Ava

The metal bleachers creaked under my feet as I followed Maci up them step by step.

My last three classes of the day had, thankfully, been uneventful and Maci had met me at the end of the day before dragging me out to the schools football field.

A group of girls squealed in excitement as we approached them. I recognized a few faces from various classes, though I couldn't tell you their names if I tried. The only one I remembered was Kate. I hid a grimace, remembering how in depth she had gone about Jax's sex life yesterday.

"Guys, this is Ava." Maci motioned to me like she was Vanna White and I was the letter board on Wheel of Fortune. I waved awkwardly as they said their hello's. Everybody seemed nice.

My eyes caught on a mane of long pale blonde hair and I perked up, finally recognizing someone I actually knew.

"Hey Trinity!" I said, moving to sit beside her. Maci sat on my other side and I dropped my heavy book bag onto the stand beside me, resulting in a metallic clang that traveled the length of the bleachers.

"Hey Ava!" She smiled. I felt a bit more comfortable, being in the presence of another witch. Well, a nice one at least.

"So did you come out to watch the boys play?" She asked me.

I couldn't help but laugh. "Hardly. Maci dragged me out here. I figured I might as well get some of my homework done while she drools over them."

Trinity giggled. It was a musical, harmonious sound.

Trinity, Maci and I made small talk as I pulled my homework out of my bag. In the two days I had been here, I already had four assignments due by Friday, on top of all the work I had to catch up on.

I propped my feet up on the step in front of me and balanced my notebook on my knees.

I took a glance at the football field, there were a bunch of guys gathering in the center. And I couldn't help but notice they were all very muscular. Shaking my head, I looked back down, focusing on the chemistry worksheet in my hands instead.

A collective hum ran through the girls around me. I looked up again, all of the guys were taking their shirts off, getting ready to play the game. I grinned and looked back down.

Homework. I needed to focus on homework.

"Oh my god, Jax is looking over here. How's my hair look?" Kate said, frantically patting down her brunette locks.

The grin fell from my face and I straightened up. My eyes traveled to the green turf against my better judgment.

A pair of ocean blue eyes were staring right back at me. My mouth went dry as I realized he was shirtless and my eyes raked up and down his chiseled torso. I had known by his build that he was fit, but my god, what a specimen. Well defined pecs sat atop a muscular six pack. Two deep lines created a "v" where his abs ended, disappearing into his shorts.

He wasn't the type of muscular that looked like stone and veins and tendons you see on the cover of Men's Fitness. His proportions fit him perfectly. His tanned skin looked soft, beading up with sweat as the warm Texan sun beat down.

I felt my face turn warm as he grinned at me. I wanted to look away but just couldn't find it in my power to do so.

With his annoyingly devilish smile he leaned to the side, muttering something to the guy standing next to him, who's back was to me. Jax jerked his head in my direction and the guy turned to look at me as well.

It was Arsen. Good gods.

My foot slipped off the bleacher clumsily, making my notebook fall off of my lap. Maci chuckled next to me but I ignored her.

My face turned hot as Jax and Arsen both snickered at my fumble. But I just couldn't find it in myself to look away from them.

Arsen was just as fit as Jax. Though he was maybe an inch or two shorter. My eyes hungrily traveled down his body. His skin seemed naturally tanned, dotted with many freckles stretched over his defined chest and torso. A little trail of dark hair that's shade matched his unruly head started at his naval, running between the ridges of his abs and leading down lower.

I forced my eyes to look back up to his. A smirk had stretched across his lips as he watched me ocularly devour him.

I swallowed.

Jax said something and they both laughed, pinning me with their gazes.

"Who are Jax and Arsen looking at?" One of the girls whispered excitedly. I blinked a few times, letting the image of them burn into my retinas before I cleared my throat and picked up my dropped notebook.

I buried my face in it, willing my fiery cheeks to cool down. I could feel both Trinity and Maci's eyes on me as I read the words in front of me without really absorbing them.

"You can look up now." Trinity giggled in my ear.

I looked up and breathed out a sigh of relief. The guys had moved on to play their game and the group of girls I sat with were enraptured by it.

"That was interesting." Trinity said lightly.

I hummed in response as my eyes followed Jax and Arsen. The way their muscles moved fluidly beneath their skin, it was like watching a thoroughbred horse run a race.

"Hello, Earth to Ava." Maci snapped her fingers in front of my face and I sat back, blinking rapidly. I looked at Maci who was grinning back at me. "Your phone is ringing."

"Oh, um." I fumbled with my phone, quickly hitting the green phone icon to answer it.

"Hello?" I answered, feeling my attention begin to get sidetracked again as Arsen caught the ball and made a run towards the end zone.

"Hey, it's Lily!" The voice on the other end said. I shook my head to clear it and stood up. Trinity moved her legs to the side so I could pass her and I mouthed a thank you.

I turned my back on the game and walked to the top of the bleachers.

"Hey!" I replied, looking down at the parking lot instead of the lively game I could hear going on behind me.

"I'm ready to go whenever you guys are." She told me.

I glanced back at the game and nodded to myself. It would be best to leave before I made even more of a fool out of myself.

"Okay. I'll let Maci know and we'll be there soon." I told her.

Her voice was filled with excitement as she said goodbye and hung up the phone. I smiled to myself. Lily really was a sweet girl, I was glad to be able to start seeing the real her.

I walked back down the steps as non-clumsily as I could. There was no graceful way to walk on bleachers.

"Lily is ready whenever you are." I told Maci. She turned her head towards me but her eyes stayed on the game. After a moment she peeled them away and I couldn't help but laugh. Is that how I'd looked just a few moments ago?

"Okay, probably best we leave soon anyways. The longer they play the more aggressive they usually get."

"Aggressive?" I asked, scanning the field of moving bodies again. It did seem like they weren't playing a simple game of touch football anymore. Each guy wore a scowl as they lined up in formation. The semblance of a friendly game no longer hung in the air.

"Yea... they take it pretty serious." Maci murmured, gathering her bag. She stood and we started making our way down the bleachers. I looked back at Trinity.

"Hey you wanna come with us?" I asked. She perked up, nodding her head quickly and joined us as we descended the bleachers.

We had just reached the gate that lead to the parking lot when a teasing voice reached our ears.

"Bye Ava!" Jax's voice.

I turned back toward the field with wide eyes.

Jax was waving his fingers at me, a grin across his face as all the eyes of the girls watching stared at him with mild shock. I couldn't blame them, I was just as confused at his attention.

Felt my face redden and sent him a quick embarrassed wave. Arsen looked up, distracted from the game and I felt my breath catch.

He didn't see the other two hundred pounds of muscle headed towards him in a dead run, intent on tackling him.

I felt the spell fumble past my lips before my brain caught up to what I was doing.

"Obice." I breathed.

There was a sickening crunch as Arsen's would-be assailant hit the invisible barrier in front of him.

"What the fuck?!" He roared, clutching his nose as blood leaked out beneath his hand.

All eyes turned back to the field except Trinity's, hers were on me, wide and knowing. She grabbed my hand quickly and pulled me away.

I looked down to see the small blue electrical currents were running over my skin again. I wrenched my hand from her grip and shoved my hands into my pockets, hiding them from possible watching eyes.

"What the hell was that?!" Trinity whisper-yelled at me. I glanced back at the field quickly, several of the guys were investigating the spot my barrier had been a moment ago.

"I wasn't- I didn't mean to-" I muttered back. I pulled my hands from my pockets and inspected them. They were no longer glowing and I ran one through my hair.

"Ava, you have to be careful!" She said, running her hand down her face as she turned slightly away from me in exasperation.

"I don't think anyone saw." I told her, though my voice sounded less confident than it felt.

"No, they didn't. But they could have." She turned back to me with a hard glare. "There are people who can not see that Ava. A move like that could put you in serious danger."

"Like who?" I frowned at her.

She sighed. "Let's just say other witches and werewolves are the least of our concerns."

My mouth popped open in surprise as she spoke, and she snapped her mouth closed as if she hadn't meant to say it.

"Werewolves?" I asked incredulously.

She settled her firm gaze on me but her eyes flickered to my left and she's clenched her jaw.

"That was crazy!" Maci said as she sidled up beside me. "Arsen broke Logan's nose!" She laughed.

A shadow of a fake smile flickered on Trinity's lips as she watched me for a moment more.

I forced a fake laugh as we fell into step behind Maci, headed to her car.

"Whatever, he's had it coming for a while." She shrugged. I tilted my head curiously, urging her to continue.

She unlocked her car and we climbed in. Maci turned to me in the passenger seat from where she sat in the drivers.

"Logan and Arsen have never gotten along. I'm not sure why but he's picked fights with Arsen before. I'm positive he could handle it himself but Jax always steps in and puts Logan back in his place."

I frowned. The thought of anyone having a problem with Arsen surprised me. He was so nice, I couldn't imagine anyone not liking him.

We rode to my house in silence. Maci had tried to start some small talk but once again I was being a horrible friend and couldn't follow the conversation. My thoughts were running too fast through my head.

There were werewolves here in San Antonio. I had never met one but I had always hoped I could. My mind began wandering through the anatomy of a wolf and how they could shift from human to animal. Would their digestive tract change? Their brain chemistry? Did animal instinct take over making them more beast than man? Did they really have mates? Did the moon effect their control like in Harry Potter?

So many questions I wanted to ask. If only I actually knew one!

The opening of one of the rear doors pulled me out of my thoughts as Lily climbed into the car, taking the empty seat beside Trinity. I hadn't even noticed we already made it to our house.

"Alright ladies, where to first?" Maci smiled.

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Hey readers! Sorry I'm a few days late, life came up. Next update might take a little longer to get out but I promise I will post it as soon as I can, I've just got a lot going on right now.

HFT hit 1k reads! That made me so happy!

Anyways, hope you guys liked this chapter, please please please leave a comment and don't forget to vote!

Xx mandabrandie