Page 44 of Players Keep Score

She snorts, a guttural laugh escaping her chapped lips. “He was with me before the break. Maybe you should ask your boyfriend where his loyalty lies.”

Intense emotions bubble up inside me, the rage monster wanting to take over. My dad taught me martial arts as a kid to help curb my anger issues. They bullied me for the few years we lived in Texas, and after I finally confessed the truth, my dad not only got the girl’s father transferred to another duty station but also taught me how to defend myself.

Memories of my past come flooding to me, crashing over me like breaking waves. My entire body trembles as I stare at Jackie. Luckily for Jackie, Bex is at my side, tugging me back over to my locker.

She cups my shoulder and spins me around to face her. “Tay, don’t let her get to you, okay? She’s nobody. Drake is with you, not her. No matter what she says or does, you know she’s just making shit up to piss you off.”

“I know… but why does it hurt so much to hear her talk about me… about him like that. I want to rip her fucking face off.”

“It’s not worth it,” she assures me. “You could get into more trouble than just thrown off the team if you fight Jackie.”

“Yeah, I know.” Furious, I blow out a puff of air. “She knows how to press all the right buttons with me. You know, Drake never even touched her. So, it’s not like he was all that interested in her. I don’t get why she’s so obsessed with him. That was two months ago when he sent her those pics.”

“It’s in the past,” Bex reminds me.

I nod. “I knew this would happen when I told him we could be together. That’s why I wanted to keep our relationship a secret. His life is too public. Everyone stares at me like I’m some whore, and now I have to hear it from my teammate.”

She taps my shoulder with her fingers and flashes a quick smile. “It will all blow over. Go hit the showers.”

If only I could believe this will all blow over, but I have a feeling the worst is yet to come.

Chapter 14

Drake

After Taylor’s fight with her teammate during practice, our relationship has taken its toll. We’re still together, I guess. But it’s hard to tell with how distant she’s been this week. I don’t blame her. I knew the risk when we first started dating. Though, that doesn’t make this situation suck any less.

Sitting next to Preston in the cafeteria, I watch as Tucker outwardly cringes when everyone in the room’s cell phones chime at the same time. It’s a new blog post from The Queen. Who will she dethrone this month?

“Maybe she’s moved on from us,” Tucker says with hope in his tone, his eyes pointed down at his cell phone.

“I wouldn’t count on it,” Jamie says.

Everyone has their cell phones in their hands, while I’m busy shoving the last bite of my sandwich into my mouth. Trent skipped dinner, most likely to meet Jemma, his new girlfriend.

“Take out your phone,” Tucker says, looking across the table at me. “You need to read what she wrote about you.”

Fuck. What now?

The students at Strickland University now live for the new posts from The Queen. She’s so popular there’s even a Dethroned app that dings with new notifications. Reaching into my pocket, I prepare myself for the shit she’s spewing this month. Fuck, I hope this has nothing to do with my virginity. That’s a secret no one knows but Taylor. There’s no way in hell The Queen would know about that.

They raise phones in the air around the cafeteria, and so many eyes are on me. Some people are laughing, while others are pointing and whispering in my direction.

Dethroned

December Edition

* * *

Ahh, Christmas time, the most wonderful time of the year. And yet, at Strickland University, it’s the most scandalous. While everyone is out shopping for the holidays, the spoiled brats of Strick U are up to their usual debauchery. From the looks of the dick pics Drake Donovan has been sharing with a certain someone, he has plenty of lovin’ for his mystery woman to unwrap. But who’s the lucky girl? Or should we say girls, you nasty dick-pic-sending creep?

* * *

XO,

The Queen

Tucker laughs so loud it shakes the table. Fucking dickhead. He’s just happy it’s not about him. Jamie follows suit, his laughter piercing my eardrum. Preston looks relieved more than anything after The Queen throwing him under the bus about his once-secret relationship with Bex.

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