Loyal

Chapter 82

            "Keep it moving Kaep," Becca nudges me forward.

I turn away and we walk toward the black car waiting for me.

Vera's POV

            Flight 234 will be preparing for takeoff in fifteen minutes. Please make sure all carry on luggage is placed safely into specified areas.

I buckle my seatbelt and sit back in the seat. Thank God I'm next to the window. I lift the cover over the window open, and lean back to close my eyes.

"Hey! Hey! It's Kaep! It's Kaep!" 

I feel my chest tighten at the sound of his name, the way it always does. 

"He's right there! He came out of that jet!"

There's a bunch of clicks from all over the plane as people unbuckle themselves and jump from their seats, scrambling toward my side of the plane to get a look out the small airplane windows. I feel my face flush. Don't look Vera. Don't look. Don't fucking look. 

"Ugh, he is fiiiiiner in person," one woman says, letting out a cat whistle. Against my will I feel my face turn toward the window to my left.  

There's a small swarm of news reporters hovering towards a black car several feet away from the jet. I can see Becca, her arm tightly clasped around Colin's, as she pushes reporters away with her other free one. The PR team surrounds him as well, along with several body guards. Colin, their crown jewel, whom they have to protect at all times. I watch him. He pulls his hood down, but it doesn't go as low as he wants it to. He looks up, his eyes bright. A bright deep brown, almost amber. Even in the midst of this damn scandal, all of the drama, he's handsome...beautiful... His tongue breaks from his lips, sweeping over them in confidence. He holds his head up high, his tall frame dominating in a sweat suit. I feel my heart beat quicken, the way it always does around him. Those damn butterflies moving around inside my stomach, threatening to break out. I wipe my hands over my knees because my palms are sweating out of control. 

The voice over the loud speaker comes on again.

Everyone we do realize there is a certain commotion occurring on the side of the plane, but we do ask that you all please take your seats and buckle your seatbelts. We are preparing for takeoff.

I bite my lip as I watch Colin hastily get into the black car, and close the door behind him. I sit back in my seat and close my eyes tightly, but not tight enough to keep hot wet tears from running over.

Colin's POV 

FLASHBACK

            "I mean, there's nothing wrong with dating around, Colin. I think it's actually encouraged. You're the star on the team; a lot of your young female fans love to see that you're not in a committed relationship. It's good for business."

                        "But?"

            I'm sitting in Becca's office, swiveling back and forth in an office chair across from her. She lets out a long sigh.

            "I just, I genuinely care about you Colin. You are fairly new to this team, you're a young leader, and I don't want to see you getting hurt."

                        "Is this coming from someone who dates men twenty years younger than her?"

            Becca blushes slightly. I bite my lip, it was a low blow. But I don't need anyone fuckin up my high. I've been a solid player on the team for two years now, I don't need this extra babysitting bullshit.

            "Anyway, Colin. I know from personal experience that sleeping around is only temporary pleasure. You have all of these women, you get them drunk, sleep with them, and they're gone the next day."

                        "I'm missing your point."

            "Something's gotta give. You feel like you're playing these girls, but really you're playing yourself. You're giving yourself away just as much as they are."

            I run a hand over my head before looking Becca square in the face. She's being sincere. She's acting motherly. 

                        "Look, Becca, women are better than me being on drugs like I was. Sex is better than getting high right? This is a win win. I get what I need, and it ain't getting anyone in trouble."

            I spin in the chair once more.

            "What's going to happen when you actually meet someone you genuinely care about?"

            I scoff.

                        "Meet someone I actually care about?"

            "Yes, Colin, believe it or not, sometime in the future you may meet someone that you genuinely care about. Someone you might even want to settle down with."

            I feel something rattle inside of me at those damn words. Settle down with. My mind goes back to the kids I love working with at the community center, the families I see. For a few moments I think about having my own family....

But nah. No, not me. Not Colin Kaepernick. 

                        "Not for me."

            "Not for you?"

                        "Nah, it'll be a cold day in hell before I find someone who makes me want to settle down." 

***************HEY EVERYONE **************************

Just want to thank you all for reading! I'm excited at where this book has gone so far, and I am excited to keep writing. I love all of your comments and all of the people getting into the story! I love yall so much xoxoxoxo <3 <3