Page 95 of Redemption
“We’ve got to go,” I say, turning back to them and lowering my voice.
Langston doesn’t listen to me, keeping his head on top of his sisters, but MJ pushes him back, sensing the urgency in my voice.
“What’s the plan?” she asks, looking around the quad for the best escape route.
Tipping my head towards the guys heading our way, I say, “Those are some of the guys on the team. We need to get him outof here before they can talk to him. They will know he’s drunk, and I wouldn’t put it past them to tell Coach. They’ve already seen us, but I think I can distract them while you get him to the dorms. I’ll tell them you’re going for a sibling breakfast or something—try not to let him weave as much as you can. Keep your arm wrapped with his, and you should be okay.”
“I’m right here, you guys. I can hear you.”
I glare at him, “Yeah, but seeing as your decisions have been questionable here lately, you don’t get a say. Go with your sister, and don’t give her grief.”
He huffs, his words still slurring when he says, “I’m not a child.”
“Then act like it,” I snap. “Do you even care how much trouble I could be in for covering for you? Or that your sister has to miss a class?”
Anger slices through me, and I tighten my jaw to avoid saying more. The only other time I’ve snapped at him was the day he let MJ take the fall for him on our signing day.
Is that when his downfall started? Should I have seen this coming sooner?
I don’t have time to answer those questions. The guys are getting closer, and MJ and Langston have to get out of here soon.
Langston has the wits about him to at least look admonished.
“Go. Now,” I say to MJ.
She nods, following my instructions and looping her arm through her brother’s before dragging him along with her. He stumbles once, and I wince. But luckily, he catches his balance, making it look like MJ pulled him away too fast in her haste.
They’ve just turned the corner of one of the brick buildings on the quad when the other guys approach me.
“What’s up, Hayes? Where did Langston go?” Tripp, one of our offensive linemen, asks. He’s a big guy. Weighing in at two hundred and fifty pounds, he towers over me. He comes off as intimidating to most people, but once you get to know him, he’s pretty great. It’s the other guy he’s with that I worry about. Graham Carter is selfish, and he’ll snitch if he thinks it will benefit him.
“Yeah, and who’s that little redhead he was with?” Graham ask.
I have to grit my teeth to stop myself from telling him just exactly how much MJ is none of his business because if I were to lose my temper over him merely asking about her, it would reveal my hand, and that’s one thing I don’t want to do with Graham. He would pursue MJ just because he knows she means something to me, and since we aren’t exactly talking, I wouldn’t be able to warn her away from him.
So I take a deep breath and keep my voice calm when I reply. “That was Langston’s sister. It’s been a while since they saw each other, with our summer training. They went to grab some breakfast before class.”
Tripp’s brows dip. “Doesn’t Langston have class now? I could have sworn he said he was in my psychology class.”
“Nah, I think he switched or something,” I lie.
“Right,” Tripp says, his voice wary.
“Anyway,” I say, clapping them both on the shoulder, “I have to get to class. I’ll catch you later.”
Neither question my hasty departure, continuing their walk to their lecture halls. I walk like I’m headed toward my class, giving them just enough time to leave, then circle back to the dorms.
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By the time I make it back to the dorms, MJ already has Langston lying on the bed. He’s out cold and snoring, andMJ has pulled my desk chair beside him, watching him with sadness written into every part of her body.
Her shoulders are slumped as she stares at him with unshed tears in her eyes. She didn’t bother looking up when I walked in—just kept her eyes on him as if he might disappear if she takes them off.
Without a word, I pull up the other desk chair beside her, staying quiet until she’s ready to talk.
It’s almost five minutes before she says anything.
“I don’t know how to help him, Hayes. He doesn’t listen to me. He’s killing himself so that he can live up to our parents’ expectations.”
