Page 146 of Wicked Games

Eli and Liam haul Theo away, but it’s too late. The Lion’s Head football team swarms us. It’s only a second before the rest of the Emery-Rose football team, who had been celebrating, leap into the fray. I catch an elbow to my stomach. Eli swings wildly, getting people away from us.

And in the midst of all of this, Theo’s still struggling to get free from Eli and Liam. I push myself in front of him and slap him.

Theo’s eyes finally focus on me.

“Calm the fuck down,” I growl.

Eli drops Theo’s arm. “Riley and Margo.”

We’re in the center of a shitstorm. On the edges, I spot Coach Marzden yanking students off from each other. It’s become an all-out brawl. Not just angry or hyped-up football players, but the fans—students from both schools—as well.

“With me,” I order. I drive my shoulder to get through the crowd.

The four of us duck flying fists and elbows, bodies being hauled across the grass.

She’s not where I left her.

“Caleb!” she yells.

I spin around, searching. Someone hits me from behind, knocking me flat on my stomach. They’re gone in an instant, and Theo helps me up. The last thing my concussed head needs is another blow. He meets my gaze and nods once. He stays behind me, shoving people away.

“There.” He points toward the bleachers.

Students are running, and it takes me a second to realize why: the police have arrived.

Someone knocks into Margo, and she falls in slow motion.

I sprint toward her, shoving people out of my way. Screams follow us. The fighters realize the police are here, and suddenly everyone is sprinting past us. I tune it all out, focusing on getting to Margo.

She stands, and I arrive at her side a second later.

Eli reaches Riley, tugging her behind him.

“See you at Ian’s!” he calls.

I almost drag Margo after them, but there’s a higher chance we’ll get caught. Margocan’tget caught—they’d take her away for sure. Haul her in for questioning at the very least.

“You okay?” I ask her.

Theo is right behind me, still blocking us from getting hit.

“This is insane!”

I pick her up and put her on her feet. “Now’s not the time to dwell on it. Ready to run?”

She smiles. “This feels familiar.”

If I didn’t know better, I’d say she was delusional… but I do know her, and I know she’s referring to the time we ran through a field to hide from my father.

I pause. She had asked me about a field. But…

“Come on.” She takes a few quick steps backward. “They’re going to catch us, and the whole night will be ruined.”

What else can we do?

We run.

She goes toward the parking lot, but I grab her arm and steer her toward the woods bordering the school. There’s a path somewhere along here…

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