Crave (Harlequin Teen)

strands, spreading it out like dark fire around her head.
    “Playing with fire?” Dylan removed his helmet as he walked over.
    I jerked my gaze back to the field. “No clue what you’re talking about.”
    “I’m talking about Freaky Eyes up there.”
    I turned to face him. “Man, what is your problem with her?”
    “My problem is with you . I just can’t get it out of my head how you’re willing to side with her over your best friend.”
    “I’m not siding with her. I’m just saying we don’t attack innocents. You know the rules.”
    He closed the foot of space between us. “Screw the Clann’s rules.” He waved an arm around us. “These people are sheep, and you and I both know it. We should be ruling this town, not hiding in it.”
    “Keep your voice down,” I warned, glancing around us. But everyone was focused on the game.
    Dylan sneered. “You’re pathetic. Look at you, afraid someone might hear us talking about the Clann. But everyone already knows! That’s the real joke. Everyone knows about us, and the elders are still holding on to their stupid, outdated rules. What we need is new rules. Maybe new leadership, too.”
    It was my turn to sneer. “Like who? Your dad? You?” The Williamses had always been nothing but a bunch of butt-kissing weasels. I’d thought Dylan was different. Today he’d showed me I was wrong.
    “Why not? The Colemans aren’t the only ones who can lead. Why not give somebody else a chance for a change?”
    What a crybaby. “If the Clann thought your dad could lead better, they would have voted for him. They didn’t. So get over it. And get over the rules, too, while you’re at it. I don’t always like the rules, either, but you don’t hear me whining about it all the time. If you’ve got a problem with the Clann’s rules, take it up with the elders who made them.”
    He stepped so close our face guards almost hit. “You might not make the rules, but your dear old dad does. And for someone who says he doesn’t like the rules, you sure don’t seem to mind enforcing them.”
    “Whatever.” I was getting tired of this argument fast.
    He cocked his head. “Or maybe you’re not supporting Daddy.”
    I scowled. “Now what do you mean by that?”
    “You’ve never wanted to fight me before. Maybe this whole ‘protect the innocents’ crap isn’t about the rules at all. Maybe it’s just about her. ”
    I clenched my teeth together. “You need to go away now, Williams.”
    He smiled. “That’s it, isn’t it? Even after all these years, you’ve still got a thing for the redheaded freak! Wow, what a freakin’ hypocrite. All that talk about following the rules, but really you want to break the biggest one of all.”
    “I said drop it.”
    “Ooo woo, your mommy and daddy would love that, wouldn’t they? Their precious baby boy dirtying himself with the one girl who is off-limits. And a freak at that.”
    Fury flash boiled my skin. “I told you, leave her alone!”
    “What’s wrong, Coleman? Don’t like me calling her a freak?”
    “Dylan…” I was on the edge, could feel the anger crowding out rational thought.
    “Just remember, if the leader’s son can get it on with the freak, so can I,” he murmured, his smile turning into a leer.
    I snapped.
    My hands shot out at Dylan’s chest. To everyone else, it must have looked like a hard shove. But while my hands were still inches away from contact, my energy and will burst out, an invisible force that slammed into him. It knocked him off his feet and sent him sliding five yards away on his back.
    For five short seconds, seeing the shock on his face was worth it. Until I remembered where we were.
    Aw, hell, I was in for it now. No way had any descendants here missed that. Including my parents up in the bleachers.
     
    Mom hadn’t stopped shrieking for the past forty-five minutes. It was all along the same lines.
    “What were you thinking, using power in public like that? You’ve jeopardized everything we have here. And not just our family, but everyone else in the Clann, as well! I can’t believe I raised such an irresponsible idiot for a son.” Her heels were wearing a path in the rug. If she kept this up, she’d have to buy a new one for Dad’s study soon. “How many times do we have to tell you? Our power here is fragile. If any of these farm-loving bigots ever found out what we can do, every one of us would be run out of town faster than you could say witch hunt. ”
    Up to that