The first bell rings and I sigh at the idea of not being able to enjoy Teague's hug during class.
“Let’s go, Teague. Ms Webber wants us all in our seats by the second bell.”
When we turn around to start the short walk to class, we notice Knox standing right behind us.
Margaux is looking at us too, she's a few feet behind her brother with her arm looped into Devon’s who's carrying her books.
While Knox seems completely unaffected by the fact that Teague was hugging me, Devon’s green eyes look full of hot blazing anger.
No one says anything until Knox walks up to me and Teague, grabs my hand and places a kiss on my cheek.
“Morning, pretty girl. Let's go or Ms Webber’ll give us extra home work.”
He winks at me and I’m dragged away from a smirking Teague, who obviously doesn't feel challenged or threatened in the slightest by Knox’s PDA.
As we file into class, Ms Webber is already standing by the side of her desk welcoming us all to class.
I know people say that she's a hard ass but I like her: she's tough but fair and she’s one of the few teachers who’s always available to help, it's obvious that she loves her job.
As the last two A-Class students walk in, Ms Webber closes the door just as the second bell announces the beginning of first period.
“Good morning, class. I hope you all had a great weekend. As you all know, this Friday we’ll have our first Latin test which will be the translation of a passage of my choice. Normally, I’d give you a mock test today to practice but I’ve decided to give you that passage to translate at home. As the passage I’ve chosen for Friday’s test has a few difficult verbs, I’ve decided that to prepare, today we’ll have a verb war.”
She proceeds to explain how it works: she'll call on us one by one, starting from the first row and going around the class.
On each round, she’ll pick a verb and she’ll ask each of us how that verb will appear in a random tense and person.
Whoever gets it wrong is out and we’ll continue until only one person remains.
“The winner will have a ‘++’ added to their grade on Friday's test. Now let's begin. The first verb is incipio (Translation: to begin). Mr. Archer: present tense, second person plural, please.”
Devon answers:
“Incipitis, ma’am.”
Ms Webber nods with a smile.
“Correct. Well done.”
Devon shoots me a triumphant look and I roll my eyes: it's fucking Latin, dude! Get over it.
I mean, he has absolutely no right to be jealous when he was the one who didn't wanna have anything to do with me when he saw me again at school. Right?
I’m next and Ms Webber asks:
“Imperative, future. Plural, third person.”
“Incipiunto.”
Ms Webber's smile widens.
“Very well done, Miss Richmond.”
Our teacher fires questions to each of us, going around the class and one by one, people make mistakes and get eliminated as the questions become tougher.
Margaux and I are the last two left.
It's her turn and the question is ‘present infinite tense of incipio’
Margaux’s answer is ‘incipiere’
“Ah, I’m sorry, Miss Marks. Almost there but not quite. If Miss Richmond gets this one right, she’ll be the winner. Aubrey?”
I answer ‘incipere’ and win the competition.
Margaux shrugs at me with a little smile.
“I’ll beat you next time. This’d be the first time that my brother likes a smart girl. He normally likes them as dumb as possible, so he can fuck ‘em and move on.”
I don't understand the elation in Margaux’s voice, especially since she just lost the game but I’m relieved that Ms Webber’s busy putting all her stuff away, as the bell is about to ring.
One thing that our Latin teacher has made crystal clear is that she won't tolerate any foul language during class.
I’ve gotta seriously watch it because I tend to drop ‘F-bombs’ as if there's no tomorrow but Knox’s sister doesn't seem concerned at all that Ms Webber would send her straight to the principal’s office if she heard her expletives and has a pleased smile on her face.
As Ms Webber’s reminding us to study for Friday’s test because it’ll amount to twenty percent of our semester’s grade, the speakers blare an announcement.
‘The following students are required to report to the principal’s office immediately: Devon Archer, Teague Colton and Landon Campbell. Please report to the principal’s office.’
The guys look at each other, obviously perplexed as to why they're being summoned and look at Ms Webber, who tells them that they may go.
The bell rings as the boys leave the classroom.
Teague turns before clearing the doorway and winks at me making the butterflies in my stomach take flight as images of last night flash in my head.
Devon
AT FIRST I DON'T THINK much of being called into the principal's office, especially since it's not just me, but when we find Coach Benson waiting for us with Principal McArthur and a gloomy looking man in an ill fitting suit and round glasses, I start to wonder what this is all about.
We’re invited to sit down at a conference table in a room adjacent to the office and I’m seriously perplexed when coach asks me a direct question.
“Devon, do you feel like you have a weight problem? Or let me rephrase, son, have you been trying to lose weight recently?”
The principal intervenes and asks, moving his blue eyes from me to my teammates:
“Has any of you?”
We all look at each other, unsure of what this is all about.
I’m the first to answer.
“No, sir. Why?”
The others shake their heads, giving my same negative answer.
This is when the third man speaks for the first time.
“So, to be clear, none of you has taken any water pills or any weight loss pills in the last few weeks?”
When we confirm that we haven't, the principal drops a fucking bombshell on us.
“Do you remember that on Friday night, after the game, a drug test was performed on the whole team?”
We nod in unison.
“You three tested positive for diuretics and weight loss pills, if I’m correct.”
The third man confirms and I’m still unsure about what we’re doing here but I speak my mind without leaving any possibility for doubt.
“I haven't taken any pills. Not even an aspirine. So, I’m—”
The man interrupts me.
“Mr Archer, my name is Daniel Everett and I represent the newly formed anti-doping body for high school sports competitions.”
Everett explains that anti-doping tests aren't usually performed at high school level, but in the last few years there's been an increase of incidents involving high school athletes having adverse reactions to performance enhancing drugs, several states have decided to form self-regulating bodies to monitor and fight this disturbing trend.
“In the last five years, the number of high school students found positive to steroids and other prohibited substances has increased by twenty percent. And these are only the instances we’re aware of, since regular testing was never performed. In a bid to fight illegal consumption of substances that are dangerous if consumed improperly and without medical supervision, and in a bid to keep sport competitions fair, especially at state level, our association has begun performing drug tests at high school sport events.
The state has encouraged schools to adhere to our association to show their goodwill in competing fairly, especially in highly popular sports like football and basketball.”
“With all respect, sir, this sounds very noble and I couldn't be more supportive about it but I haven't taken any drugs. So whatever you think you found in those tests—”
Teague begins protesting but Mr Everett cuts him off immediately.
“It's not what �
��we think we found’, the test results don't lie.”
He produces three envelopes with each of our names on them and I’m no chemistry expert but it looks like the results are positive for the substances that were mentioned.
The principal intervenes once we’ve examined the tests results.
“I’m afraid young men, that this means that you three are temporarily suspended from any competitions. If it were up to me, you’d be suspended from the team on a permanent basis but you can thank your coach for pleading your case and you can keep training with your team, as long as you agree to be tested again regularly. The suspension is effective immediately and will last for a month. After that, if you want to be reinstated, you need to agree to drug tests after every competition. Even though you're all over eighteen, your families will be notified because they pay your tuition fees at BHPA.”
Teague and Landon shake their heads in disbelief but promptly agree to the principal's plan.
I’m shaking with anger and stress.
My father, Nick, has literally just met me. What the fuck will he think about me after he gets the call?
He’s so proud of me for being the star quarterback at BHPA, like he was when he attended.
So my reaction’s not as composed as my teammates.
“That's fucking bullshit! I haven't been taking any of the shit you claim I did. I demand an immediate retest and to be reinstated into the team if I test negative!”
“Mr Archer! I’ll ignore your less than appropriate language just this once, because I understand the situation but I have to ask you to watch it in the future! At this academy, we have zero tolerance for ...”
After the principal's tirade, Mr Everett explains that the chemicals in the weight loss pills would stay in our system just a few hours, while the water pills traces would disappear after a couple of days.
So unless we’d taken more, right now chances are that we’d test negative.
So the only way for us to get back on the team is to agree to get tested regularly.
Also, Mr McArthur informs us that the teachers council and the school board will meet to discuss ‘our case’.
He’s adamant that our conduct put the academy’s name in disrepute and that using performance enhancing substances to cheat in school sports is equivalent to cheating academically.
So we risk expulsion and the principal guarantees that our fate will be exactly that, if we test positive ever again, regardless of what the school board decides about the current situation.
As we leave the principal's office, we’re all shocked and reeling about it all.
How could this happen?
We’re all adamant that we didn't take anything.
Until it hits me like a punch in the fucking gut: Aubrey!
Aubrey
AFTER THEY GOT CALLED into the principal's office, I didn’t see Devon, Teague, and Landon in class nor in the cafeteria at lunch.
I spot them at the edge of the football field on my way to cheer practice but Mrs Stubbs decided to use the gym today, so we don't have a chance to see the football players.
After practice, everyone’s in a rush to go home but I don't have anyone waiting for me at Chaz’s and I admit that I was hoping to find texts from Knox, Landon or Teague.
Knox actually did text me that Coach Benson asked him to stay behind after practice, because he wants to talk to him.
So I guess that I’ll drive home and resign myself to a lonely afternoon.
I really fucking miss Abi!
Last year I was at a new school, Aylesbury Prep but as soon as I found out that I had a sister, I really didn't try that hard to make friends.
I spent all my free time bonding with Abi, trying to make up for the seventeen years we missed, when we didn't even know about each other's existence.
So, after my daddy announced his intention to transfer me to BHPA, leaving Aylesbury wasn't much of a problem but I wish that Abi and the guys weren't six hours away.
All my other friends are in Hong Kong and there’s the time zones to keep us apart and the fact that life goes on and people move on after a friend leaves.
Yes there's social media and Skype but everyone has got their own inner circle and inside jokes of which I’m no longer a part of.
I’m the last one to leave the girls’ locker room and when I cross the field to get into the student parking lot without having to cross the whole property again, I’m so lost in my own thoughts, that I don't see Devon until I practically walk into him.
When I lift my eyes to look into his green gaze, I can't stifle a surprised gasp at the fury I see burning in his eyes, hardening his handsome features.
I open my mouth to ask him what's wrong but he’s quicker than me and his attack's so vehement that it literally takes my breath away.
“What the fuck, Aubrey? Way to get us all suspended from the football team and possibly expelled!”
I shake my head, unable to make sense of what's happening and I’m about to ask what the fuck he’s talking about when I realise that Teague and Landon are surrounding me too and they both look as mad as Devon.
“I don't understand. Suspended? Expelled? Why? And what do I have to do with it?”
Teague shakes his head, his blue eyes have a hardness I’ve never seen in them, their usual amused glint is completely gone.
“Wow, you’re fucking good. I have to give you that! We tested positive for performance enhancing substances and we were also accused of trying to hide that we used illegal shit by taking water pills!”
Landon is behind me.
He doesn't say anything but I can feel his anger emanating from him.
“Guys, I honestly don't understand why you're telling me all this. I mean, ok you wanna tell me about it, but why are you mad at me?”
Landon’s voice feels as sharp as a knife, a knife to my back.
“We know with certainty that the day of the game, we didn’t take anything. We’ve been told that the drugs we tested positive for stay in your system just for a few hours. You gave us a sports drink. It could've only been that.”
I turn to look at Landon and then turn again to look at Teague and Devon.
They're serious.
They really think that I drugged their sports drinks.
I can't take the anger and the hatred I see in their eyes, eyes that used to look at me with desire in them.
I’ve kissed each of them, I’ve done much more than that with Devon and Teague.
I can't believe they’d even think that I could drug them and try to ruin their lives.
I feel hot tears pushing at the corner of my eyes, urging to be let out but I’m not crying in front of them.
I know that running away from them will probably make me look guilty but crying would be even worse.
So I flee back to the relative safety of my car and I don't even know how I make it back home, where I can let my despair all out.
9.
Hit Me Baby One More Time
Knox
COACH BENSON CALLS me into his office after practice and while at first I’m wondering what he could possibly want from me, I leave his room surprised.
When I get to my car, I find Margaux waiting for me and luckily she doesn't look pissed off: she hates waiting, this is why we rarely ride to school together, on the off chance that practice runs longer than planned, I don't wanna hear her bitch at me.
Today she insisted on riding with me and when coach asked me to talk to me, I was bracing myself to hear her complain all the way home.
She keeps looking at me while I drive.
“What's on your mind, Knoxie boy? You're unusually quiet.”
I smirk.
“No, I’m usually quiet because you always chew my ear off about something if we ride together.”
She rolls her eyes.
“Ok, fucking touché! But it looks like you’ve got something on your mind.”
Well, she’ll find out soon enough.
“Looks
like I’m starting on Friday night. And I’ll be QB1 for the foreseeable future.”
She beams.
“And aren't you happy about it? That’ll make every girl at school even more wet for you than they already are.”
I wince at her crudeness: I don't mind when girls curse, whatever, but Margaux expresses herself like a sailor who’s just run out of rum.
She's a very pretty girl, if I can say that as her big brother, but I wish that she tried to be a little more ladylike and kept her fucking panties on a little more.
Which I know is hypocritical, since last year I slept with every single cheerleader except for Abi and Gabbie but as her brother I know what the guys on the team say about her and it's not great.
And I can't even tell them to shut the fuck up, because I know that the shit they say is most probably true and maybe they're even being restrained about it if I’m in the room.
So I glance her way while negotiating a busy intersection, and shrug.
“Sure. But you know me, sis, I’m not interested in your slutty friends. Last year I tapped every single one of ‘em and none of them was worth even a second look.”
She narrows her blue eyes and cackles.
“Really? So what about Aubrey? You seem into her. She must have some skills to keep you interested beyond a single fuck.”
It's my turn to roll my eyes and it's both at her assumption about me and Aubrey and at her choice of language.
“I haven't ‘fucked her’. Not yet.”
She laughs out loud and I don't miss the scorn in her tone when she says:
“Ah, I see what her strategy is then! She doesn't give it up in the hopes to make you commit to her! Well, I’m pretty sure that now that you're QB1, she’ll spread those legs faster than you can say ‘hut, hut, hut!’”
Her words rub me the wrong way both because of how she's talking about Aubrey, and how she's assuming that she isn't interested in me for me and that my improved status on the team’ll make her capitulate.
Beverly Hills Prep Academy The Complete Boxset : A Light Bully Romance Page 73