He stared at me and I could see the struggle in his eyes. “Brooklyn, I—”
“Time’s up!” Professor White exclaimed, clapping his hands.
Aiden and I just stared at one another in silence.
“Here’s what I want you to do,” our professor continued. “Exchange character sketches with your partner. Your homework is to do a full analysis of your partner’s character. It must be thorough to receive credit.”
“Here’s mine,” Aiden offered, sliding his folder my way.
Wordlessly, I handed him my folder with my work inside. As I packed up all of my belongings and put them in my messenger bag, I had a hard time wrapping my mind around what was happening. I was so convinced that Aiden would have my back that I never thought for a moment that he wouldn’t.
“…and now you can get out of here. I’ll see you on Wednesday!” Professor White concluded, waving goodbye as everyone scrambled to their feet, anxious to begin their weekend.
Even though we were never speaking loud enough to be overheard, Aiden lowered his voice even more and leaned closer than he had at the start of our conversation. “I’ll call him when I leave here and let you know what he says.”
“And if he advises you to say nothing?” I asked, fearing I already knew the answer.
He didn’t immediately respond, but the silence that slapped me in the face spoke volumes.
“Wow,” I breathed, standing to break the connection of his intense gaze. “Okay, then.”
“Brooklyn, can we—”
“I have a meeting,” I told him before I walked off.
He didn’t follow me or try to stop me. I didn’t want him to, but I noticed when he didn’t.
I made a beeline for my car so I could get to the coach’s office before she left for the day. I raced across campus. The entire time I thought about how all I was asking Aiden to do was tell the truth.
And he basically told me no.
I aggressively parked my car and ran into the athletics building. Coach Ainsley Hill wasn’t just a cheerleading coach, she taught yoga and a couple of other fitness classes. Fortunately for me, her posted office hours allowed me to easily locate her.
Even though her office door was open, I still knocked before walking in. When she looked up from the document she was reading, her expression changed slightly. It was clear that she was not happy to see me.
“Brooklyn Cage…”
“Hi, Coach Ainsley,” I greeted her, taking her acknowledgement as a signal to enter. I closed the door behind me. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”
“I’m actually about to get out of here once I finish reviewing some paperwork.”
“Please. It will only take a minute.”
She sat back in her chair, clasping her hands in her lap. “You have a minute.”
“Thank you,” I said, taking a seat. “I just wanted to tell you what happened—”
“I’ve heard what happened and I must say I’m extremely disappointed,” she interrupted sharply.
I was a bit taken aback. “I don’t know what you heard, but I wanted to tell you the truth.”
“My team decided to play a prank on Pi Rho Omicron that will ultimately cost a lot of people a lot of things. What else is it for me to know?”
“I didn’t know what Dakota had planned. I went to the party because I wanted to talk to Aiden Black,” I confessed. “That was the only reason I went and that’s what I ended up doing. We were in the basement and I had no idea what was going on upstairs.”
“Did you know that there was a prank planned?”
“Well… yeah, but—”
“Then you’re just as culpable as the rest,” she interjected. “So, throwing Dakota under the bus doesn’t absolve you of anything, Brooklyn. You went along with it just like the rest, so you are responsible just like the rest. One of your teammates died!” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “As I told the others when they tried to claim their innocence, I’m extremely disappointed.”
The others? Fuck! I should’ve come earlier.
“I understand why you’d be disappointed. And I understand why you’d say there’s fault with going along with Dakota’s plan. I get that and I apologize for that. But I came here because I wanted you to know the truth. I didn’t have anything to do with any of that.” I used my hands for emphasis before counting off with my fingers. “I didn’t know what the prank was supposed to be. I didn’t have anything to do with the planning or execution of it. I didn’t steal anything. I didn’t light anything on fire. And I don’t know what happened to Carter, but the last time I saw her she was leaving the basement and heading to the living room. She had my phone and she was fine,” I concluded earnestly.
She looked at me for a long time. “And yet, here we are.”
“I know,” I acknowledged softly. A wave of sadness hit me. “I just—”
Standing, she placed her hands flat on her desk as she leaned forward. “You have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into, Brooklyn.”
I dropped my eyes to the papers on her desk. One word jumped out at me immediately. “Suspended?” I looked up at her. “Is the team suspended?”
She pursed her lips and turned the paper over. Her silence spoke volumes.
We’re suspended?
My eyebrows flew up. “Why?”
“Why?” she scoffed incredulously. “The sons of the biggest campus donors are saying their stuff is missing. The son of Harrison Dowd had his two-hundred-thousand-dollar boat destroyed. And the daughter of Tom and Carrie Yates is dead.” She shook her head. “Suspension is the least of your worries.”
I made a face. “What does that mean?” I asked slowly.
She shook her head. The look in her eyes was a mix between annoyance and pity as she took in my confusion. “Your scholarship money is predicated on you being able to perform. If the suspension turns into a termination, that is going to affect your financial aid.”
My jaw dropped. “But I didn’t do anything.”
“Do you think you’re the first member of the team to say that?”
My heart pounded in my chest. “Probably not. But I’m telling the truth.”
“Even if I believe you, it’s out of my hands. This situation is bigger than some he said-she said bullshit. What all of you have done has jeopardized our season.”
“I swear to God I didn’t have anything to do with it. I haven’t done anything. I don’t want to be penalized for something that I didn’t do—”
Ainsley threw her hands in the air. “Neither do I! But here we are. I wasn’t even there, but now my job is in jeopardy.”
My mouth was agape. I had no idea what to say. “What? How?”
“They are looking for someone to blame for this. The parents are pushing the school and the school is looking to resolve this as quickly, quietly, and cleanly as possible.” She shook her head. “You have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into,” she muttered. “You may be excused.”
Still in disbelief, I rose to my feet. “Coach—”
Her office phone rang. She checked the number and then the time and grimaced. “I need you to leave. Now,” she snapped.
I was closing the door behind me when I heard her answer the phone.
“Hello, Detective...”
…
Chapter Seven
“Jay?” I called out as soon as I walked into the apartment.
Silence.
I took off my shoes and padded my way down the hall, checking around the apartment to see if he was there sleeping. I wanted to tell him about everything that happened. I was so wound up that I just needed a good venting session. When I made it to his bedroom at the back of the apartment, I sighed.
He wasn’t home.
I decided to do a little yoga to see if that would de-stress me and stretch my tight muscles. After the thirty-minute workout, I was sweaty, but I still felt tension in my neck, back, and shoulders. I grabbed my stuff for a shower and headed to the bathroom for
a hot one.
“Love this song,” I mumbled as I turned the music on.
I stepped under the stream of water and let it massage me. The music kept me from getting too wrapped up in my head. I lathered my body and paid special attention to every place there was tension. When I stepped out, I wrapped myself in a towel and I realized I was still on edge.
Turning the music off, I opened the door slowly. “James?”
I was met with nothing but silence.
I scurried across the hall to the office and changed into a tank top and satin shorts set. Picking up the phone, I started typing out a text message asking Jay where he was and when he was coming home. He texted back about a basketball team meeting and then picking up Gino’s for dinner. I glanced at the time and figured I had about an hour before he would be on his way home.
I stopped midway through slathering lotion on my body as a thought hit me. I hadn’t had my own room or my own space in over a month. I needed some “me time.”
I finished moisturizing and relocated to Jay’s king-sized bed. I put on smooth R&B music and set a mood. Stretching out like a star in the middle, it occurred to me that I needed to resolve my tension with sex or a massage.
Or both.
But I hadn’t had sex in a few months. I hadn’t been dating anyone and my only crush was Aiden Black. Exhaling, I tried to get his gorgeous eyes and smile out of my head. I didn’t want to think about him—especially after the conversation we’d had in class.
I switched gears.
What I really need is a massage.
But since the cheerleading squad was suspended, I doubted I’d be able to get an appointment with the UFIT physical therapist.
With the suspension, I might not even be able to afford the rest of the semester.
The tension in my neck and shoulders seemed to intensify with the thought. No matter how far I stretched my arms and legs, my body still felt tight.
I switched gears again.
I closed my eyes and focused on my breathing like I had when I did yoga earlier. I put my hands on my chest and I controlled each breath. The silky material of the tank top shifted under my hands and slid across my nipples. I didn’t realize they were hard until then. I moved my hands again, dragging the material and stimulating me.
My body stirred.
Since sex and a massage wasn’t an option, I realized there was one distinct way I could take care of myself and relax.
I slipped my hands under my top and played with my nipples. I allowed myself to imagine the strong hands of a man sliding down my body and under the waistband of my satin shorts. Butterflies fluttered deep in my belly as my fingers brushed against my lips. As I played with my slit, I sucked in a ragged breath.
Hit with a wave of arousal, I froze.
I hadn’t been able to masturbate outside of the shower in months and I didn’t know when it’d be able to happen again. Without a second thought I quickly pushed my shorts down to my knees and pulled my shirt up to my neck. I moved my hands to my breasts again and imagined strong, masculine hands touching me.
“Mmm…” A gentle sigh came from deep within me as I fantasized about what I needed and how I needed it.
My body was on fire as the thought of being touched took over. I kept one hand fondling and twisting my nipples as the other hand roamed back down south. With my middle finger, I parted my lips and used my wetness to tease my clit. I let out a little moan as I imagined it was a tongue buried inside me. With my eyes shut tight, I turned my head a bit, sinking into the sensation of being stimulated.
It felt so good that I could’ve come easily, but I wanted to stretch it out. I started to get lost in the fantasy.
I imagined holding a man’s head in place, forcing him to keep licking that exact spot. When I moved my hand from the back of his head, he looked up at me—and it was Jay.
It was shocking to imagine my best friend licking, sucking and kissing my body, but I didn’t stop seeing his face, imagining his mouth and hands on me. If I was honest, I think I got wetter because of it.
I wanted to edge myself to a big orgasm but imagining Jay between my legs pushed me over the edge. I started vigorously rubbing my clit and thrusting my hips against my hand. It wasn’t long before my orgasm crashed over me. Moaning, my body shook, and I kept playing with myself through the wave. Just as a second shudder ripped through my body, I thought I heard something.
Jay?
My eyes flew open, but I was too far gone to stop. Biting down on my bottom lip, I silently shook with pleasure. When I regained control of my body, I quickly straightened my clothes. Breathing hard and unsure of what I’d heard, I climbed off the bed and creeped down the hall.
Shit.
The bathroom door was closed, and the water was running.
Did he hear me? I wondered as I went into the office and sat on the futon. The music was up, and I wasn’t that loud… was I?
James and I had been best friends for over four years. I wouldn’t have been embarrassed about him hearing me masturbate if I wouldn’t have been in his bed and fantasizing about him. But as I heard the water turn off, I was mortified.
The door opened.
“Uh, Brooklyn?” he yelled out. “I’m home!”
I could tell he was standing still. Closing my eyes, I sighed. He definitely heard me.
“I’m in here,” I replied despondently.
He was in the doorway in seconds. “Oh, hey!” He cleared his throat. “I got pizza if you’re hungry.”
I watched him carefully as I stood up. “Yeah, I’m going to use the bathroom and then I’ll meet you in the kitchen.”
His eyes pinged my body before looking away. “Okay cool.” Turning, he headed toward the kitchen.
I shook my head as I went to wash my hands in the bathroom. It was going to be awkward if I didn’t address the situation head on. With my scholarship in jeopardy, I couldn’t afford additional housing issues on top of that. I looked at myself in the mirror and it was so obvious I’d just gotten off. My face was flushed, my hair was a mess, and my nipples were still hard.
We’re going to have to talk about it. There’s no getting around it.
I went to the office to grab my matching satin robe and tied it so that my protruding nipples weren’t so obvious.
“That smells good,” I commented as I sat on the couch.
He busied himself by putting pizza on a plate. “Yeah it does.”
I grabbed a slice for myself and he turned the volume up on the TV. We ate in silence for a few minutes. He barely looked at me.
After I finished eating the first slice, I grabbed a second. I looked over at him and he seemed deep in thought.
It’s been ten minutes. This is ridiculous. I just need to apologize for getting off in his bed and then we can move on.
I closed my eyes and shook my head at the awkward absurdity of it all. I stared at his profile for a second, bracing myself to address the elephant in the room.
“How was your meeting?” I asked.
“It was cool.” He sat back and finally looked me in the eye. “We were given the practice schedule and we start October 15th. They want us to start conditioning with workouts at six o’clock in the morning and then we’ll have practice at six o’clock that night. They gave us the breakdown of our workouts and it’s crazy.” He shook his head. “I’m glad I don’t have many classes left before graduation. Even with the practices and workouts, it’s not going to be as bad as last year.”
I swallowed the food in my mouth and took a sip of water. “Yeah, you were exhausted last year. I’m glad it’s not going to be as tough.”
“Especially for the spring semester.”
I laughed. “I don’t know how you arranged it so that you only have easy classes in the spring, but I salute you.” I lifted my bottle.
With a chuckle, he tapped his bottle against mine. “If my mom hadn’t made me take those dual enrollment classes, I wouldn’t have been able to set up my senior ye
ar like this. So”—he lifted his bottle in the air— “to my mom.”
“To Mrs. Williams!” I cheered, lifting my bottle as well. “My mom away from home.”
“Speaking of moms, have you talked to yours?”
I shook my head. “Not since I told her about Carter. She said she wants to come to the funeral next week.” I used a napkin to wipe my hands and then pulled my legs up on the couch. “I haven’t told her about the other stuff yet. I don’t want her to worry.”
He gave me a look. “She’s going to worry regardless. You’re going to have to tell her something. You don’t want her to find out some other way.”
“I know. I’m just…” I sighed, letting my head fall back. “I don’t even know what to say at this point.” I felt the muscles in my back start to tense up. “Things keep going from bad to worse.”
“Oh, shit.” He turned his whole body toward me, resting his arm on the back of the couch. “How was your meeting with the coach?”
I closed my eyes. I didn’t open them until I felt his hand on my head.
“What’s up?” he asked, scratching my scalp.
I turned my head until his hand was cradling it. Staring at him, I didn’t even know where to begin so I exhaled loudly.
“Coach Ainsley said it doesn’t matter what role I played in the whole thing. Since the whole team was there, the whole team is suspended. And if the administration says our season is done, I lose my scholarship.”
Jay’s mouth fell open and his fingers stilled in my hair. “What does that mean for school?”
I shook my head slowly. “I don’t know,” I whispered. “But she made a point to say that the suspension was the least of my concerns because Carter’s dead and Trevor’s boat was destruction of property—which is a felony since it was two hundred thousand dollars.”
“Wait, wait, wait, wait…” His face twisted in confusion. “You didn’t have anything to do with Carter or the boat so why was she talking to you about felonies?”
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