Page 8 of Keeping Score

“You gonna snitch on me, Becky boy?” He slowly pushes to his feet and moves to the edge of the pool looking down at me, his pale eyes burn with unbridled rage.

“Nah,D-bag. With how you are handling having her around and acting like a fucking prick whenever she is near, he’ll figure it out on his own.” I’m seething with fucking anger when heturns to head back inside. The fucker pauses at the steps of the porch and peers over his shoulder pinning me with a smug look. “Better get that rage under control because Garrett will be here to pick her up in two hours.” My eyes widen behind my glasses, muscles coiling tight in anticipation at the prospect of seeing that cunt again today. His face won’t survive this encounter! “Better jump on that bike and run away now or risk Corvin seeing that look on your face when she leaves withhisenemy. Last I recall, you didn’t have a problem with the back-up QB until a certain blonde arrived.”

Motherfucker!

“You fucked baby sis, didn’t you?” I snap my gaze to my side. Fuck, I forgot Saint and Crue were here! “You know what, don’t answer that because I don’t want to know.” I grit my teeth and slip off the floaty, letting the water wash over me hoping it will calm me down enough to stomach the sight of her leaving with another guy. When I break the surface I look at Saint, then lift my glasses off my face so he can see the serious look in my eyes.

“You keep your fucking mouth shut.” Crue edges himself forward almost like he is ready to fight for Saint if I were to do something.

“You keep your cock out of her and we have a deal.” My grip on my glasses is so tight I fear I’ll snap them. “She isn’t just a random girl, D. She is Corvin’s little sister and has always been off-limits to us. I won’t let you destroy this family.” Saint’s words hit me square in the chest. I can’t even form a reply to defend myself because he is right. I never should have acted on my feelings for Leah. I knew if we ever got caught that Corv would lose his shit and it would rock the dynamic of the five of us. That is something I would never forgive myself for doing. These four are the only family I have left and I can’t lose them. There was a time I would have taken the risk for the girl because I thoughtshe was worth it, until she ripped my fucking heart out of my chest and spat on it!

Leah

I shift into a sitting position and wipe my tears with the backs of my hands at the sound of a knock on my door. I’m sitting here in an oversize sweatshirt and sweats as I showered and changed after Darius left me. I call out to whoever it is to come in. I’m not surprised to see it’s my brother. He takes one look at me and all his anger drains away, his face softens as he makes his way over to me and sits on the edge of my bed.

“I’m sorry about D, he can be a real–”

“Dick?” I supply, he chuckles and nods.

“Yeah. He can be, but he means well.” I scoff, which just earns me a stiff look from Corvin. “He shouldn’t have called you a hoe.” I balk at him.

“Out of everything from today that is all you picked up?” His brow furrows.

“Uh, what else was there?” I throw my hands up exasperated at how dense he is being.

“He carried me off the court and home like I am some errant child! Do you know how embarrassing that is?”

“Well, no.” I scowl at the idiot. “In his defense he only did it because he views you as a sister.” I fight the cringe that wants to break free. “Seeing you with Garrett and how you were… dressed.” I pin him with a look daring him to continue down that path, he wisely doesn’t. “Look, Garrett is a dick and is only using you to get at me.”

I roll my eyes; men are so stupid. “Garrett had no idea I was your sister when we first started hanging out.” That revelation seems to shock him. “Not everything is about you, Corv. I know the five of you are the kings of CHU, but that doesn’t mean everyone wants to use me to get to you.” His features harden.

“If only you knew,” he mutters beneath his breath, which piques my intrigue. We sit here silently for a few minutes lost in our own thoughts until he breaks the silence. “Why did you transfer, Leah?” My heart stops.

“I… uh, I got kicked out of the dance program,” I lie. He rolls his lips over his teeth, he knows I’m lying and wants to call me on but I know Corvin, he won’t do it.

“Yeah… that’s what Mom said.” I flinch at the mention of my parents. They are struggling now because of me. They wanted to retire and live their best life but now they can’t because paying for my tuition is eating all of their savings and I fucking hate myself for that, but they wouldn’t let me drop out of school all together.

I spent the rest of the night holed up in my room, I felt bad blowing Garrett off but he said he understood. I got up extra early to leave the house so I didn’t risk bumping into any of theguys. I make my way across campus and head toward the coffee cart to grab me, Cody and Katie a latte. With coffees in hand, I head toward their temporary dorm room. I take a deep breath and steel my spine, ready for them to lash out at me for ditching them yesterday. I knock twice and wait a minute before the door swings open and reveals Cody standing there. I expect to see annoyance at the sight of me in her eyes but when she breaks out into a full blown smile it throws me off kilter.

“Girl, get your ass in here and fill us in!” She drags me into the room and places a kiss to my cheek as she steals her coffee and drops into the desk chair in the corner. Katie sits on her bed and motions with her hands like a child for her coffee.

“Gimme, gimme, I need a caffeine hit pronto for this!” I smile and hand her the cup as I sit on the edge of Cody’s bed.

“Girl, spill now!” Cody prompts. I fill them in on everything that happened after Darius carried me off the court and all the way home.

“He is so into you.” I pin Katie with a look that I hope conveys that she is nuts!

“Darius hates me,” I huff out and drop back on the bed dramatically.

“Babe, if that is what hate looks like then I’mma need him and Beckett to hate me.” I turn my head and shoot Cody a playful glare, she puts her hands up as if surrendering. “On the real though, Garrett looked pissed when Darius went all caveman on your ass.” I rest up on my elbows and look to both my friends. Katie nods her agreement to Cody’s statement which pulls a groan from me.

“I told him I wasn’t looking for anything or even interested in dating right now.” Katie shoots me a smug look.

“You may not be looking but it sure as hell found you, baby cakes.” When they both begin to laugh, I drop back against the bed and groan. Fuck my life. The one guy I want more thananything won’t give me the time of day. When we were together, Darius treated me like I was his world, He taught me to view myself in a way no one ever had before. He was the first person to believe in me, that I could make it in dance. I’m eighteen and all I have ever wanted was to dance on stage.

“You okay?” I lift my head from my book and peer over at Garrett. We have taken to sitting next to each other in class now. I’ll admit, I have been a bit awkward today, with what the girls said earlier playing on my mind. Garrett is a really nice guy but he isn’t the guy for me.

“Yeah, just tired,” I lie.

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