Pinehurst: A Magical Olympian Adventure-Young Adult Romantic Adventure/Fantasy Novel by Nicole Grane

walked close beside me.
    “So Hollyander, you coming to class today?” Chad flanked my other side, attempting to put his arm around me. I shrugged away, causing some snickers from the others. He shot them a stern look.
    “I’ll be there.” I quickened my pace. This was one octopus that could keep his tentacles to himself!
    “Good, we wouldn’t want you to give up after only one day.” I could hear the false concern in his voice. I rolled my eyes. “But if you did, we’d understand.” He baited the hook. “I mean, I’d hate sparring with a bunch of men if I were you. You might get hurt.”
    I held back a laugh. “I don’t think that will be a concern.”
    “Oh man, Chad, I think you just got slammed.” Victor was a little quicker than the rest. He nudged my elbow and winked.
    I couldn’t help but grin back. Victor was easy on the eyes and he seemed nice too. He and Iris would make a good match. Too bad he hung out with Chad’s jerk squad.
    “You’re not one of the guys,” Chad barked in my ear.
    “Clearly, although, with the amount of steroids you’re pumping in, I don’t consider myself the only girl on the team.” I eyed his bigger than my B cup chest.
    Chad stepped in front of me, stopping me short. He didn’t look so friendly anymore.
    “What do you think you’re doing?” I snapped. I could see the uneasy expressions of the others in my peripheral.
    “Do you think you’re going to fit in, Little Girl?”
    “Little girl?” I folded my arms, asserting myself in front of him. I was not backing down from this jerk. No way!
    “Do you really think I care what you think?” My tone was every bit as surly as his.
    Chad moved closer, his massive body pressing slightly up against mine. His eyes narrowed.
    I smirked. “Shall I kick you in the nuts now, or later?” True I was half his size but I was fairly certain it would take little effort on my part to hit my mark.
    “Chad, come on man, back off.” A boy, I think they called him Wyatt, had his hand on Chad’s arm, attempting to move him away.
    Chad shrugged away from him, his eyes still fixed on mine.
    “Chad, this isn’t cool,” Victor spoke up. All signs of humor were gone. “Leave her alone, man.” He stood shoulder to shoulder with me. What the hell were these guys hanging out with this Neanderthal for? Did they really want to be lumped in the same class as him?
    “You will never be a Slayer,” Chad spat. “You don’t have what it takes.”
    “Gunny seems to think I do.” I didn’t know where that came from. I’d just been telling the girls that I didn’t want to be a Slayer. That it was too hard. Now I was defending the very idea that I could be, just to prove a point to this over-sized ape?
    “What’s going on here?” An unfamiliar voice spoke from behind the crowd. It was deep and rich with an accent I’d never heard before.
    “Antonio.” Chad looked away from me for a moment, his expression becoming uneasy.
    My eyes followed. A tall boy with dark hair and eyes approached. He looked a few years older than I was. His body was more defined than my classmates here, with the exception of Chad. Although this boy, Antonio, looked to be more physically fit. There was something about the way he carried himself. The others gave him a wide berth as he weaved in between them. I looked closer . . . it was the boy from the dining hall—the one who’d been watching me from behind his book. I’d know those eyes anywhere. They were dreamy . . . dreamy? That so did not sound like me.
    Antonio took a look at the close proximity of Chad to me. “You’re not planning on hitting a girl are you?” There was an edge to his voice.
    Hell yeah ! Chad grinned. She needs an ass kicking!
    I looked at him incredulously as if he’d shouted that from the rooftops. Yet . . . his lips hadn’t moved? I studied his face. Was I going crazy? That was exactly what he’d been planning to do. I was certain of it. I could hear him screaming the