Free Charity Rising (Charity Series Book 2) by DeAnna Kinney Page A

the center of the chaos. Josh jumped in front of her, receiving the glob of jel o intended for her.
    “Levi, this is getting out of hand.” With that he ran in to join the fight. Of course I ran in after him, losing sight of him as someone smacked me in the back with a plate of food. I spun to see Bunnie, the meanest girl in school, laughing. But she didn’t scare me, I practical y lived with
    werewolves. Not to mention my staking of a very annoying redheaded vampire only weeks earlier. Compared to that, she was a walk in the park. I
    turned to the table behind me and grabbed a cup of tea, launching it and hitting her in the face. I would’ve laughed, but unfortunately it also splashed Kevin, a boy standing nearby. Oops. He started after me. I turned to run and slipped, fal ing into a pile of food, with ketchup being the dominant ingredient. I really hate the smell of ketchup. Kevin stood over me laughing until a glob of chocolate pudding hit him on the side of the head.
    I glanced up and recognized Toby’s smug expression. I smiled. “Thanks, Tobe.”
    “No problem!” he yel ed, smiling goofy and giving me two thumbs up, then bolting as Kevin made off after him.
    The principal charged on the scene, with some teachers tight on his heels. Levi helped me to my feet and ushered me to safety against the
    far wal of the room.
    I watched in amusement as the adults tried unsuccessful y to stop the chaos, only succeeding in getting themselves total y covered in edible
    wear.
    When the dust final y settled, some fifteen minutes later, most of the student body was covered in food, the cafeteria was totaled, and Levi
    was untouched. Go figure.
    Levi was escorting me to my car, so I could go home, shower, and change, when Principal Lewis approached.
    “Levi Drake!”
    He turned to him. “Yes sir.”
    His expression was hard. “I have witnesses that say you were the instigator of the fight. I need to see you in my office right now.”
    “Mr. Lewis,” I intervened, “Levi was with me when the fight broke out. We weren’t even in the cafeteria. We came in later.”
    “I appreciate what you’re trying to do, young lady, but I’l get to the bottom of this matter. Levi, come with me.”
    “But—”
    “Charity, it’s okay,” Levi said. “You go home. I’l see you later.” He left me there alone as he fol owed the principal back toward the school,
    giving me one last glance over his shoulder.
    I was dumbfounded. How could someone say Levi started the fight? That was so ridiculous. Levi would never start a fight, even if he weren’t
    with me at the time. I too would get to the bottom of it. Instead of going home I decided to wait for him.
    An hour passed when he final y came walking through the parking lot, hands in his pockets, head held low. I jumped out of my car and ran to
    him. “Levi! What happened?”
    “Charity, you were supposed to go home and get changed and showered. You didn’t need to wait on me.”
    “Moot point. What happened?”
    “He’s considering suspending me.”
    “What?!”
    “Jackson said I walked up to him in the lunchroom and punched him in the face. He said there were witnesses. And he had a black eye.”
    “But why would Jackson say that?”
    “I don’t know, but the principal believed him. He cal ed my parents and they’re meeting with him later today.”
    “I won’t let him suspend you, Levi. You’re making good grades and you’ve not caused any trouble. This could wreck everything for you. It’s
    almost graduation for Pete’s sake.”
    “It’l be fine, Charity. I don’t want you involved in any of this. Do you hear me?”
    “Sure,” I said, chewing on my nail while deep in thought.
    “Charity!”
    I looked up at him and smiled. “You’re the boss.”
    He narrowed his eyes in suspicion but didn’t comment any further.
    He fol owed me al the way home, waiting until I was in the house to leave, and once he was gone, I ran to my car and headed back to school.
    I sat in