Hot Off the Press (Ridgemont University Book 1)

by Meredith Taylor

The gathering in the swimming team’s clubhouse had turned from a more formal celebration into a raucous party. Coach Tyson and the national recruiters had left after a few hours of meeting the players and congratulating the semifinalists, and the team had taken the opportunity to invite many other students to join in their first blowout party of the year. The swim team’s parties were legendary on campus, and the team members themselves were notorious for how raucous they became during these parties. Music was blaring from a sound system in the lounge area, and the lavish interior and expensive furniture gave the clubhouse a distinctive Ridgemont flair of pomp and prestige. On the walls around the main hall were pictures of the swim teams of previous years, and a trophy case displayed all of the successes that the team had achieved in their illustrious history.

  JP sat on a couch in the lounge area next to the reception desk that was being used as a bar, his leg over the side and his arms stretched out. A first-year student, Emma, sat cuddled against him and looked around the room with a disaffected stare. JP wore a tight blue striped shirt, light jeans that showed off his swimmer’s legs, and a pair of expensive boots. His tanned neck and face contrasted with his intense blue eyes. He bobbed his head along to the song that filled the room, watching the antics of some of the other swimmers as they played drinking games.

  Emma tapped JP on his arm, throwing her long dark hair over her shoulder as she moved to his ear and said, “You’re so hot.” JP kissed her wildly, and he saw some of the other guys on the team watching him. He knew they were jealous that a girl like Emma was spending time with him. JP had never had trouble finding a girl to keep him company for a night, but he was always bored at how vapid most of them were, and how much some of them would fawn over him. He got up and grabbed a beer from the bar, and downed it in three big gulps.

  His best friend on the team, Peet, came over to him then, and slapped him hard on his shoulder: “Having fun, I see, JP.”

  JP took another beer and raised it at Peet: “Always,” he said, a mischievous glint in his eye.

  He felt his phone vibrating in his pocket and checked it. He saw that the call was from his grandfather, and he felt the frustration building in him. What did the old man want now? He knew that he had no choice but to answer. His grandfather was the one paying for JP’s flat and giving him an allowance. His parents had said that they would not pay for the luxuries that JP wanted, but his grandfather gave him enough money to maintain his lifestyle. “A Terreblanche man shouldn’t live like a commoner. He should have everything he needs and wants,” the old man had said at the time. JP sometimes regretted taking the money from the old man, because he knew that it came with expectations. JP would have to take over the family business one day, a business that his father and grandfather had already spent their entire lives building into a leading international investment firm. JP would inherit all of their wealth and status, but he had to follow his grandfather’s rules in order to be seen as good enough.

  JP went outside to the clubhouse’s pool area, where the music was not as loud, and answered his grandfather’s call. “Oupa, how are you?” he said.

  “JP, why is there so much music in the background? What are you doing?”

  “I’m with the swim team, Oupa. We just had a prize giving and we are celebrating.”

  The old man’s voice was stern and commanding: “Do you really think you have the time to be partying like a common hooligan, JP? Is that what we are sending you to Ridgemont for?”

  JP tried to control his frustration, and reminded himself that he had to stay in the old man’s good graces. “It’s just a small get together, Oupa. Nothing to worry about.”

  “Well it looks like there is a lot to worry about. I just received your term report. It looks like your studies are suffering. What do you have to say for yourself?”

  JP felt blood rushing to his face. He hated it when he had to explain himself to his grandfather. He felt like a small child trying to find excuses. “It’s just a small hiccup, Oupa. First term adjustment. I am working hard and I will pass everything.”

  “I’m not paying so much for you to be there and live in a nice flat just so that you can have hiccups. This is not time for fun and games, JP. In a few years you need to be ready to shadow me at work every day. Your father will never be good enough to run this company. You need to be a real Terreblanche man and take your responsibilities seriously.”

  “I take it all very seriously, Oupa. There’s no need to talk to me like that.” JP was ready to say much worse, and it took everything in him to restrain himself.

  “Don’t try and tell me how I can talk. I’ll talk to you exactly like I want to. You are starting to act like a spoiled, lazy child, and if your grades aren’t better, I expect you to cut out frivolous things like parties and swimming and get more serious. Do you understand me, boy?”

  JP was biting his lower lip. His eyes were tearing with fury. “Yes, Oupa,” he managed to say. “I have to go now. I’ll talk to you soon.”

  JP heard a click in his ear before he received an answer. He was just about ready to throw his phone against a wall, but he simply walked inside to the lounge area of the clubhouse and gulped down another beer.

  Peet saw him then, and came over to him laughing: “What’s wrong, JP? Why do you look so pissed? It’s a party man, don’t get your panties in a bunch.”

  “It’s nothing,” JP said, seething. “Just some unnecessary nonsense I needed to deal with. Let’s have another drink.”

  JP’s eyes went to the door of the clubhouse then, and he saw Darryn Fredericks enter the party. Some of the other guys on the team went up to him to congratulate him on winning his race. JP saw that he was with his friend, Mario, the other coloured guy on the swim team. He immediately felt a smile cross his lips, and some of his anger dissipated. He knew that Darryn didn’t like him, and for some reason, taunting Darryn was very satisfying for JP. Darryn had an arrogant, aloof attitude towards the rest of the swim team, and hardly ever came to the parties that they hosted. JP thought that Darryn’s attitude must have meant that he felt superior to them, and he couldn’t stand Darryn’s constant detached glances. Why did he even come to the party if he didn’t like anyone on the team?

  Peet was also smiling at spotting Darryn. “Looks like our best friend is here, hey,” he laughed indulgently. “Maybe I should go and say hello.”

  “You go ahead, Peet. I don’t have time for such uptight people tonight,” JP said. He went back to sit next to Emma, who was still patiently waiting for him to return to the couch.

  JP was close enough to hear what Peet was saying to Darryn: “There he is, the champion swimmer. Coach’s pet, hey? Congratulations on your win today, mate.” Peet played a childish prank on Darryn where he pretended to want to shake his hand and pulled away as Darryn put his hand out. JP laughed at how silly his friend was being.

  “Listen, I only came here because Coach said that there would be recruiters. But it looks like everyone important has left already, so I guess we will be leaving too,” Darryn said. Mario stood by his side, seeming uncomfortable. JP was amazed at Darryn’s arrogance.

  Peet spoke again, louder than the music, which had been turned down so that the rest of the party could focus on the exchange. “Listen here, mister, you have a chip on your shoulder, don’t you. You are so entitled that you think you can just come in here and say whatever you want. Everyone knows you are on a free ride, so don’t act like we owe you anything.”

  Darryn was being obstinate and standing his ground, even though Mario was trying to pull him away. JP decided to get up and intervene before things got ugly. Even though Darryn annoyed him, he didn’t want Coach to find out that they had gotten into a drunken brawl with their teammate.

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa,” JP said as he reached them. “Let’s not get too heated. Why don’t you come and have a drink with us, Darryn? We should celebrate our victories today. Next time, hey, Mario,” JP said.

  “I don’t want to have a drink w
ith people like you,” Darryn burst out.

  JP was getting annoyed. He said, “Look, I’m trying here. There’s no need to keep being so difficult with all of us. How do you expect us to treat you when you keep talking to us like this?” JP suddenly felt all of the eyes in the room on him, and he began to feel self-conscious. He knew that he would be embarrassed if Darryn continued to be difficult with him in front of everyone. “Why don’t we just go outside and cool off a bit?”

  Peet grabbed Darryn’s arm and started dragging him outside, “Yeah, let’s go cool off a bit.” He was laughing as he continued to drag Darryn, who tried to fight him off. JP looked on, horrified.

  “Let him go, Peet. There’s no need for that, man,” JP said as Peet and some other guys on the team laughed and dragged Darryn outside. He followed them to the pool area.

  “No, he’s the swimming champion, isn’t he? Let’s see how he swims tonight.”

  JP saw the situation deteriorating, and walked ahead of Peet and the other guys who had left Darryn standing at the edge of the pool. “Let him go, guys. Rather just let him leave so that this doesn’t escalate.”

  Darryn’s face was red and filled with anger. He was clearly hurt by what the other guys were doing to him. “I knew I shouldn’t have come here,” he shouted at them. “You all think the world revolves around you, that you can treat the rest of us any way you want.”

  JP felt sorry for him. He knew that Peet could be relentless, and he didn’t want Darryn to be a victim of his childish games any longer. “Darryn, why don’t you just go? Let him get past you, guys,” JP said, trying to diffuse the tensions which were building.

  Darryn lashed out: “You don’t talk to me. I saw the way you were looking at me before my race today. I know what you think of me. I’m sorry I don’t have a perfect life like you do,” Darryn shouted at JP.

  “Perfect life? Don’t talk about things that you know nothing about, okay? I’m trying to help you here.”

  “Help me? I don’t need your help. Why don’t you just go back to your little cushy life where mommy and daddy pay to make everything right?”

  JP couldn’t control himself then. He saw red, and before he even made a conscious decision, he shoved hard on Darryn’s chest, and Darryn flew back into the pool. He shouted, “Don’t bring my family into this!”

  Darryn landed in the pool with a loud splash. The music came to a sudden stop and JP heard a voice yelling behind him, “What’s going on here?” Coach Tyson stood there, looking at the scene with shock.

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