April 2007

The house party was in full swing when Leah arrived after the game.

Having walked in, people had stopped to comment on the win for the University and she couldn't help but get lost in the conversations as such. With 32 points scored and 12 assists she seemed to be the talk of the town. Unlike her, the men's game which was played just after hers, had been a total mess. Jacob had barely scored any points and he'd even been sent off with four personal fouls. She had yet to catch up with him and talk to him about it.

She nervously played with her hair, smoothing the curls back into her pony tail. She'd replaced her usual attire of shirts and basketball shorts with a red razor back top and a jean skirt. As she looked around the room, weaving in between drunk guys and giddy girls, she wondered if she should have swapped out her sandals for heels, seeing as every girl seemed to be wearing them. Pushing the idea aside she snorted. At six-foot even, she was already a head above the rest of the girls, even with their heels.

"Yo, Leah. Kick ass game tonight, girl!" Emmett bounded over, bumping her shoulder in a friendly manner. "I knew coach couldn't bench you all season."

"Thanks, Em. Have you seen Jake? I was supposed to meet him at the dorms but he text me saying to meet him here." Leah asked, her eyes still scanning the crowd.

Emmett nervously shuffled his feet, his eyes darting up to the second-floor balcony. "Maybe you should skip the party. Just for tonight."

"What? Why?"

Leah turned, following his line of sight. There she found Jacob, dirty dancing with a girl who had on less clothes than a stripper. Instantly her blood boiled seeing him there, without a care in the world, red cup grasped firmly in his right hand while his left held on to the girl's waist who was shaking her shit all over the front of his jeans.

"Leah-" Emmett warned, trying to grab her wrist before she could do something she'd regret. "He's pretty drunk."

Leah flung her arm out of Jacob's best friend's hold, stomping and pushing her way through the crowd. She couldn't believe Jacob. Couldn't believe how he could just humiliate her like this. Rosalie smirked and raised her cup in Leah's direction, smitten with the situation unfolding.

She blew past the blonde, almost toppling her as she stood in the way.

"Jake!" Leah called out, her fists balling by her sides as Jacob continued to dance, intentionally ignoring her. "Hey!" she snapped, pushing the girl away from Jacob so she could stand in front of him.

"Bitch!" the girl hissed angrily, turning on Leah and pushing her shoulder. "Get your own man."

Biting her tongue, Leah glared at the dumb bimbo, facing her head on. She recognised the girl from Biology. Irina or something. "He is my man."

The girl looked between the two and rolled her eyes, blowing them both off for another drink.

"Aw, damn Leah. Why did you have to mess that up?" Jacob scowled as he took the last sip of his drink, before crunching it in his fist and dropping it to the carpet.

"Who the fuck was that?"

Jacob sucked his teeth like a petulant child. "No one. A friend. What's it to you anyway? You're not even around anymore. I might as well date my-fucking-self."

Leah tried to catch his eye, but he refused to look at her. Was this really what it came down to? Being cheated on? Leah closed her eyes and ran an angry hand over her neck "You know what," she sighed, throwing her hands up. "I'm going back to the dorm. Feel free to come see me when you've finished being an asshole."

"Sure, sure," he mumbled as he turned on his heel, not even offering her a backward glance.

Leah's stomach sunk to her knees.

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