Page 63 of Campus Muscle

I swallowed the lump in my throat, hoping it would help calm my stomach, but it did no such thing. So I just got back into position and waited for the next demolition to take me out.

“I have a new tactic to try. Are you in?” Ethan asked.

I nodded, too afraid of what would happen if I opened my mouth. We quickly reset, and I focused on Ethan, unsure of what he was going to do. The exchange was smooth, but instead of handing off, Ethan did a pump fake to one of the receivers. Again, the defense was too fast, but Ethan rolled out and passed the ball to me on the left. He went down hard, but it left the field clean. I ran as fast as I could, and the next thing I knew I was in place for a touchdown and no one had caught up.

Coach blew the whistle. “Yes! I don’t know what that was, but I want more of it!”

Ethan gave me a dazzling smile, and I couldn’t stop myself from reacting. That was impressive even by my standards, but I think it was because of how unexpectedly things unfolded. If we could do that on the field, we actually stood a chance, even against strong teams like the Bears.

*

Practice ended hours ago, and it went so well that Coach was smiling by the time we left, but I couldn’t bring myself to feel the same way. So I just headed to the gym and kept pushing with the hope that it would keep my mind off the things that were making me feel so bad. It helped at first, but now… I hadn’t been able to focus for at least an hour, and I knew it was because my studies were waiting for me. So I had a quick shower and headed to my dorm, knowing I couldn’t avoid it forever.

I took a seat at my desk and pulled out my books. My mind refused to focus on the words, but I kept pushing because I didn’t want to do things the easy way. I had survived studying most of my life, and this shouldn’t have been any different, but I had never been so distracted before. I read a page, and before I could finish the next, I had already forgotten what it was about. And my damn roommate didn’t help matters either.

Just when it felt like I could make some progress, he tapped his pen against his desk. Then, when he finally stopped, and I managed to find a sliver of focus, he got a call from his mom, and he didn’t have the decency to take it outside. And to make matters worse, while all of that was going on, he decided to start gaming. I had never liked the guy all that much, but at that moment I wanted nothing more than to rip his throat out.

Yet, I was determined to do this by myself, so I grabbed my stuff and went to sit just outside the door. Finally, I managed to read in peace, and it felt like I was actually getting somewhere. Then, to make everything better, my roommate left, so I had the room all to myself. I was stoked, so I went back to my desk and pulled out the practice test we had been given.

I went through it all by myself and marked it just to see that I had failed so miserably it wasn’t even funny. Even though it felt like I was finally getting things right, nothing went into my head and I didn’t know what else to do anymore. So I did the one thing I had been trying to avoid the entire day and pulled the answer sheet the TA gave me out of my bag.

I sat there staring at it for what felt like an eternity. It would’ve been so easy for me to do things Frank’s way. All I had to do was learn what was on that page, and I’d have my pass. So many other students got away with the deceit, so why shouldn’t I? I was a football player, not an academic. That was the way I was born, and if I had an ounce of intellect, I would act that way.

But the more I looked at the page, the more guilt ate at me.

Every time I tried to let the information in, Dakota’s face invaded my mind. I heard her warnings over and over again and wondered if she was right. The easy way would give me everything I wanted, but it would also destroy everything I spent my life working for.

It would help me go pro, and I could give my sisters everything they wanted, but all that would be built on a lie and faith in someone I didn’t think I could trust. At least with Dakota, I knew she was honest and so were her warnings.

I tried to look over the sheet again, and that was when things became clear. I was already in too deep. I wouldn’t have this sheet if I weren’t, but I didn’t want to go any deeper. So I stuffed my books into my bag and stormed out of my dorm, hoping that it wasn’t too late for me to change my situation.

The walk was long and arduous. Her apartment was across the campus, and I could only hope that she would be willing to help after all the times I pushed her away and refused to give her what she asked for. But I was defeated, and I didn’t know what else to do. She was the only one who knew what I had gotten myself into, and it wasn’t like I could tell any of the guys what was happening. So I had to put my faith in her and hope it would work.

My hand was trembling as I knocked on her door, and my heart threatened to explode while I waited for her to open. Dakota’s eyes landed on my disheveled frame, and I could see the shock in them, but she didn’t make any snide remarks. She just raised a questioning brow.

“I’m sorry to bother you, especially at this time of night, but I don’t know what else to do. My English exam is tomorrow and I don’t want to do it Frank’s way. But it’s so late and I can’t focus, so I was wondering…”

She folded her arms across her chest. “Are you actually asking for my help?”

“Yeah.” I ran my hand down my neck as shame overwhelmed me.

I never in my life thought I’d ask for help from a reporter who not only threatened to ruin me but showed that she was capable of doing it too. And under any normal circumstances, she wouldn’t find me at her door if she begged for it. But she was all I had, and if it meant I had to beg, I’d have gladly fallen to my knees. Hell, I would’ve sold her my soul if she just got me a passing grade.

Dakota’s gaze moved over me and the book bag on my shoulder. “It looks like you already know what you need to do. So why are you standing in front of my door?”

“Because I spent the last few hours trying and got nowhere. So please, Dakota, can you help me study for my exam?”

23

Dakota

The look on his face was unlike anything I had ever seen from him. There was vulnerability wrapped up in demotivation, and beneath all that, there was raw, unfiltered desperation.

It was so powerful that my knees went weak, but I stood firm because there was no way I could give in to him and his eyes again. So I pulled the door a little closer, letting him know that he wouldn’t be getting in.

“I’m sorry, Trace, but you made this bed and now you’ve gotta sleep in it.” I was about to close the door when something else popped into my mind. “And how did you find out where I live, anyway?”

“Please, Dakota, you know as well as I do that you’re the last person I would come to for help, but I don’t have another choice. I’m desperate and you’re my only hope. Could you please find it in that cold heart of yours to help me just this once?”