Fangs (Clarke Creek #1)

Chapter 4

Click

A whistle blew and the lacrosse team barrelled down the field in a line, hiking their knees up as high as they could go.

"Come on! My arthritic grandmother could kick higher than you guys!" Coach Damens bellowed at the players. They all began kicking their legs higher.

Underneath the bleachers, Jade followed Claire as she wandered around with her camera.

"A wolf?" Jade repeated.

"Yes, a wolf," Claire sighed. She clicked a picture of the players then adjusted her lens. She hadn't noticed until this morning that she had lost her camera in the woods somewhere. Unfortunately she hadn't had time to go look for it before she had to be down at the field to cover the lacrosse game, so she was stuck using one of the extras in the newsroom. "It was growling and baring its teeth–"

"There are no wolves in Vermont," Jade insisted.

"Then why did I hear them howl?"

"Because it was a dream."

Claire rolled her eyes, ducking out from under the bleachers. She snapped another picture of the team as Coach Damens blew his whistle and the players dispersed. Claire adjusted her lens and then took a picture just as a head turned towards her. She pulled her camera away from her face in awe, staring back at Leo. His eyes were steady as he watched her, shining almost golden in the sun. He sent her a smirk then turned away as someone called his name.

"Oh my God, it's you know who," Jade sang over Claire's shoulder.

Claire continued to snap pictures, trying to get Leo out of her mind. "Who?"

Jade nudged her shoulder. "You know!"

"No, I don't, or I wouldn't be asking."

Claire looked up from her camera and froze. Shane Dellwood walked two feet in front of them in his lacrosse uniform, his dark hair slicked back with sweat. Claire watched him as he made his way to the benches on the side of the lacrosse field.

"Heads up!" someone shouted.

Claire tore her eyes away from Shane just in time to see a ball flying right towards her face. By the time she blinked it smacked against her forehead, sending her tipping backwards onto the ground.

Pain throbbed through her skull. When she opened her eyes, Coach Damens and Shane stood over her.

"You got a good lawyer?" the coach wondered.

Claire squinted up at him. "What? Uh, no."

Shane grabbed her hand, warmth spreading onto Claire's skin, then planted a hand on her back to help her up. Coach Damens smiled with relief and patted Claire's shoulder once she was standing.

"Gotta keep your eyes open, girlie." He turned back to his players, who were watching them. "What're you gawking at? Let's play some lacrosse!"

Coach Damens walked back to the field and the players went back to their practice. Shane smiled down at Claire.

"Are you okay?"

Claire could only breathe, still processing everything. The fact that she was still holding his hand finally settled and she quickly let go with an awkward laugh. "Yeah! Yeah, it happens all the time."

Shane laughed. "Well I'm glad it's nothing new for you then."

"Dellwood!" Coach Damens shouted. "Let's go!"