Branded (Fall of Angels #1)(10)

My lip twitches. “Hanson,” I fill in.

“Exactly,” he says, nodding. “But my point is, we’re all the family you’ll ever need.”





Chapter Five





Brandon



Weeks later



“So have you found a girl yet?”

I almost slam my own locker door against my own face. “What?”

“You know, for the bonfire,” Hanson says, smiling like an idiot. “We’re supposed to bring a partner, remember?”

“Oh, fuck,” I mutter.

After working day and night in the shop, I completely forgot about the bonfire.

“Traditions, Brandon.” He pats me on the shoulder. “They’re important here.”

“When is it?” I ask as he stuffs his books into his bag.

“A week from now.”

“Shit,” I say, running my hand through my hair. “Do you think I’m too late?”

“Nah,” he says, laughing. “Although all the good ones will be taken. Probably. Most likely, anyway.” He shrugs.

I don’t care about “good.” I just want someone to say yes so I can go. I’ve never gone to the bonfire because I was always alone and being there alone is like the dumbest thing to do in the history of high school.

“I don’t think we stand a chance,” he says, shrugging it off again. “I’m not even going to try.”

“Why not?” I ask, slinging my bag over my shoulder.

“Well, have ya looked at me?” He gestures at his body, up and down, as if something’s off about him.

“Yeah. I don’t get it,” I say.

“Have ya looked at them?” He points at everyone else in the hallway. It’s just people. Most of them don’t share the same skin color as us, but that shouldn’t be a problem. Should it?

“So?” I rub my lips together. “Doesn’t hurt to try.”

“Like I have a chance,” he says, leaning against his locker. “Besides, there’s only one girl I want.”

“Who?” I grin. I’m only asking to see his reaction because I already know who he likes. He’s had an eye on her for some time now.

“As if I’d tell you,” he says, shaking his head. “I know the kind of shit you pull. I’m not gonna embarrass myself in front of her.”

“Why not? At least you’ll make an impression then.” I snicker.

“No, she’s part of that cool club. You know, the ones who only date jocks.”

“Ah …” Hanson’s talking about Lillian, one of the girls from the track team. The really sporty ones. I don’t think she knows he likes her.

Hell, he’s probably too chicken to talk to her, figuring he’d say something stupid. That’s the life of us loners. We don’t talk to people much. Though, I feel like Hanson secretly wants to belong to one of the groups here at school. He’s always going on about the events they organize, trying to fit in even though we both know we never will.

Me? I don’t feel like I belong with any of the groups. Not the nerds, not the popular crowd, not the jocks, or the artsies. I haven’t felt like I belonged to something since my papa and I moved off the reserve. Right now, I’m just doing my own thing. But that does make it difficult when it comes to parties and stuff like the bonfire.

“Ready?” Hanson asks as he eyes his watch. It’s almost time for our next class.

“Yeah,” I say. But as I turn around, I bump into someone’s shoulder.

“Hey! Watch it!” He shoves me back so hard I fall to the floor. Only then do I notice it’s Derek. Accompanied by two laughing twins and a beautiful girl on his arm. Dixie.

“Don’t you ever fucking touch me again, redskin,” Derek says, spitting on the floor beside me.

Everybody who was in the hallway with us has suddenly gone quiet. They’re all staring at us.

Dixie wriggles herself free from his arms. “Derek!” She gives him the stink eye.

“What?” he snarls at her while Hanson helps me up. “I didn’t do shit! He ran into me!”

“Fucking asshole,” Hanson mumbles as I pat myself down.

“What did you say?” Derek barks. He’s up in Hanson’s face now and pushes him. Hanson barely manages to keep both feet on the floor. “Say it again, little bitch.”

“Derek!” Dixie shouts, but he’s ignoring her.

Hanson glances at me, then at the crowd behind us. For some reason, his eyes stop when they home in on a girl standing on the sidelines. Lillian.

Out of nowhere, he’s found new, brazen courage, and quips, “You’re an asshole, Derek, and pretty much everyone in the school knows it.”

People around us visibly snort. Derek’s nostrils flare, rigid cords in his neck, and he grunts out loud. Suddenly, his fist flies straight for Hanson’s face. Hanson sidesteps just in time, and the punch lands on my shoulder instead. I don’t flinch even though it hurts like hell. I’m not gonna go down that easily. Not for a motherfucker like Derek.

“Derek, what the fuck?!” Dixie yells.

“C’mon, boys,” Derek shouts at Hanson and me, holding his fists up high. “I’ll take you both on.”