nick.

Quinn was suddenly blushing again. “Well, I came to watch him practice.”

“Good luck,” said Gabriel. “I think Coach sent him to fill the water jugs.”

Quinn shrugged. “He told me to bring my homework, so I figured as much.”

“Why’d you come?”

Chris’s voice. Becca snapped her head up. He was watching her, his eyes hard and daring.

When she didn’t respond right away, his expression turned cold. “Boyfriend busy?”

“He’s not my boyfriend,” she snapped.

“Yeah,” said Gabriel. “There’s another term for that. Friends with benefits? Or do you just prefer f**k bud—”

Becca hit him. Hard. Right in the face.

As soon as she did it, she wanted to go find Hunter and give him a kiss or write him a check or promise him her firstborn child. Because it was a solid punch, with power behind it, and Hunter had taught her exactly how to do it.

Nick and Chris were on their feet, but they hadn’t moved from the bleachers. She’d struck Gabriel hard enough that he’d rocked back, and she realized she should be counting her lucky stars that he wasn’t coming after her.

He touched a hand to his face, looking a bit stunned.

“Holy shit,” said Quinn. “Would it be wrong if I applaud?”

Becca glared at Gabriel, enjoying the redness across his cheek. “You’re an ass**le,” she said, feeling strong for the first time in a long while. “I came here to apologize to Chris. I came here to thank you for helping me last night. I didn’t ask to be part of this. I helped your brother because he was getting hurt. I warned you guys at that party. I didn’t sleep with Hunter.”

Skepticism flickered in his eyes. Becca shoved him in the chest, hard enough to push Gabriel back a step.

“I didn’t,” she cried. “I was scared, and he came over. That’s all.”

“Whatever you say,” he said. He glanced off across the field, as if he were merely enduring her theatrics.

“Look at me.” Her eyes felt hot, but she ignored it. “I heard what you said to Chris. I heard your little warning. Do you have any idea what that feels like? To know everyone thinks you’re something you’re not?”

He didn’t move, but now she had his attention. She had to get her breathing under control or she was going to go to pieces. Her cheeks felt hot, and she was deathly afraid she was about to cry.

“Everyone’s willing to believe I’m screwing half the school, but no one wants to believe I’m not. I never slept with all those guys they say I did. Drew McKay was drunk, but I really liked him. I didn’t even know what he—it was just—his friends were there, and they’re, like, ten times stronger than I am, and—”

Then she was sobbing into her hands and this was the most humiliating day of her life.