The Sophomore (College Years #2) - Monica Murphy Page 0,110
drowning out the fear. Until all I can think about is hurting him. Destroying him. It’s the only way I’ll get out of this alive, I think.
I’m in pure fight or flight mode.
I’m ready to fight.
Ignoring the pain in my throbbing face, I concentrate on bending my knee beneath him, my foot falling to the floorboard, giving me good leverage. I aim straight at his crotch and with a grunt, I swing up my knee with all my might.
Nailing him right in the balls.
“Fuck! You bitch!” he groans, tipping over in agony with so much force his forehead smashes into my nose.
Plunging me into complete darkness.
Thirty-One
Jackson
I didn’t want to tell Ellie why I came to Los Angeles a day before I had to, and without the team. I had to get special permission from the school, and the coaches gave their approval after I explained what my plans were.
Rick at Evergreen left me a voicemail Wednesday morning, saying he felt like an ass that they never scheduled a meeting with me. They wanted to talk. They’re interested in me, he said. Could I come to Los Angeles in the next few days?
I played that message over and over, excitement rising within me. I didn’t want to jinx anything so I told no one about this meeting I was able to schedule. Not even Ellie.
I wanted to ensure I could make this happen first, before I told people. I didn’t want to let them down—didn’t want to let myself down either.
I’m going to his office first thing. I couldn’t sleep last night. I was too excited, too nervous, too agitated, all of it. So I gave up trying and stayed up till four in the morning writing a song.
Another one for Ellie.
I tried texting her to let her know I’m thinking about her, but she never answered, so I figured she was sleeping. I know she had to work, so I left her alone, and eventually fell into a deep, dreamless sleep myself that almost had me missing my alarm this morning.
Lucky for me, I woke up with a few minutes to spare for a quick shower before I gathered up my shit and hopped into my car, making my way toward Evergreen’s offices in downtown Los Angeles. I stayed at a hotel nearby, because I wasn’t about to let the traffic fuck with this appointment. It still takes me longer than I predicted to get there, so when I’m finally pulling into the parking garage, I’ve only got a few minutes to make it up the elevator and into their offices to be on time.
“Park it for me, will you?” I ask as I climb out of my Mercedes, leaving the engine running. I throw my keys at the valet dude and he catches them with one hand, tearing off the slip I need to collect my car later. I exchange it for two twenties, pressing them into his palm.
“Thanks, man,” he says, shoving the bills in his pocket. “I’ll take good care of it for you.”
“Thanks,” I tell him as I dart into the building, running toward the elevators. By the time I’m strolling into the lobby of Evergreen, it is exactly nine o’clock on the dot.
Perfect timing.
My phone is buzzing in my pants’ pocket, but I ignore it, flashing a charming smile at the pretty woman sitting behind the counter.
“Here for my nine a.m. with Rick,” I tell her, sounding way more confident than I feel.
She glances at her computer screen before smiling up at me. “Jackson Rivers?”
“That’s me,” I say with a nod.
“Go ahead and sit down. He’ll be right with you,” she says. Her voice and her smile are flirtatious, and I wink at her in return, making her smile grow.
I mean nothing by it. She doesn’t interest me. I have a pretty girl sitting at home waiting for me, and I’m pretty sure she could be the love of my life.
I practically collapse in the chair the moment the realization hits me.
Yes. I love her. I do. And not just as a friend, though I’ve loved her like that for well over a year. I was just flat out in denial over it, over her. But here I sit, in a total daze, after staying up half the night working on a song that’s all about her. While I have the biggest opportunity of my life waiting to happen in one of those nearby offices, all I can do is think about her.