Page 70 of Gabriel
“You should be,” he says. “I don’t know why he’s so worked up over you,” he dips his chin toward me, “but Holt is on a warpath. He already went to Coach and tried to get you kicked off the team.”
My eyes widen. “What the fuck?”
“It didn’t work.” Julio shrugs and I whirl on him.
“You knew about this?”
Does he have the decency to show at least a little remorse? Of course not. He’s too sure of himself for that.
“I’m team Captain. I see everything.” He toys with the leather wolf bracelet on his wrist. We all have one. Allie bought them for us as an early graduation gift when we received our acceptance letters from PacNorth. Fucking friendship bracelets is what they are, not that you’ll hear any of us complain about it. Like it’s some unspoken rule, not a day goes by where we don’t wear them. They come off for games and showers and that’s about it. Julio claps my back. “You had other things to worry about.” He gives me a knowing look. “And you know I’ve got your back. I’m not about to let Holt throw his weight around and fuck with my team.”
“That might be true,” Rion says. “But, don’t think he’s done. His parents are pretty powerful people in town and his momserves on the board. He’s not letting whatever is going on with you two go.”
Good to know. “Appreciate the heads up.” I hold out my hand and Rion accepts it. He’s a sophomore and a Greek, so our paths don’t cross off the field, but I won’t forget the warning. I appreciate the solid he’s doing me, putting his neck out for me when we both know Holt can just as quickly turn on him. In Holt’s eyes, Pru warning me is a betrayal.
Rion heads for the exit and I turn back to grab my things when Felix calls after him. “You need to find new friends,” he tells him.
“I like the ones I have.”
Felix tsks. “You seem like a decent guy, so I’m gonna let you in on something. Do with it what you will.”
Pru hesitates, his palm on the door.
“Over break, Holt, Benson, and Chambers raped a girl at a party.” My head snaps toward him. The fuck? He’s dead serious. I look at Julio, seeing the same surprise and anger reflected on his face. Pru, on the other hand, looks a little green.
“You need to ask yourself what kind of person you want to be,” Felix tells him. “Because if it’s anything like Holt?— “
“It isn’t,” he assures us. “I’m not close with the guy, but he’s in my fraternity. I can’t do anything about that.”
“You could clean house,” Julio deadpans.
“I’m a sophomore. I don’t have that kind of power.”
“Then get it. You don’t look surprised by what Felix said. Did you know?” I ask.
He violently shakes his head. “I didn’t. I swear.” For his sake, I hope he’s not lying. To us or himself.
“What is it, then?” Felix pries. “If you know something, you need to tell us.”
Pru’s shoulders slump, and he hangs his head. “I didn’t know,” he begins. “But I’m not surprised. Holt and the guys he’sclose with, they brag a lot about the girls they hook up with. They pass around a lot of videos. Make a lot of jokes that aren’t really jokes, if you know what I mean?”
Videos? My mind catches on that single word and a red haze drops over my vision. Rage threatens to drown me. I lunge forward, grabbing Rion by the neck and slamming him into the wall at his back. “He has videos and you’re just now saying something about it?” I seethe.
Eyes wide, he doesn’t even try to fight me off as he swallows hard, struggling to speak. “I’ve never watched them,” he wheezes. “I swear. They were just sex tapes the guys liked to pass around. I assumed the girls were in on it.”
I shove away from him in disgust.
Felix leans beside him, his expression casual, but I know him better than that. He’s as pissed as I am. He’s just better at hiding it. “Where do Holt and his buddies keep these videos?” he asks.
Rion rubs his neck. “I don’t want to get involved in?— “
“Too late,” I snap.
“Here’s what you’re gonna do—“ I walk away, leaving Felix to map out whatever plan he’s got cooked up in that head of his. I don’t care how crazy it is. If there’s video footage of Holt or anyone else fucking Cecilia, we’ll do whatever it takes to find it and destroy it. Making sure it never sees the light of day again.
Something I plan to do to Holt.
I take a seat on a bench, head in my hands, and try to wrap my head around this shit. Holt, Benson, and Chambers raped her. It wasn’t just one of them. They all had a go at her. My chest heaves, rage building inside of me. I fist my hands in my hair. I need to do something. Hit something.
