Chapter 4 Selling Yourself For A Degree
MALIK’S POV
“Action!”
“Hello, everyone. My name is Malik Zaheer Cross. Power forward for the LA Lakers. This is an official apology to everyone I have wronged for my behavior over the years. Most especially the most recent of them at Avalon club.”
I hoped to God I didn’t choke on my words because this script was not me at all.
“I understand that as a player who will be a veteran soon, a lot of young guys look up to me. I have to be a good role model to them. I promise my fans and the fans of the Lakers that from here on now, there will be no more bad behavior and negative things for the haters to talk about.” I recited the script off my head.
From my peripheral vision, I could see Brenda giving me a thumbs-up.
“Now, Malik, I know you’ve seen all the theories going about, saying you hate women. Saying you can’t stand them and only use them to boost your ego. How true is that?”
Fuck this stupid journalist!
I was three seconds away from walking away from this fake interview.
“I’m a man who takes pride in the sport I love. Everyone knows that in this industry, there’ll always be people who hate you. Granted, I have lived a reckless life over the past couple of years, but that is not for you to come out and call me a misogynist. Because I rejected the advances you blew at me doesn’t automatically mean that I hate all women.”
“Malik, you’ve been on the scene now for five years. The fans have never seen you with anyone. Have you sworn off relationships to focus on your career, or that part of your life is just something you like to keep private.” The interviewer asked.
Fuck my life.
Here went nothing.
“Actually,” I smiled—like the fucking script said! “There’s someone I want to introduce you guys to.”
“Oh, we’d love to see.”
“Sloane. Baby, can you please come out here?” I said in a sweet voice and everyone in the room’s jaw dropped. The interview especially.
I immediately wanted to puke because this was not me.
Baby?
Hell the fuck no.
She came out of the corridor into the living room, dressed like she was here to teach middle schoolers and not do an interview with Nike.
“Please come and sit. I’d like to tell the whole world how amazing you are.” I patted the chair next to mine.
There was a huge fake smile on her face as she sat right next to me.
“Now, I wouldn’t want to give every single detail about our relationship, but I’d have the world know that my girlfriend, Sloane Murphy, is not a clout chaser working for some low-budget media company. The day the photos were taken, she was trying to speak to me, and she almost fell. When I saved her, I was simply looking out for her as would a man who’s obsessed with his girlfriend.”
“Right, babe?” I asked her, and she turned to look at me, nodding before she smiled and then rested her head on my shoulder.
I always thought I was a bad actor.
“Sloane, we’ve heard everything your boyfriend has to say. Can you tell us a little about him. We’d love to hear about the Malik Cross from his girlfriend.”
Sloane sat up straight, looking right into the camera.
“People would always assume various things about someone until they get to know the person. As opposed to what everyone is saying about Malik, I’d beg to differ. My boyfriend is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I look forward to seeing him everyday. I look forward to his kisses. I look forward to lying next to him in bed. He is home. I know he has made a lot of mistakes, but I think the fans should give him one last chance.” Sloane responded.
Shocked was an understatement to describe how I was feeling. I could not even look at her.
I didn’t realize that librarians were such good liars.
“I’d love to see you both blossom into something so beautiful. It was nice doing this interview.” The interviewer smiled
She looked hell of a lot convinced, but if I was doing this, I needed to sell the act.
The cameras zoomed in on us.
I took a deep breathe, tipped Sloane’s chin up, leaned over before pressing my lips against hers.
Everyone in the room gasped.
I could feel her shock from how she froze.
“They seem like a happy couple.” The photographer said, and immediately, I tore away from her.
Act fucking sold!
SLOANE’S POV
Silence.
It’s all I’d heard since the interview with Nike six days ago. Mind you, the interview was published on YouTube a few hours ago.
It was as though Malik could not tolerate my presence, and so he left the whole mansion for me.
Since I wouldn’t leave, he left for me,
Today, he was supposed to sign my weekly clinical validation.
I had waited all day for him. I even took a nap.
Waking up, the clock on the wall said it was a few minutes past midnight.
I was thirsty and still feeling sleepy.
Putting on my flip flops, I tied my robe and walked to the kitchen.
The night light from the city illuminated the kitchen.
Grabbing a glass, I filled it with water when I heard a sound. I couldn’t pinpoint where exactly it came from.
I probably was hallucinating.
I heard the sound again, and I moved.
The sound stopped as though whatever it was, the person didn’t want me knowing they were there.
Confused, I turned on the lights, and that was when I saw it.
Malik.
He was crouched up in a corner, holding a bottle of Jack Daniels and his eyes were red.
His cheeks were also wet. As though he’d been crying. Also, he was staring at something on his phone.
“Malik?” I called out, my throat going dry all of a sudden.
“What?” He asked, fidgeting. The phone fell from his jittery hands in the process. I took a look at the screen and saw a picture of a middle-aged woman.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, I am. Leave me alone.” He spat, getting up from where he was crouched.
Something was clearly wrong, and it would be insensitive of me at this point to ask him to sign my clinical validation.
“Your eyes are red. Also, you’ve not been home all week.”
“It’s not like you care. All you need is for me to sign on that stuff. Just leave me alone, please.” He breezed past me, a bottle of alcohol still in his hand.
I stood there for seconds, speechless.
This was really what Dr. Humphrey was talking about.
We saw the good side, but we didn’t get to see the bad side.
I just wanted to make sure he was okay. Turning around, I followed behind him.
While in the corridor, my phone rang, causing me to pause.
Excitement coursed through my veins as I saw the name of the caller.
My boyfriend.
I had been trying to speak to him for a week.
“Baby…”
“What the fuck are these things I’m seeing, Sloane?”
“Arthur, please calm down and listen to me. You haven’t been responding to my texts. Six days ago, I told you to call me, but you got my message and didn’t call back.”
“So, you went and sold yourself to a basketball player?”
“No, Arthur. You know I would never do that. I’ve been trying to call you so we can talk.” I explained.
“Okay so talk, I’m listening. Explain why I was away for three weeks on a business trip. I returned, expecting to find my girlfriend home, but her image is all over the internet as she locks lips with some rascal NBA player. Explain to me, Sloane, because it doesn’t make fucking sense!”
“Baby, it’s not as bad as you make it seem.”
“So make it not bad.”
“I got assigned a new supervisor a week ago and she wants me to start my dissertation again. This is the only way it can work. Please understand, babe. You know I love you, and I will never do something like this. None of it is real. You know I want you and no one else. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
“Okay, and that means you’ll do whatever makes me happy?”
“Yes, I’ll do everything to make it up to you.”
“End this shit and come back home.”
“Arthur, I graduate in three months. You know I’ve worked tirelessly for this. It’s just three months.”
“So you’ll not obey me?”
“No, that’s not what I’m saying. I’m just saying that…”
“I can’t do this with you, Sloane.”
“What do you mean?” My heart rate tripled.
“I want a woman who puts me first. Right now, you’re a woman who is selling herself so cheaply for a degree, and I can’t be with you.”