“Tate King folks,” I say to myself, laughing under my breath with a goofy smile.
The elevator stops on my floor, and I walk the short distance to my suite, still grinning like a fool.
Shutting my door, I’m instantly confronted by Courtney. “You have some explaining to do! Were you just walking into the building with Tate mother fucking King!?”
I roll my eyes. “Yeah, looks I’m like stuck with him for the next few months. He’s the guy they paired me up with.”
“Oh god, I’m so jealous!” She squeals clapping and jumping like an idiot.
“Calm your tits.” Her small boobs are bouncing out of her tank top. “Seriously, it’s not a big deal. He’s just a guy.”
She snorts. “Not just any guy, he’s the guy,” she stresses. “I swear, if I hadn’t known you’ve had sex before, I would totally think you were a lesbian or heck, a virgin.” She shudders at the thought. “Only you would think that Tate King was just a guy.” She’s shaking her head in disbelief.
“Can you not tell people about this, please? I don’t want random people trying to be my friend, or suddenly finding myself having enemies for having to work with him. Remember Julie?” I’ve seen it a million times on campus. My friend Julie dated Big Will, the starting forward for the basketball team and suddenly she was famous on campus. People went out of their way to crawl up her ass, and when they broke-up…they all dropped her. She became irrelevant, and Will’s new girlfriend was on cloud nine, soaking up the attention from Julie’s old friends.
“Always the party pooper,” Courtney grumbles quietly, sulking back to her bed.
She doesn’t get it, I’m trying so hard to have my dream, to work with the best, but it doesn’t mean I don’t like to have fun. I love fun, but the last time I had too much fun I ended up not getting to dance in the spring recital. That was the worst feeling I ever had.
“Okay, I will give you some details that prove I’m not completely immune to Tate King.”
She perks up instantly. Her face lights up like a kid getting candy. She’s so easy. “Spill the beans, woman. I’m dying here!” She insists, getting all up in my face and dragging me to the couch. “But first, I need popcorn.” She goes over the microwave in our small kitchen and pops a bag in.
“All right, all right, don’t stroke out one me. Sheesh.” I fold my legs under my butt. “So, he was late, and I gave him my spiel about being tardy. I was super pissed, but then he stripped down to his skivvies and that man has a body. One I’d like to lick, if it wasn’t attached him.”
She shoves me playfully nearly knocking me to the floor as she slides next to me with her bag of buttery goodness. “Okay, but that still doesn’t tell me why he had his arms around you…” she trails off raising a brow and shoving a handful of popcorn in her mouth.
I don’t go into specifics but tell her how Keith tried talking to me and Tate intervened by putting him in his place. Court knows how Keith gets. She’s threatened to cut off his balls on more than one occasion.
She wipes the grease from her palm on her shorts and I cringe. She is such a slob. I know, like I’m one to talk. Last night’s sandwich is still on my bed.
“We’ve got to get you a new man. A king,” she teases.
“Uh, no. Not happening. Not making that mistake again. Being burned once was enough. And you know I don’t have time for much of a social life.”
“Exactly! Which is why we are going out this weekend before you get back in serious no fun mode.”
I groan throwing my head back against the cushion.
“You owe me. Do I not hook you up with good food?”
“Yes,” I concede. She knows good food is my weakness.
“I might have a coupon for dessert.” She waggles her brows. “If you introduce me sometime, since you aren’t going to hit that.”
I smack her with a pillow.
“Don’t tell me you’re jealous already.”
“Pfftt. Have at him.” I smile, although on the inside, the thought stabs at me. I don’t even know why. I should deliver him to Courtney’s man hungry clutches on a silver platter. She’d eat him alive. Might be good for his ego.
Chapter 5
Tate
I
thought I was going to have to beat that Johanna chick off with a stick. She totally interrupted my flirting with Amaya too. I groan, remembering how sexy she was when I first walked up on her in the studio. That woman knows how to work her body. I couldn’t stand for Keith to try to weasel his way back in. She might be stuck up, but even she doesn’t deserve that loser. He has no class. Treats girls like shit. Strings them along pretending he wants to be serious about them until they give it up. Then he’s onto the next willing participant. Can’t stand dudes like him. I was raised to respect women.
I’ve fucked around, but I’m upfront. The chicks I bang know what I’m about, and I usually am able to avoid the girls that don’t understand the meaning of a onetime fuck.
Big Tex and Bucky are arm wrestling on the kitchen counter when I get in. “Dude, your dad’s been trying to text you. He called me an hour ago,” Big Tex grunts before slamming Bucky’s arm down. I don’t know why B bothers going up against Tex. He doesn’t stand a chance.
“I’ll give him a call. Thanks, man.” Amaya insisted on no phones while we’re practicing. It’s one of her rules.
I go to my room with every intention of calling my old man back, but my laptop is still open and on Amaya’s face. I can’t help but stare. I wonder what her story is? I can’t believe we’ve been living in the same building and never crossed paths. But then again, I try to avoid the chicks in this tower. I don’t want someone forming an attachment to me and having to worry about avoiding them constantly. That’s not my style. The girls I’ve been with in the past all knew up front that I don’t do the whole relationship thing. I don’t want to waste my time when I know they aren’t the one for me. I’m too damn close to getting what I want, but Amaya has me thinking and feeling things I’m not used to. I want to know her. I want to protect her from dicks like her ex.
My phone buzzes in my back pocket. My dad. “Hey, old man. I was getting ready to call you. My phone was off.” I pause as he talks. “Yeah, I’ll be down tomorrow. Adams is driving home so I can ride with him.”
Adams dates a chick that lives near my folks. He goes to see her almost every free minute we have. I’m surprised coach let us off this weekend.
We shoot the shit talking about the upcoming game against Alabama and the draft. It’s a way off, but I know I’ll get picked. I’ve got this in the bag.
**
“You’re not going to start prancing around in a tutu and pink slippers are ya, man?”
“Fuck off,” I growl at my dad.
“I can picture it now. Hey, Raul,” he shouts to my stepdad. Raul comes in with a bowl of chips a few beers. “We’ll need to find Tate a tutu!” He says laughing.
“It’s not funny! Seriously, back off.”
“Oh, come on, kid. We’re just razzing ya. Don’t be so damn uptight,” Raul says. “It will be pretty funny though. Can’t wait to see you dancing on stage.” He busts out laughing.
Assholes.
“I’m not dancing on no damn stage,” I grit out in frustration.
“You meanies leave him alone. I bet he dances gracefully,” my mom chimes in, making shit worse.
I bury my face in a pillow and give up. They’ll never let this shit go.
“So, who’s your partner?” Cindy asks, trying to be civil.
Most people think it’s weird that my parents have dinner together after all these years since they divorced when I was nine, but they’ve always been cool with one another. Dad and my stepdad, Raul work together, and Mom and Cindy went to high school together. Sure as shit made things easier for me growing up that they all get along.
“Her name’s Amaya. I don’t know much about her, yet.”
“Yet?” Mom asks. She keeps bringing more snacks and
setting them up on the table. You’d think she was feeding my whole team.
Shit! I didn’t mean it like that.
“Look at his face, Steve! He’s in love,” Cindy declares. Her smile stretches from ear to ear.
They’re all laughing, assholes.
“What’s she look like?” Cindy asks, leaning forward to hand me a beer.
“She’s a tiny thing. Slim but has muscle tone. She has a dancer’s body, ya know? Ballerina and all that. But her laugh, when she laughs, her smile really pops. And her eyes. She has the most beautiful caramel eyes. They are so warm, like the middle of those cookies you made at Christmas. Her hair is not too dark but not blonde either. She has a pink stripe underneath that she tries to hide.” I smile thinking about her.
“But you noticed all that, did ya?” Dad grins.
Fuck.
“You should bring her to the next dinner party,” Raul suggests and that’s it, they’re all on me, swarming me with questions and demands. I’m never going to get them off my back until they meet her. I should’ve kept my mouth shut.
The game starts and mom’s pager goes off. She’s being called into work.
“Darn,” Mom says, looking at her phone. “One of my clients just got arrested, I have to get down to the police station.” Mom’s job as a defense attorney can sometimes mean she has to go at any time. Used to bug me as a kid, me playing sports, having a game, and she’d either not be able to show up, or end up leaving before it was over. But as I got older, it didn’t bother me, especially since she at least made the effort. Which is more than I can say for some of the other kids’ parents growing up.
Dad and Raul own their own doctors’ clinic, they both got tired of being the best, but being treated and paid as if they were just file clerks. Cindy is the only one that doesn’t work anymore, well sort of. She cleans my dads’ office, mom’s office, and both houses. Says it keeps her from getting bored. Cindy isn’t lazy, far from it, but she doesn’t have work smarts. I love the woman, as anyone would love a second mother, but sometimes she’s not overly bright.
Mom and Raul end up leaving and dad, Cindy, and I are hanging out having a beer together.
“So, it finally happened,” Dad says, grinning at me.
“What?”
“When you know. Bang!” He claps his hands together, loudly.
“It’s not like that.”
“It so is like that,” Cindy chimes, joining in. “Why do you think your parents got divorced? They didn’t have the big bang. I came back from being away for a while, and the instant I locked eyes with your dad, there it was. Two months later, your parents were signing divorce papers and we were together.”
“Yup, even ask your mom, she met Raul the same day I met Cindy, we were hoping to get them together, and in the end, it was the other way around.” Dad grins and kisses Cindy on the cheek.
They are so happy it’s nauseating.
I try to ignore them and go back to watching the game, but I can’t help but wonder about what they’ve said.
I can’t get their words and Amaya out of my head. Her caramel eyes and her infectious laugh are clouding my head. I gotta shake this chick. But a part of me doesn’t want to. It scares me.
Bucky shoots me a text giving me a reprieve from my thoughts.
B: Club Sleven later. Be there. Sophie Dumped Adams, he’s already back at the house getting wasted.
King: Need a ride. I’m at the rents.
B: On my way.
“Change of plans. I’m out,” I announce getting up from my seat.
“You don’t have to go. We’ll leave you alone about your girlfriend.” Cindy says girlfriend dreamily.
I don’t bother with arguing. I grab my dorm keys from the counter after pouring out my unfinished beer.
I go out front and sit on the steps to wait for my ride. I can hear my parents gushing and gossiping, talking about how I am probably running off to my new flame. Jesus, they are too much.
Bucky eventually pulls up in his Honda Civic that sounds like a damn bumblebee farting.
“Come on, man, hurry up,” he yells over the bass of the music blaring from his car.
I hop in ready to chase away any serious thoughts and replace them with a good time.
“When are you going to finally get a car of your own?” He asks me, as he turns down the music.
I shrug. “My parents have been saying they’ll get me one if I want one, but I’m good for now. My first paycheck I get from when I’m signed, I’ll buy myself a ride.” Everywhere I need to be is within walking distance to my dorm, so I don’t see the need for my own ride at the moment. It’s not like I date and need to have one, anywhere I go I ride with the guys.
“Or, what happens if you don’t get signed?”
I don’t even want to think of that. Deep down I know it can happen, but that’s depressing.
“If I don’t get signed, I’ll take my rents up on their offer until I can pay them back once I land a job.” Seems simple enough.
Chapter 6
Amaya
“I
can’t believe I let you talk me into this.” I look over my outfit in the mirror. I’m wearing a tight red dress that Courtney just happened to buy too big for her boobs. She thinks she’s so smooth.
“Live a little. I know you—once classes start this week, you’ll be too damn busy to sleep, much less have fun.”
“Yeah, yeah.” I turn to the side, wishing my butt were remotely as thick as Courtney’s. Ballet doesn’t allow for shapely curves though. At least not the companies I want to work for. Professional ballet calls for a strict balance of diet and exercise. I can’t afford to screw up. I’ve worked too hard to get to where I am now. Last year, I let Keith get in the way of what’s important. I won’t make that mistake twice.
“Stop sulking. Let’s go. I called us a cab. Jen and the girls are going to meet us.” Courtney stomps her foot and points to the clock.
“I’m coming.” At least we are going dancing, which I love of course. I just hate the drunk losers that hang at the clubs hoping to pick up a quick fuck.
I grab my wristlet that has my ID and my money in it as Courtney yells from the hall to hurry before our cab leaves. When we get to the lobby, I can’t help but look for a glimpse of Tate. I don’t even know why he’s on my mind. I’ve been thinking of him since yesterday. I keep replaying him holding the elevator. His dark hair only animated his bright eyes even more. And his smile, gah that smile. I wonder what he was going to say? Not that it matters. He obviously cared more about flirting with that chick. I shake my thoughts of Tate off as we slide into the backseat of our taxi.
Courtney is practically bouncing. Girl is always full of energy. Club Sleven is awesome, and we never have to wait in line thanks to Court and her flirty ways. I’m pretty sure she has screwed the doorman. How else would we always get to skip straight to the door?
We pay the driver, and I stand back as Courtney works her womanly wiles on Brody. Within a few minutes, we are waived inside without paying a cover charge and score—over 21 wristbands. I don’t drink often, but I like a little something when I go out.
We shove our way to the bar to order. The crowd tonight is insane. Everyone must’ve had the same idea—one last hoorah before classes start on Monday. I end up with a Tom Collins, and Court gets a Fuzzy Nipple. Jen waves to us from a booth. There’s a few guys already sitting with her and Cassie. Phaedra is already on the floor shaking her ass. She’s the head dancer on the Stomp Team. She’s amazing. I just know one day she will be a choreographer with her own DVD’s or some shit.
I go to take a seat and I notice that Keith is at the table next to us. Ugh. So much for a fun night.
I pretend not to see him. I promised my bestie a fun night out and I’m going to give it to her. I suck my drink down quickly through the little red straw and start to feel all warm and fuzzy. It doesn’t take much to get me buzzed. I’m a lightweight and with my size yeah… I can go from calm Amaya
to bumping and grinding with the best of them after three drinks.
Some top 100 radio shit comes on and Jen screams, “This is my jam!”
So of course, I follow her to the dance floor, escaping Keith’s daggered gaze.
Two songs later, I’ve forgotten he’s even here, until I feel him pressing up against me. I’d know his Cool Water cologne any day. I spin around facing him. His eyes are glossed over. He’s drunk. I shake my head in warning as he steps in close and tries to wrap his arms around my waist.
“I don’t like you hanging with Tate,” his tongue clicks on the T.
“You don’t have to like it!” I shout over bass of the music that is thumping in my head and beating through my veins.
He grabs my wrists as I try to pull away. “You know you want me to take you back,” he slurs.
Him take me back? That’s comical. “You have to be shitting me? You cheated! It doesn’t get any more over than that.” I break free and go the bathroom to escape him.
I stand in front of the mirror, hoping that by the time I finally go back out there he’s gone. My hopes are dashed when Keith storms through the bathroom door.
“What the hell, dude? Get out!” I shout at him.
“No,” he spits. “We’re going to get back together, we have to. I can’t live without you, baby.” He grabs me by the back of my neck and forces his lips on mine.
I try to shove him off, but he doesn’t budge. I turn my head and scream, hoping someone comes in and helps me out. “Keith, stop it, let me go!”
Someone barges into the bathroom. The door bounces off the wall. I look up to see Tate glaring at the back of Keith’s head.
“I saw him following you in here. The bouncer wasn’t budging from his spot, so I found Tate here,” Courtney interjects from behind him.
I say a silent thank you that Tate happened to be around.
“Not letting her go,” Keith argues. His fingers dig harder into my skin. Tears prick at the corners of my eyes in pain and embarrassment.
Sacking The Player Page 3
