Page 46 of De Vil

Jazz:Hello???

Jazz:Ok, this isn't funny. Are you alright?

Jazz:Tee, answer me. What's wrong?

Jazz:Who am I killing?

I can't help but snort. Of course she has my back. I can't tell her or anyone what is going on.

Me:I'm ok. We aren't killing anyone. We won two. Lost two.

She answers within seconds.

Jazz:Want to get ice cream when you get back?

Me:Yeah and you can come stay with me.

Jazz: Duh!

Leave it to Jazz to make everything all better. My mood lifts a little. I'm still feeling heaviness in my chest. As the bus hits a bump in the road, it jostles me, causing my stomach to feel queasy. Taking in some deep breaths, I exhale slowly, expelling all negative energy. It doesn't work, but I can try to ignore it.

* * *

When I get to campus, Jazz is waiting for me by my car. I'm hoping she won't pry into what happened. It's too raw to discuss.

"Tee Tee." She opens her arms, and I step into her warm embrace. I cannot breathe, but it doesn't matter. All I can see is the look on Coach's face when she called me a whore and a good lay.

"What happened?" Jazz asks me and I shake my head.

"I'm not ready to discuss it. But we need to get home so I can withdraw from school."

"Whoa, slow down. The hell you are quitting school. Talk to me."

Jazz has always been my biggest supporter and I know she will have my back. Yet, I don't think I want her to know how big of a screw up I am or how unworthy of love I always seem to be.

"Get in the car. We can talk on the ride to get ice cream."

Jazz kisses my cheek and gives me a warm smile. "Tee, no matter what, I got you."

"Thank you," I whisper as I put my bag into the back of the car.

Jazz is quiet for all of five seconds before she turns in her seat and stares at me. "This isn't about volleyball. You've had bad games before. So, what happened?"

"Braxton caught Coach and me kissing, and she took a pic of us together. Then the bitch screamed out about the two of us in the hotel's hallway. Some of her friends came out, and she made it so much worse than it needed to be."

I don't go into detail about what happened after the game. I can't. It hurts. God, I feel like my chest is going to explode.

"Did something else happen? Because your reaction to some girl's remarks is severe." She looks at me, sizing up the situation. She's too smart for her own good.

"Yeah, Coach broke it off with me."

My hands shake as I make the turn into the ice cream shop. "I have to leave. That's the only option."

"No. That's theextremeoption. Besides, I'm pretty sure Chris will have your back. Seriously, there's no reason for you to leave. Switch your classes? Sure. We can do that and then volleyball is the only time you have to deal with your coach."

Thinking about being in the same room as Coach makes my breath hitch. I count to ten trying to get my nerves under control. It's useless. This entire situation has me on edge and on the brink of bursting.

Finally, I look at Jazz, and I hate to be the one to burst her bubble. "My scholarship. I'm going to be under investigation because I was in a sexual relationship with my coach. It's going to look terrible and like I used sex to get into the school."

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