AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I think it’s fair to assume you got his attention,” she agrees.
I spend the entire game on my feet, cheering so loudly, that by the end of the game, my throat is sore, and my arms, legs, and feet ache.
This might be my first basketball game, but even I can tell it wasn’t a great one. We won, although it was only by two points. For the most part, I was making sure to watch Royal, even when he didn’t have the ball, but yelling his name as loud as he could when he did.
The Patrington Center starts to empty pretty quickly, but I don’t move until Royal leaves the court. Sinking to my seat, I grab the bottle of water that I’ve barely touched all evening, and down half of it.
“Anyone watching that can see the rumors are true, and yet somehow, every time the NCAA comes to investigate, they say there’s no evidence.”
Turning to Penny, I frown. “What rumors?”
“When there’s a member of the Elite on the team, the Wildcats have never lost a game. If the other team is great, and by all accounts, we should lose, somehow, it’s a draw. But never a loss. And the wins are only by a couple of points. And somehow, they never make it to the Final Four.” Penny glances around, but there’s no one near us anymore. “Apparently, the few times they did lose, the opposing team was riddled with all kinds of bad luck afterwards, like failing drug tests.”
“But they never make the finals?” I take another sip of my drink and lean back in my seat. “That doesn’t even make sense.”
“My guess is that the Elite have a reputation of being the best, so even if members are never even going to play another game in their life, they’re still going to want an impeccable playing record on their resumes.” Penny reaches for her purse and pulls out her phone. She reads a message, taps a response, and then turns to me. “While this wasn’t as painful as I expected it to be, my boyfriend and girlfriend are threatening to get started without me—”
“Go,” I say, then laugh.
Penny stands, but before she leaves, she tilts her head. “Didn’t you say you had to go to the dining hall after this?”
“Shit.”
Brushing her pink hair over her shoulder, she leans back to let me pass. “I can’t see Syn,” she says as I start running up the bleachers to the exit.
Today’s game started late afternoon. Even though the dinner service started at the same time as usual, the dining hall is staying open an extra hour for those who attended the game.
Seeing as though I hadn’t seen Syn, Gemini, or Royal eat, and because none of them had shared their dinner plans with me, I’ve got no choice but to assume they could be eating at the dining hall tonight.
Honestly, I doubt it. There’s been talk of a post-game party at the church, where there will be food served. While I doubt they’re going to order a bunch of takeout pizzas because I’ve only ever seen Syn sneer at the idea of fast food, at this point, I won’t be surprised if I hear they have caterers—even at a college party—because I’ve also never seen anyone here drink from a red cup either.
But whether or not they’re serving food there, technically, my instructions are to be at the dining hall, waiting for Syn. Which means, I’ve got to run from one end of campus to the other and almost all the way back again.
Although I’m hoping that Syn won’t even bother heading to the dining hall, I still weave my way through the crowds of people. Outside, it’s just as busy. It’s also cold, but I’m too busy trying to get to Denali House to even bother putting my jacket on.
By the time I get to the house, I’m hot and sweaty, but not nearly as out of breath as I would’ve been before. Some good has clearly come from all this running. I head to the back of the house, but as I’m entering the code on the electronic panel, the door is thrown open.
Standing in front of me is Syn.
XXI
Syn
Tori’s eyes go wide, and she takes a step back, narrowly avoiding falling off the step.
“That’s not the outfit I provided you with this morning,” I say, not moving an inch. “Did Royal give you that?”
The hem of her dress has risen up, and she makes a half-hearted effort in smoothing it down. “I bought it myself, this morning. I thought it would be appropriate as an initiate to attend the game and show my support for one of the vice presidents.”
“I didn’t realize you were so enthusiastic. Next time, you can be the Wildcat’s cheerleader as Gemini suggested.”
Her lip catches between her teeth and then she straightens her back. “Whatever you say, sir,” she says, as though the idea doesn’t bother her. “It would be my pleasure to show how much I support Royal.”
Royal…
Not the stupid basketball team, but Royal, specifically.
I’m not sure why anger bubbles up inside of me at that, but I hide it instead, folding my arms. “The post-game party is starting. A more appropriate outfit is in your kennel. I expect you to be at the front door in twenty minutes. For every minute you’re late, that’s the number of dicks you’ll be sucking off tonight, initiate.”
