Free Hooped #4 (The Hooped Interracial Romance Series, Book #4) by Claire Adams

that Devon has to retake the test,”
Kelly said quickly.
    “How is it your fault?” I stared at her in shock. I
remembered—suddenly—her saying as I left the dorm after our fight that Devon
and I would both get what we deserved.
    “I know the guy who took the test for him,” Kelly
said. “He—he swore me to secrecy about it, but Devon paid one of his friends at
school to take his ACT, and the guy told me about it. The guy goes here too. I
didn’t sell him out, but I told the Academic Integrity board about it.” My
mouth fell open, and I just stared at her
in silence for a long moment.
    “Are you serious? You could get that guy in trouble
too! Don’t you think that they’re going to try and figure out who Devon got
help from? Who the hell could ever want to be your friend?” I shook my head.
“What Devon did is wrong but…Jesus, Kelly. What the hell is wrong with you?”
    “They’re not going to figure out who Devon got to do
it,” Kelly said, brushing the concern aside. “The other guy is in the clear.”
    “You don’t even know that!”
    “Please. They had to investigate, but you and I both
know that they want to make the investigation as short and small as possible.
Devon will retake the test, and it’ll all go away.” She sounded incredibly
bitter; I remembered, ruefully, my own bitterness at the fact that the school
was more interested in keeping their sports stars playing than they were in
actual academic integrity. She was right—the school wouldn’t look into it too
much, not if Devon had already admitted that he’d cheated, and not now that he
was doing what he could to fix the situation.
    “Still,” I said, shaking my head. “What the hell is
wrong with you? Why would you do something like that?” Kelly snorted.
    “Seriously, you’re going to try and justify what he
did? He had it coming to him.” She hesitated and sighed, looking at her hands.
“It’s stupid and petty but—I was so pissed off at him, and at you. I wanted to
ruin his whole life.”
    “Yeah, well, that was an excellent attempt. If he
can’t pass the test this time with a high enough score, his whole career is over, and he won’t be able to get a degree
anywhere.”
    “I know,” Kelly said, a faint look of satisfaction in her eyes, in spite of how
contrite her voice sounded. “I just couldn’t believe that you would choose him
over me, and that he’d...” She shook her
head. “Jenn, I’ve wanted him ever since we first hooked up. It’s not fair that
you got him.”
    “Fair has nothing to do with it!” I glared at her. “If
I hadn’t even come to this school, he still wouldn’t have chosen you—because
he’d already decided he didn’t want to be with you before I started.”
    “I know it’s stupid, I know it’s petty.” Kelly sighed.
“I know you’ll probably never forgive me for it, but you need to be careful.” I
rolled my eyes.
    “Please, the last time you tried to give me advice you
were lying through your teeth. Why should I believe you now?” Kelly held my
gaze, barely even blinking.
    “Do you really think a guy like Devon can possibly
change that much? He admitted to you that he was a player, that he totally did
all of the things everyone accuses him of. Did he admit to you that he cheated
on the ACT?” I nodded.
    “He’s been nothing but honest with me; unlike you.”
Kelly sighed.
    “Don’t you see he’s playing you? I mean, sure—he
probably does want to do better on his retake of the test. But just because he
didn’t want to bang you and forget you doesn’t mean he’s not using you.” I
rolled my eyes again.
    “How is he using me? He just wants some help
studying—and I’m the best person to help him.” Kelly laughed.
    “Yeah, sure, of course he wants help studying. He wants to be able to play again. He doesn’t want to
get kicked out of school. As soon as he passes that test, he’s going to kick
you to the curb, just like every other girl he’s ever been