Page 4 of The Surprise Play
Accelerating down my street, I pause at the stop sign, too distracted to look properly before punching onto the road and gunning it for the library.
My phone starts ringing and I groan, thinking it’s this new tutor about to bitch at me for being late, but then I spotButt Faceon the screen. Thank fuck for that.
“Hey, Blakey,” I greet her.
“’Sup, big bro. Happy New Year and all that shit.”
I snicker. “You’re a day late.”
“Like I was going to disturb you yesterday. I figured you’d be sleeping all day.”
“You figured right.”
She snorts. “How hard did you party?”
“Just the usual amount after winning a quarterfinal game and seeing in the new year.”
“So a lot, then.”
I laugh. “A lot.”
She laughs, too, and I glance at my phone screen, noting the time and wincing. I’m so fucking late!
“So, why are you calling, sis?”
“Just checking in.”
“You heading back to Chicago today?”
“Yep. Figured I’d get into the swing of things before classes resume on Monday.”
“I’m sure you’re gonna have a killer semester. You aced everything the first half of your year. You clever little freshman shit.”
She lets out a croaky laugh. “I’m no smarter than you.”
“And that’s a bit of bullshit right there.”
“Oh stop. You are not stupid.”
“And she just keeps piling on the applesauce.” I snicker, hitting my left blinker and turning into the Nolan U campus library parking lot. “I honestly don’t care that I’m a dumb fuck, because I’m a great football player. That’s my thing. It’s all that matters.”
“Wily, you?—”
“I’m here.”
“Where?”
I flick off the engine and gaze up at the building with a sigh. “My first torture session of the new year.”
“Physical therapy?” Blake asks.
I laugh. “No. Tutoring session.”
“Oh! With… Lemon Face?”
“Her name’s not Lemon Face,” I grit out.
“Well, whatever it is… good luck, bro!” She chortles and makes me promise to call her afterward and tell her how bad it was. “And don’t let me hear that you ended up doing her in the back stacks or something.”
