Hooped #4 (The Hooped Interracial Romance Series, Book #4) (8 page)

But that was silly. I had never really been
superstitious in my life; it wasn’t a great time to start, especially since I
was sure that Devon would want me to keep going to games for the rest of the
season once he was back on the team. I wandered around the stands, watching the
basketball bunnies and fans talking amongst themselves as they started for the
exits. I knew there’d be a gaggle of girls outside of the locker rooms, hoping
to hook up with one of the players. There would probably be more than a few
reporters milling around also, hoping for a good sound bite, a good quote for
their story. I wondered how many of them were still following the story of
Devon’s scandal, whether they were just waiting to see if he passed the test, or
if they were going to try and get to him to ask him. Whatever the case, I
decided, Devon would be able to handle it; he had been able to answer the
questions of the fans around us without even batting an eyelash. He would be
great as a pro player.

After a few minutes, I decided that if Devon was going
to be hanging with his boys, I might as well take the opportunity to run to the
bathroom. I knew that even if he wanted to study when we got back to the frat
house, eventually we would end up fooling around again, and the soda and the
bottle of water he had bought me were starting to have an effect I couldn’t put
off dealing with. I made my way towards the exit, looking around at the
emptying stands, the court absolutely barren of players. I tried to imagine
Devon hanging out in the locker room, celebrating with his teammates, laughing
and joking.

After the exciting nail-biter of a game, everyone was
obviously hurrying to get back on campus proper, to head to one of the frats or
maybe the student union to party, and it was a little strange how quickly the
arena had emptied out. I made my way towards the ladies’ room, smiling to
myself idly, thinking about how good a time I had had, and how much fun Devon
was doubtless having. I hoped that he would be able to pass the test with
flying colors and vindicate himself soon. In spite of the fact that I loved
having more time with him, and that watching the game with him next to me had
been great, I knew he would much rather be on the court. It wasn’t right for
him to be anywhere else.

I finally made it to the bathroom; it was echoingly
empty, and it felt weird to be there, knowing that the crews
were
already getting to work cleaning up the
whole arena, knowing that there was no one else around. I shivered, checking my
phone to make sure that Devon hadn’t already texted me. He probably wouldn’t be
much longer—I hoped he wouldn’t
anyway
—but
he hadn’t finished up with the rest of the team yet. I went into a stall and
took care of business, thinking of what studying we’d have to do. I didn’t even
really want to study; I wanted nothing more than to snuggle up close in Devon’s
arms and watch TV, or make love all night. It wasn’t like me—but I enjoyed the
feeling anyway. I was giddy and contented and happy; it amazed me to think that
only a couple of weeks earlier, while I managed to make it to a few parties, I
would never have thought that I’d lose my virginity on a whim, find a boyfriend
I liked—or have experienced any of the things I had in the past several days.
It was almost unbelievable how fast everything had happened. I checked my phone
again to find no text from
Devon
and
finished up in the stall. I’d wander around a bit, and if he was in the locker
room for much longer I’d head in that direction so it wouldn’t take forever to
meet up with him and go back to the frat house.

Chapter
Ten

I went out of the stall to wash my hands, thinking of
how the rest of the night would go. I heard one of the other toilets flushing
behind me and frowned; I hadn’t noticed anyone else in the bathroom when I came
in, and as far as I had been aware, no one had come in after me—but apparently
there was someone else.
No big deal,
I told myself, shaking my head.
You can’t
be the only one who downed one of the giant sodas here.
I rinsed the soap
suds off of my hands and heard the creak and clank of the door-latch to one of
the stalls flipping open. I looked in the mirror, glancing at the stall that
was opening behind me.

My mouth nearly fell open when none other than Kelly
came out of the stall. She started slightly at the sight of me; I decided that
she probably hadn’t planned our run-in any more than I had, although I couldn’t
think it was pure coincidence that she had come to the game, not when I knew
that she was into Devon. “Hey,” she said, giving me a slight, tight smile as
she moved to the sink area.

“I’ve got nothing to say to you,” I told her, stepping
over to the towel dispenser. I thought about the fact that she had tried to
sabotage Devon and me before we had even properly decided to be together and
felt a brittle, hot anger well up in me. I’d just head straight for the locker
rooms; I didn’t want anything to do with Kelly at all anymore.

“Wait—Jenn, I need to tell you something.” I frowned,
pulling a few paper towels free of the dispenser and wiping my hands on them.
In spite of myself, I had to admit that I was curious; what could she possibly
have to say to me? That she was sorry?

I leaned against the counter, watching as Kelly washed
her hands quickly. “Go ahead. But if it’s that Devon is some asshole, I don’t
really want to hear it.” Kelly blushed slightly, and she grabbed a handful of
paper towels from the other dispenser.

“Look—I did something stupid, and it was wrong, but
just hear me out.” That was not a promising start.

“What did you do?” I asked, crossing my arms over my
chest. Kelly looked down at the floor for a moment, looking genuinely ashamed,
and I was worried; had she done something to further sabotage Devon?

“It’s my fault that Devon has to retake the test,”
Kelly said quickly.

“How is it your fault?” I stared at her in shock. I
remembered—suddenly—her saying as I left the dorm after our fight that Devon
and I would both get what we deserved.

“I know the guy who took the test for him,” Kelly
said. “He—he swore me to secrecy about it, but Devon paid one of his friends at
school to take his ACT, and the guy told me about it. The guy goes here too. I
didn’t sell him out, but I told the Academic Integrity board about it.” My
mouth fell
open,
and I just stared at her
in silence for a long moment.

“Are you serious? You could get that guy in trouble
too! Don’t you think that they’re going to try and figure out who Devon got
help from? Who the hell could ever want to be your friend?” I shook my head.
“What Devon did is wrong but…Jesus, Kelly. What the hell is wrong with you?”

“They’re not going to figure out who Devon got to do
it,” Kelly said, brushing the concern aside. “The other guy is in the clear.”

“You don’t even know that!”

“Please. They had to investigate, but you and I both
know that they want to make the investigation as short and small as possible.
Devon will retake the test, and it’ll all go away.” She sounded incredibly
bitter; I remembered, ruefully, my own bitterness at the fact that the school
was more interested in keeping their sports stars playing than they were in
actual academic integrity. She was right—the school wouldn’t look into it too
much, not if Devon had already admitted that he’d cheated, and not now that he
was doing what he could to fix the situation.

“Still,” I said, shaking my head. “What the hell is
wrong with you? Why would you do something like that?” Kelly snorted.

“Seriously, you’re going to try and justify what he
did? He had it coming to him.” She hesitated and sighed, looking at her hands.
“It’s stupid and petty but—I was so pissed off at him, and at you. I wanted to
ruin his whole life.”

“Yeah, well, that was an excellent attempt. If he
can’t pass the test this time with a high enough score, his whole career is
over,
and he won’t be able to get a degree
anywhere.”

“I know,” Kelly said, a faint look
of
satisfaction in her eyes, in spite of how
contrite her voice sounded. “I just couldn’t believe that you would choose him
over
me,
and that he’d...” She shook her
head. “Jenn, I’ve wanted him ever since we first hooked up. It’s not fair that
you got him.”

“Fair has nothing to do with it!” I glared at her. “If
I hadn’t even come to this school, he still wouldn’t have chosen you—because
he’d already decided he didn’t want to be with you before I started.”

“I know it’s stupid, I know it’s petty.” Kelly sighed.
“I know you’ll probably never forgive me for it, but you need to be careful.” I
rolled my eyes.

“Please, the last time you tried to give me advice you
were lying through your teeth. Why should I believe you now?” Kelly held my
gaze, barely even blinking.

“Do you really think a guy like Devon can possibly
change that much? He admitted to you that he was a player, that he totally did
all of the things everyone accuses him of. Did he admit to you that he cheated
on the ACT?” I nodded.

“He’s been nothing but honest with me; unlike you.”
Kelly sighed.

“Don’t you see he’s playing you? I mean, sure—he
probably does want to do better on his retake of the test. But just because he
didn’t want to bang you and forget you doesn’t mean he’s not using you.” I
rolled my eyes again.

“How is he using me? He just wants some help
studying—and I’m the best person to help him.” Kelly laughed.

“Yeah, sure, of
course
he wants help studying. He wants to be able to play again. He doesn’t want to
get kicked out of school. As soon as he passes that test, he’s going to kick
you to the curb, just like every other girl he’s ever been with.”

“He would still want to be with me even if I refused
to help him,” I told Kelly, even though her words sent a chill
through
me.

“You’re so fucking naïve, Jenn. He figured out that
you’re one of the smartest girls on campus, so of course he’s going to keep you
around. He’ll get you to help him, and then once you’re not worth anything to
him anymore, he’ll find another girl to give him what he wants.”

“So what was he doing before you threw him under the
bus? I mean—it’s not like he needed me to help him study then.” Kelly shrugged.

“You’re useful to him. Before it was probably that you
were a good lay, or something like that, who knows? But now? Now you’re the
girl who’s going to help him pass the ACT and prove that he’s not a cheater.
But how likely do you really think it is that he’s serious about being a better
person?” She shrugged. “He’s a selfish asshole, and if you don’t believe that,
ask the other girls he’s dumped.”

“You are too much,” I said, shaking my head. In spite
of my
bravado,
I could feel her words
sinking hooks into my brain. “You’ve lied to me from the very beginning, and
you expect me to believe a word that comes out of your mouth now? You just
admitted to me that you risked a friend’s academic career to get back at Devon
for dumping you.”

“Devon doesn’t like you—he doesn’t like anyone. He
certainly doesn’t love you.” Kelly laughed shortly. “The only person that Devon
Sealy loves is himself. The only thing he cares about is getting what he wants.
What he wants right now is to get back on the team and get
off
suspension. Once he gets that with your
help, you’re totally useless to him. He’ll be back to banging whoever he feels
like in no time.” She threw away the paper towels in her hands and walked out
of the bathroom, leaving me all alone.

I stood there in the echoingly silent room, my mind
swirling with disbelief and doubt. Devon had never been anything but honest
with me; he had even come clean about being a player who used girls. He had
admitted everything—but only when it came
out
and he had to. From what my other friends had said about him, everything that
Kelly had ever accused him of was right. Was I just being a naïve idiot to
think that he was really serious, and really wanted to turn over a new leaf and
be a better person? I wanted to believe it. He had been so completely candid.
He had been so attentive, had begged me to hear him out.

But I couldn’t deny the fact that his past spoke
volumes about him. Could a guy really go from sleeping around and dropping
girls the minute he got tired of them to being serious? I thought about how I
had felt when he’d told me about cheating on the ACT. My impulse had been to
have nothing at all to do with him ever again. Had that been the right thought
all along? I couldn’t help but think—even though I didn’t want to—that in spite
of the fact that Kelly had been lying to me, and her bitterness had driven her
to try and get revenge on a guy she couldn’t have, that there had to be a grain
of truth in what she’d said. Maybe I was a naïve idiot after all.

Continued in Hooped #5,
the hooped series.
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