The Runaways: Book 1 of the The White Goddess Series

26. Tryouts

"Oh good, you're back," Bonnie said as Serafina dropped onto the bench beside her. "Abel was ready to send out a search party."

Bonnie nodded to where Abel was now standing with another man at the edge of the field, watching the players tackle each other from the sidelines. Right on cue, Abel turned and squinted up at them, his shoulders relaxing when he saw Serafina sitting beside his wife. 

Serafina waved at him, her heart warming as Abel smiled and waved back. His eyes narrowed slightly as they moved to Mason, who had settled on the bench beside her. Serafina wondered what Abel would do if he knew Mason had kissed her. Not that she was ever going to tell him. 

Sitting on Bonnie's other side, Kelly leaned forward and smiled. "What did you think of the school?" she asked Serafina, flicking a brief, sparkling glance at her son. 

"It seems nice. Big, but Mason says I'll get used to it." Serafina slid Mason a shy glance as his pinky touched hers on the bench between them. 

By unspoken agreement, they'd dropped hands as soon as they left the building. Serafina was bursting to tell Bonnie what happened, but not in front of Kelly and definitely not in front of Mason. Or the random little kids that were clambering up and down the metal benches behind them.

The bleachers had filled up and the sidelines were lined with people like Abel who wanted a front-row view. When Serafina and Mason left earlier, the coach and his helpers—Kelly identified them as a teacher and a parent volunteer—had just divided the players into groups and were running them through what Mason called drills. It's Drill Day, Abel had dad-joked, pulling a sad face when they all booed.

Ian wasn't the biggest boy on the field, which surprised Serafina, but during the time she'd spent watching it was obvious he was outperforming everyone else. It wasn't really fair, a bunch of normal boys competing with a wolf. 

Serafina would have felt sorry for them if it didn't give Abel so much obvious pleasure. Bonnie even had to tell him to calm down and not get so worked up on such a hot day. Abel had a heart attack ten years ago and didn't take good care of himself. Bonnie's words. She was always bugging him to go for check-ups and he was always telling her he felt fine. 

Serafina hated seeing Bonnie so worried but there was no way to tell her Abel's heart was fine now. Serafina healed him when they first got to Mountain View. Luckily she hadn't puked black afterwards but she had spent most of that first week in bed. Boonie chalked it up to a passing virus. 

A whistle pierced the air and the coach's booming voice called something out that made the players stop and line up to switch activities. Serafina's eyes found Ian among one of the groups of boys. Having fun? she mindlinked him.

Yeah, came his immediate reply. Ian loved stuff like this. Running around, knocking people down, throwing things. He looked up at the stands and flashed her a smile. What about you? Mason give you the tour?

Yes. They have an art room and guess what? I got to paint! Serafina's fingers twitched happily with the memory.

That's awesome, Ser, Ian said before his attention was drawn back to the coach, who was explaining something to the group with a series of hand gestures. 

Serafina's eyes moved to Connor next, who was in a different group of boys running back and forth between two cones. Connor was one of the fastest. Her boyfriend's brother, Serafina thought with a goofy smile. I have a boyfriend.