Beloved (Book Five)

Chapter 13: Rebecca's Plan

When I completed my classwork and assignments, I dumped all of my textbooks on my bed then tossed my backpack on the floor. Instead, I took a pencil and a notebook then headed to the football field.

By the time I got there, football players were jogging up and down the white metal stairs. There were a couple who were pushing soft blue cushions against their bodies, I could see the sweat running from their faces.

While the muscular boys are doing all the work, the coach was sitting in a white lawn chair, sipping his drink, and yelling through the megaphone like an announcer. White hair was leaking out of his Chicago Bears cap. His orange t-shirt was starting to get a little bit tighter for his large stomach, and his hairy legs were scorched by the sun.

I wasn't sure that his white shorts can protect him from the heat. When the coach saw me, his sunglasses winked at me. He rose from his seat then headed towards my direction. "Hello there," the football coach greeted. He had a raspy Southern accent. "Hello," I greeted back. "My name is Nicole and I wanted to interview the football players for a Journalism project."

The coach smiled then barked at the boys to stop playing. He pointed his plump finger at me then shook it. "This here is Nicole," he explained. "She will be asking questions for her Journalism assignment, and I want you all to answer them truthfully or I will cut you out of the team, got it?"

"Yes, Coach." the boys answered in a monotone voice. When the coach finished his announcement, he walked out of the football field. Probably to do something important. I walked up to one of the players with a pencil and a notebook in my hand.

"Can any of you guys tell me about Michael?" I asked. The football players looked at one another. "Aren't you supposed to talk about how successful we are or something?" one of them asked. "What do you guys know about Michael?" I repeated, ignoring the jock's question.

"Even though he was a good football player," one of them muttered. "Michael is a brainiac when it comes to chemistry. Probably because his parents were scientists." "Okay," I began. "What else?" A football player walked up to me and removed his helmet. Under the sweat and mud, it was Ace.

"A few years ago," Ace began. "He tried out for the Fraternity." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small photo. It was a picture of Michael, except that he wore black braces and glasses.

This was Michael? He seemed almost nerdy. "I was his roommate," Ace explained. "He became obsessed with the Fraternity that I helped him transformed into a beautiful swan."

"He must have been happy," I smirked. "Everything was perfect for him: he had perfect grades and a perfect life until something changed."

"Hello?" a football player barked. He had a buzzcut and a square face. "I'll get to you all soon," I promised. "Just talk about football stuff, okay?" As I came to Ace, my expression grew serious. "Can you tell me more?" I persisted.

"What happened to Michael?" "He became weird that's all," he shrugged. "He hung out with bad crowds, ditch classes, last week I found something under his pillow."

"What did you find?" I whispered. He reached into his right pocket and pulled out a five hundred dollar bill. I took the dollar then studied it. The money seemed normal until I stared at the emblem and the year. They both looked a bit...off.

It didn't feel like a dollar bill. "This is counterfeit money," I said, clutching the bill. "Did you tell the police?" Ace shook his head. "I thought it was some sort of prank." he mumbled.

"This isn't prank money," I insisted. "You are holding a counterfeit dollar." "Technically, you are holding it." Ace replied. I shoved it in his hand and told him to tell the Dean as well as the police.

He nodded then walked away. Brushing the strands away from my eyes, I walked over to a group of football players. They let out a relieved sigh when they saw me.

"Can you guys give me some more details on the slain Frat boy?" I asked. The buzzcut football player stared at the empty pages of my notebook then back at me.

Sensing his thoughts, I tell them that I will write down their responses after the interview. Most of the football players told me that Michael was a good guy while some of the jocks thinks that he was a party boy.

They didn't knew about the fake dollar other than Ace. "Marie and Michael have been known as the It couple since junior high," one of them explained. "They signed up for clubs, the Sorority and the Fraternity, in order to get closer to each other."

"But when Michael started changing into a bad boy, Marie ended the relationship." Well, that makes sense. I thought to myself. "Thank you, that's all I have for today."

I gave them a wave then walked back into my dorm room. As soon as I opened the door, Rebecca was sitting in her desk, painting her nails. "So Nancy Drew," she sighed. "Tell me about what you know."

I took a deep breath then explained everything to Rebecca. I told her about the counterfeit dollar under his pillow, Michael and Marie used to be a couple, and other things.

"What about my sister?" Rebecca asked. "I am going to talk to her friends about Marie," I promised. "But maybe you can fill in the details." "We weren't close," Rebecca sniffed. "If that is what you are saying."

"Please, can you give me other details?" I pleaded. Rebecca twirled her blond strand then rubbed lip gloss. "Fine," she said. "If you want me to spill there is something that you and I need to do."

"Okay," I said. "Well, what is it?" Rebecca looked at me with a smug grin. "We are crashing a Frat party." she giggled.