The Scammer(27)

Loren tenses, eyeing the door.

“Don’t worry about it,” I urge, bumping her shoulder.

“But I do worry about it,” Loren whispers, looking sheepish.

“It’s just Devonte. He’s not gonna ground us until the middle of next week.”

Loren’s eyes narrow. “I know you think everyone’s being ridiculous. But his opinion of us matters to me. I’m surprised it doesn’t matter to you just as much.”

In an instant, I sober up. Maybe I am coming off as a hater. I don’t want Loren to think I don’t believe in Devonte’s guidance, that I’m disloyal, that I think differently than them.

“You’re right. I’m sorry.”

Loren holds her breath until her shoulders sag. “Nah, I’m sorry for snapping at you like that. You’re right. Let’s just . . . get a drink.”

“One drink,” I offer, cheerily. “Then we could go?”

She smiles, happy with that plan, and nods across the room at Vanessa, cuddled up with Kareem in the corner.

“That’s if you can drag her out of here.”

We laugh and make our way to the kitchen.

“Wait, I see Legacy. You go on. I want to holla at him for a second.”

I weave into the narrow kitchen, watching people searching for clean empty cups. On the counter is a giant cooler, with a spout, squeezing out red punch.

That . . . does not seem safe.

I grab a fresh bottle of cranberry juice off the floor and pour myself half a cup. I don’t really need to drink tonight. I don’t really need to drink at all, but holding a cup makes it easier to fit in.

In the middle of the crowded room, Nick is sandwiched between two girls, laughing and dancing. Most of the crowd is people from FUSA, and a few of his frat brothers. I stand back sipping my juice, trying to absorb the joy in the air. This is what I thought college would feel like, taste like. But since Devonte moved in, things have changed, a striking difference in a matter of a few weeks.

Loren and Legacy are still chatting, their faces serious. Legacy glimpses over at me, then back at Loren. She almost seems annoyed.

What are they talking about?

Glass breaks behind me, pieces scattering around our feet. A few of us offer to help clean up, trying to be respectful of the place. Not many students have off campus housing. I grab a trash bag, holding it open. Once done, I turn back to the party and freeze.

Devonte is standing by the door.

In a split second, the world goes quiet. What’s he doing here? How long has he been watching? And where’s Kammy?

The crowd doesn’t notice him, just another body in a sea of bodies. But he’s the only person I can see.

We lock eyes across the room and my pulse begins to race. He swims in my direction, and as he nears, my spine goes rigid. His scent, once so intoxicating, sends alarms throughout my entire body.

“Hey,” I sputter. “W-w-what are you doing here?”

“It’s a party,” he says, towering over me, seeming upbeat but his eyes are dangerous. Somehow, I know we’ll pay for this later on. Somehow, he’ll make us regret we ever stepped foot in this place.

As if reading my mind, he smiles. “Relax, sis. You’re allowed to make your own choices. You chose this, so I thought I’d join you. You’ve been so busy with school lately. Don’t got much time for me.”

His smile is pleasant, but his tone reeks of sarcasm.

He leans an elbow against the counter, his legs crossed, eyes glued to mine. As if I am the only person in the world he wants to talk to. Maybe I am.

“Your shoe is untied,” he says, grabbing my cup.

“Oh, thanks,” I mutter. I’m not used to wearing sneakers to parties. Well, Loren’s sneakers that I borrowed. I double knot with shaky hands and pop back up. Devonte hands me the cup and I take a quick glimpse around the room, both searching for an escape and wondering if the girls notice he’s here yet. But Loren is busy with Legacy, more like arguing. And Vanessa is boo-ed up in the corner. Nick is still dancing in the middle of the living room with a bunch of girls from FUSA.

My eyes return to Devonte, who is staring at my lips.

“You know,” he starts, fingers touching the ends of my hair as he leans in closer. “Sometimes I look at you and I feel like I know you. Like I’ve met you in another lifetime.”

At that moment, I stop breathing and focus on steadying my hand so my cup won’t spill.

“Really?”

He nods. “It’s your spirit, your energy. I know it. That’s how I knew so much about you. But there’s so much I think you’re still holding back. Don’t you think we should explore that? Alone. Just you and me.”

Memories of tea and his voice in my ear make me quiver. Not sure if I could go through that again.

“I, uh, told you everything,” I say with a nervous laugh.

Devonte holds an expectant expression. “I knew you would say that. That’s why I—”

Voices rise above the music enough to distract us. I stand on tiptoes, peering over the crowd gathering as the party comes to a halt.

In the middle of the room is Vanessa. Her cup empty and another girl wearing its contents on her face. She snatches the girl’s braid with brutal force. Her face contorted in rage. They lump together, falling to the floor, a ball of braids, hair, and limbs flying.