#3 Lost in You (fan fic - in progress)

Chapter Six

I didn't call Lo the next day or any of the following days either. He text me to ask me what was up but I just ignored the text. That intense moment in the kitchen was awkward enough that I decided it was best I try to get a tutor from the student center. But after the first session with my new tutor, I knew I needed Lo back. I was more confused when I left than when I arrived.  Maybe it was the odd connection that was developing between me and Lo, but he understood just how to break things down for me.  I was being stubborn though, so I still didn't call.

Time moved on.  Several weeks past, and Thanksgiving break and finals were finally on the horizon.  Our soccer team was still doing well.  I was getting a fair amount of playing time with the number injuries that had occurred during the season already, particularly at my position.  But it was the LSU football team that everyone was talking about.  Lo Beckham and his golden hands in particular.  Everyone acted like he was some sort of demigod out there on the field.  Despite hearing about him constantly or spotting his hellcat on campus, the only time I actually saw him was when he met Ashley after practice.  We didn't acknowledge each other.  So it had already been over a month since we last spoke. 

Deyvon started talking to me again after the skater kickback.  We went on a couple of double dates with Tika and AO who she finally allowed to be her boyfriend.  After our disastrous start, we'd been taking it slow and were more friends than anything else.  But I liked Deyvon.  He had a dry smart ass sense of humor that kept us all laughing.  His father was Filipino, so he cooked a couple of the dishes that his grandmother taught him on our last date. And that pretty much won me over.  And even though his mom was black, he sort of looked like Dante Basco who I always thought was fine.  Plus he was an artist like me. He created the album covers for a couple of the local sound cloud rappers.  So I began collaborating with him on one and was promised to walk away with at least a hundred dollars in my pocket.  I was avoiding football players like the plague now, and I was always much more attracted to the creative types than athletes anyway. Deyvon planned to one day be the next Aaron McGruder with his own comic strip.

I woke up on a Sunday morning at Tika's place after we'd been out with AO and Deyvon the day before. It was a bye week for the football team and the campus nestled back into a peaceful stillness without the excitement of a game. We spent saturday afternoon at the local mall, the movies, and then at the side of Tika's apartment complex pool. AO attempted to barbeque and my stomach was still churning  the next morning. I just hoped I didn't have food poisoning. I was a bit nauseous but I hadn't vomited yet. Having to pee, I got up and ran to the bathroom in the hallway right next to Tika's room.  She and Kev were in the kitchen talking. I didn't think much of it until I heard my name. Being nosey again, I stopped to listen.  I don't know why. This never went well for me.

"What's up with ya girl? Why's Jay ghosting my homie?" Kev was asking.

"What do you mean?" Tika sounded uninterested as she poured her bowl of cereal.

"I mean Lo was all up in my face about tutoring her insteada' me and now that she flaked on him, he's definitely feeling a sort of way about it."

"Lo who?" Tika sounded fake confused.

"You know Lo who, Tika. Quit playin wit me."

"So wait.  Did Lo actually say something to you?"

"Nah. Of course not.  He still pretending like he's committed to that Ashley chick. But I've known Lo forever, so I can tell his mind is elsewhere."

I leaned in further as Kev lowered his voice. "And don't open your big ass mouth to Jay about this either.  I'm just asking for my own edification."

Tika shrugged. "I don't know.  I think maybe something was going on between them but Jay won't confess to anything either. Last time I saw them together they were whispering and looking all comfy cozy at a kickback.. but that was weeks ago. Now she's all about Deyvon."