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“What?” she demanded.
“I’m not sorry for what I said to your father.”
“Well, you should be.” She bit the words out, and it helped.
“Mentioning condoms? Are you insane?”
o;And Coach Kanner agreed to hold a spot for you. If you can prove you’re doing the work.”
He wanted to punch something. He’d never wanted to hit a girl, much less a teacher, but right now “You don’t have to get an A,” she said evenly. “You just have to pass.”
He gritted his teeth and fought to keep his hands at his sides.
“You can’t do that.”
“Actually, you’re right. I should follow procedure and report you to the principal. Then you could sit in his office, take an exam in front of him, and see how you do. Want to handle it that way?”
Fury had his chest in a vise grip. He ground the word out.
“No.”
Her voice softened. “I’m trying to help you here. I can give you some extra time after class, if you’d like ”
“No, thanks.” He slung the backpack over his shoulder again and turned for the door. “I think you’ve done enough.”
After school, Gabriel stood on the free throw line in the empty gym and shot an easy basket. Twice.
He kept thinking of what Michael had said the other night, about being surrounded by people, yet not having any true friends. The first few weeks of the season were everything. Figuring out positions, how to work as a team. He’d probably miss the first game. The other guys wouldn’t want him walking onto the team late. He sure wouldn’t.
He’d already been to talk to the coach. He’d done that instead of going to lunch what was he going to do, sit by himself? Pretty clear where Nick stood. But then the coach hadn’t been too encouraging.
And the one person who’d offered to help him well, he’d done a pretty good job of chasing her off last night.
He was so f**ked.
The halogen lights buzzed more loudly for an instant, and Gabriel closed his eyes. Breathe.
He wanted to pull the lighter out of his pocket, to spin the flame through his knuckles but getting caught with a lighter could be an automatic suspension. Like he didn’t have enough problems.
Still. He felt like a junkie looking for a fix.
“You all right?”
Gabriel opened his eyes. Hunter stood there, almost directly beneath the basket.
“Dude. You’re starting to freak me out with this showing up out of nowhere.”
“You weren’t at lunch.”
Gabriel shrugged and threw at the basket. It bounced off the rim.
Hunter’s hand shot out to catch it, and he passed it back, lightning quick.
Gabriel raised an eyebrow and bounced the ball against the court. “You play?”
“Nah.” A shrug. But then he dropped his backpack against the wall and put his hands up. Gabriel tossed him the ball, and Hunter sank a basket from the line. “Team sports aren’t really my thing. You know.”
Hunter’s abilities drew other people to him but just because they were drawn to him didn’t mean they were nice about it.
