Unbreakable Together: A New Adult Romance Novel Read Online Free PDF Page B

him. We had a deal, okay ? No one snitches on anyone, and no one escalates this any further. He wanted his payback. He got it. This stops now. He agreed to it. If that keeps people safe, then it is worth it to me.”
    Matt snatched a cluster of fries off his plate. “I wasn’t part of that deal,” he scoffed.
    “I swear to God , Matt, if you fuck this up I won’t forgive you.” Devon frowned.
    “You did this for her then ,” Matt said clearly irritated.
    “Of course I did it for her, man. You think I’m going to put her in danger for something as stupid as a losing football season? I made my choice, Matt. This is over. This is none of your business.”
    “I can’t believe you just said that.” Matt stared at him in disbelief.
    “Dude, it’s football. If you can’t handle a loss and figure out how to come back from a setback without blaming others then you don’t deserve a championship or a scholarship. Do you think winning is easy? This is what it’s all about. Overcoming obstacles and setbacks. That’s what this game is about, that’s what life is about—not winning and never losing.” Devon took a sip of soda over tightened lips.
    “ Thanks for the pep speech, Coach Lombardi, but there’s one obstacle I am about to remove.”
    “Matt, don’t fuck this up .” Devon’s eyes returned to Matt’s. “You’ll screw things up for me, and you’ll screw up your own chances for college. Don’t do it. I’m not telling you again.” Devon’s glare burned through him.
    “Is that a threat ?”
    “ Don’t fuck with me, Matt, not this way.” His words tinged with pain, as if something close to him threatened to be ripped away forever.
    Matt got up and pushed the table, pressing it into Devon’s arm. He s tomped out of the restaurant without looking back.
     

Chapter Seven
~ Erin~
    For every thing Devon was to me, he was also a paradox: he was everything good in my life along with all of my dark pleasures rolled into one. He was the one everyone trusted. He was the good boy next door who brought out the bad side of me. He was the source of love and the source of pain, a love so deep that it hurt not to be close to him.
    My love for Devon became clearer with each passing day. I felt guilty about Devon risking his entire football season for me. But that’s the way he was, putting me first no matter what the cost.
    Both of us still had a decent chance of getting into the same college. We had arranged to take advanced classes this year. We both had solid SAT scores that we had helped each other prepare for last spring. I wanted to do something in visual arts, and Devon wanted to take business with a focus on entrepreneurship.
    Both of us had about the same chances of getting a scholarship: close to zero. I could work, take out loans, and all of that, but college graduates did not have the same future they used to have. Nothing was certain. I could see it all around me. Why else would college grads with advanced degrees be buried in debt and working as waitresses, bartenders, and baristas?
    This was too much for me to think about in one afternoon. I had a volleyball game and a chemistry test to get ready for, and a meeting with my guidance counselor. All I knew was that I wanted to be with Devon and I wanted to find a way to make it work.
    I walked into my guidance counselor’s office and Devon’s words rang in my ear: maybe you could be a corporate lawyer, work eighty hours a week and drop dead one day .
    I told Ms. Carlson that my mom did not make enough to pay for college, I did not have much savings, and that I would need all the financial aid that I could get my hands on.
    “I’ve been reading horror stories about college grads who have not been able to pay off their loans. I don’t want to get in a situation where I have to work off deb t for the rest of my life.” I had already learned that from Devon. You pay now or you pay later.
    “ Are there any scholarships that I am eligible for?”  I