Hooped #3 (The Hooped Interracial Romance Series, Book #3) Read Online Free Page A

her insistence that she had never been involved
with Devon, the severity of her dislike was a little much. I didn’t want to be
around her at all if I could avoid it, and if Devon hadn’t invited me to hang
out, I would have been forced to figure out my own excuses for not being in the
dorms and avoiding everyone. I would much rather spend the hours hanging out,
maybe watching a game, getting to know Devon’s friends and being around the guy
I liked than sitting around in the Library or the Student Union, pretending to
study or take part in some club-sponsored event but really stewing about my
friend the whole time. I went into the classroom and got settled in; I had been
just in time, and from the looks on the faces of some of the girls who had come
in around the same time I had, they hadn’t missed the fact that Devon had
walked me there. I grinned to myself and told myself that I would do the right thing
and be good and attentive through my classes, so I could really enjoy myself
that evening hanging out with “the guys” and the man I was quickly falling for.

 
    Chapter
Four
    In spite of my anger and worries and confusion about
Kelly, my classes for the afternoon flew by. All afternoon, I was giddy at the
fact that I was going to actually be meeting Devon’s friends, although a little
voice in the back of my mind—Kelly’s voice, it seemed like at the time—told me
that it was just part of the act. Part of Devon trying to make me feel special. But if he was just trying to get in my
pants, I thought, then there would be
no point in keeping up the act and making me feel special.
    I avoided my dorm room like the plague and didn’t even bother trying to find
any of my other friends when I grabbed lunch. I decided against even going up
to change my clothes before I headed over to the Phi Kappa house; it was just
asking to run into Kelly, and after our confrontation that morning I couldn’t
imagine anyone I wanted to see less than her.
    I sent Devon a text that I was coming over. As I was
walking across campus, my phone buzzed in my pocket. Can’t wait to see you! I even got showered and dressed. I grinned
to myself, shaking my head. I had to admit that I was really excited to spend
time with Devon—and even more excited to meet his friends. I was a little bit
wary of the Phi Kappa guys; the reputation they had on campus as the rowdiest partiers —confirmed by how the party I’d gone to
at the frat house had played out—made me think that by the time I showed up
there, they’d already be drinking, hanging off of the ceiling, daring each
other to crazier and crazier stunts. But if Devon wanted me to meet his
friends, it was a good sign, and I wasn’t about to push it away.
    I got across campus as quickly as I could, hurrying to avoid running into any of my friends
who might ask where I was headed and why. My heart was beating faster and
faster in my chest as I came closer to the fraternity row; I didn’t know
whether it was because I was anxious to see Devon, anxious his friends wouldn’t
like me, or worried that it was some kind of elaborate prank.
    I was surprised as I walked up to the front door of
the frat house; there was no pounding bass, no crowd of revelers, and no sign
that any kind of party was going on at all. It’s
not even night yet, Jenn, I thought,
shaking my head at myself. Surely even
these guys aren’t partying all the time. I came to the door and hesitated
just a moment before knocking; I had already told Devon I was on my way—I
couldn’t just back out of it now. “Just a minute!” someone from inside called
out. My heart hammered away in my chest, my blood roaring in my ears. I
swallowed against the tight, dry feeling in my throat, holding myself still so
that my feet wouldn’t take off of their own volition while I waited.
    The door opened, revealing a perfectly normal-looking
guy—I thought I’d probably seen him once or twice in the dining hall—in jeans
and a tee shirt.