Page 1 of Bound to a Virgo Menace (BLP Signs of Love #3)

Savannah, Georgia

I exhaled. My tongue swept across my lips. I wiped my right hand against my damp shorts. The time was now. I held my volleyball in my left hand as I tried hard to tune out the fans.

Tonight’s game was the last semifinals game. If our team won, then next week, we’d play in the championship game. Not only that, I stood a really good chance at getting recruited for SU, Savannah University.

It had been my dream since I was a little girl to play there. Both of my parents attended and graduated from SU. I wanted to follow in their footsteps.

If SU recruited me for their volleyball program, I’d receive a full scholarship. That had always been my goal. I’d let nothing deter me from my path. With a lot of motivation from my mommy, that was the plan for my life.

It was what I wanted for my life as well. All I had to do was serve this ball over the net, and my teammates and I would go to work like we always did, or we could win with this one serve. I had served a perfect game.

I was on my twentieth serve, and all I needed was one more. Again, the time was now. I rubbed the tips of my fingers together and took one more deep breath.

“You got this, Hevyn! Kill that shit!” my boyfriend Rashad yelled from the stands.

Laughter could be heard around the gym. I wanted to grin and laugh, but I had to stay focused. My eyes locked with the ball. I tossed it up and quickly jumped in the air after it. My eyes never strayed from the white rock.

That feeling overcame me. It was the same feeling I always got when it was time to spike the ball. I reached up high with my right hand then spiked the ball as hard as I could.

My feet landed back on the floor. I watched as the ball sailed over the net. Two of my opponents leaped to hit it, but they missed it. The white rock hit the floor. It was a perfect ace. My team and I jumped up and cheered.

“We did it!”

We were going to face the Rockets in the championship game.

“We’re going to the championship game!” Kelis, my bestie, screamed loudly.

Kelis and the rest of my team picked me up. They carried me around, chanting our school song. My crew was beyond happy with tears running down some of their faces.

As their captain, it felt damn good to lead them to the championship game for the third year in a row. I didn’t get much playing time my freshman year of high school. Our previous captain was in her senior year and the school’s shining glory during that time.

When my sophomore year came, I showed everyone just how skilled I was. We won the championship game that year and my junior year. Now in my senior year, my goal was for us to take the championship game one more time before most of us graduated.

I wanted to leave a legacy behind at my high school. From the looks of things, I was on the path to accomplishing my goals. My crew lowered me to the floor when the recruiter from SU strolled over and stopped in front of us. She was tall, curvy, and the prettiest shade of dark brown I’d ever seen.

“Hi, Hevyn. I’m Mona Sims, the recruiter at SU. Do you have a moment to chat?”

“For you? Absolutely!” I expressed excitedly.

She smiled and led me over to an empty bench.

“I’ll get straight to the point. Hevyn, you are a real natural.

It’s been a while since I recruited real talent like yourself.

SU and I would love to make you the newest addition to our school and volleyball team.

Here’s my card. There’s no rush, but if you want this partnership like we do, then reach out to me next week.

A full scholarship isn’t the only incentive we’re offering. ”

Mona stood and held out her hand. “It was a privilege to meet you, Hevyn. Enjoy your win and night.”

I stood and placed my hand in hers. “It was really nice to meet you. Thank you so much for the opportunity. I’ll be reaching out,” I replied.

Mona walked away and toward the exit. I turned and squealed in my place. It was happening. My dream was about to come true. Hell yes!

I climbed my tired body out of my car and walked a few steps to the front door of our luxury two-story home. I exerted a lot of energy during all my games. Plus, the ride home relaxed me, but my body was tight and stiff as ever.

What I craved right now was a hot shower and food.

When I stepped inside our home, my brother Tevyn was sprawled on the couch with his handset on.

He could’ve simply played the game in his room, but nope, he chose to hog the TV in the living room as usual.

Not only were we siblings but twins at that.

Tevyn was a minute older than me, and he never let me forget. He was surely a bugaboo.

“What’s up, big head?” I probed, locking the front door behind me.

“If it ain’t Mama’s favorite. How was your game?” Tevyn questioned.

“Shut up.” I snickered. “We won though. We’re going to the championship game. I even got the business card of the recruiter from SU.”

Tevyn paused his game and looked up at me. “Congratulations, Sis. I’m so fuckin’ proud of you, man. I knew you could do it. You gon’ win that championship game too.”

I grinned as I hung my things up on the coat rack. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, Brother. I appreciate it. How was work?”

He went back to his game. “Same ol’ shit. I flipped burgers and cooked fries. Ain’t shit special about my day,” he answered.

I chuckled at him. Tevyn worked at Happy’s Fast Food. He smelled like grease and fries every time he came home. I teased him a lot about it because I was low-key jealous that he got to work and have a little more independence than me.

Mommy saw my potential as a professional volleyball player.

She didn’t want anything to ruin my chances at greatness, so she monitored me heavily and pushed me to practice and take my talent as seriously as I could.

I understood, but I did want a little more freedom.

Most of my life revolved around volleyball.

However, my backup plan was to be a pediatric nurse.

Once I got tired of that, then I’d be a travel nurse for babies only. I had the plan all mapped out. According to Mommy, all I needed to do was focus on volleyball. That would take me further in life. I sighed every time Mommy said that. I was more than capable of doing both.

There was no way I could play volleyball all my life. I didn’t want to. There was enough room in my life to try and experience many different things.

I walked away from Tevyn. I would’ve asked where Mommy was had I not smelled the savory and spicy flavors wafting from the kitchen. As I walked toward the kitchen, the oldies playlist she had going met me before I saw her.

Mommy’s favorite song, “I’m Ready” by Tevin Campbell, greeted my ears.

A smile slowly spread across my face. My dad’s face flashed in my head.

He had such a great smile. It lit up his whole face when he smiled.

Unfortunately, Daddy was no longer here with us.

A drunk driver made sure he’d never get to see Tevyn and me grow up.

I swallowed and suppressed the emotions that tried to surface.

There would be no sadness right now, only celebration, because I was going down state.

When I made it in the kitchen, Mommy’s body moved at the stove as she stirred her big pot.

The steam rose from the pot, spreading more of its savory and seasoned goodness in the air.

“Mmm. Something smells good, Mommy. What you cooking?” I made it to her and hugged her tightly around her waist.

She kissed the top of my head. “My sweet girl, how did your game go? I’m sorry I missed it. If it wasn’t for my job, you know I would’ve been in the stands screaming like always.”

She chuckled. I snickered along with her. Mommy was right. She was the loudest in the stands every time she came. I released her and looked into her pot. She was making her famous three bean chili. I couldn’t wait to chow down.

Baby, I was famished. I licked my lips. “You know I understand. We won, though, Mommy. We’re going to the championship game!”

“Yes!” She squealed loudly as she pulled me into a tight hug. “I knew you could do it, sweet girl. You already know I’m taking off for that game. Ain’t shit stopping me from going.”

Mommy released me. I laughed at her antics. She was so funny.

Mommy was one of the top and most sought-after real estate agents in Georgia. She knew her shit. That was why everyone wanted to work with her. There were times when she wasn’t around because she worked hard, but Tevyn and I understood.

Both of us were well taken care of. Tevyn worked because Mommy wanted to instill values like a good work ethic, discipline, drive, and independence in him. He was lazy and wanted to lounge around and play video games all the time, but Mommy didn’t play that.

“Wash your hands and set the table for me, baby.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Tevyn, get off that game and come and eat!” Mommy raised her voice so he could hear with his headphones on.

I washed my hands, dried them, and collected the bowls and plates from the cabinet. As I set the table, Tevyn shuffled into the kitchen rubbing his hands like Birdman minutes later.

“Mommy, you got it smellin’ real right up in here. Yeah, set that food out,” Tevyn expressed. He bumped me and took a seat at the table.

“You so irritating. Always actin’ you like starving,” I professed then mushed his head.

He went to hit me back when the sound of screeching tires filled our big kitchen. All of us looked at each other as we listened to see if an accident was about to happen. However, it was only seconds later when the worst moment of my life transpired.

Blaring headlights filled our kitchen, and a black SUV came speeding through the wall and back door of our home.

I jumped back and landed on the table. The porcelain plates slipped from my hands as the SUV plowed into my mommy, taking her and our stove through the wall.

The plates hitting the floor snapped me out of my haze.

Tevyn and I both raced out of the kitchen when another loud bang happened.

That same SUV sped through the living room and smashed through the front windows, taking Mommy and our stove with it.

The chilly spring night air appeared to be as small as a gnat against my flesh as I watched Mommy’s mangled body smack the pavement.

The SUV crashed into the tree in our front yard, finally halting its journey of destruction.

“Mommy! Mommy!” I screamed as I ran to her. When I made it to her, I dropped to my knees, completely distraught and at a loss for words.

My watery and blurry eyes scanned her bloody body. Shakily, I picked her head up and placed it on my lap. Her beautiful face was gone. She looked like a tortured victim in a slasher film. Our eyes locked, and she took her last breath before her head slumped to the side.

“Noo!” I hollered at the top of my lungs. “Mommy, come back! Please, come back,” I cried out loudly. I rested my head on hers, trying to hold on to her as long as I could.

Seconds later, Tevyn’s firm body grabbed ahold of both of us. His sobs filled my ears. The last time he cried like this, we were told that Daddy had died.

Now, here that pain was again. Tevyn’s cries made me sadder. Our world as we knew it was over. The best part of us was gone. Now what were we going to do?