24: #DeMo-n

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Dejounte Murray

"Thanks again boss," I said handing a hundred-dollar bill to one of my securities for the night. "I'll be good from here."

"Stay safe."

"Always."

After today's defeat against the Miami Heat, I rushed right out of that arena and headed for the car that awaited me in the private parking lot. Tonight, was rough; I was used to crowds booing us because we were the opposition in their territory but being the reason behind most of the booing, seeing signs about me being a cheater was something I couldn't adjust to. Especially when I knew that I wasn't what they thought I was. Many different outlets reached out to me, after the game and of course instead of the actual game; their inquiries were based on my personal life and my relationship.

I did as my manager encouraged; ignoring all of the media.

As soon as my car rolled out, I powered on my phone and checked to see if Monet had seen or responded to any of my messages; which she hadn't. I dialled her number, pressing my phone to my ear but instead of going to her usual voicemail that I had memorized by now; it went to an automated voice messaging system that notified me that her phone was out of service. I shook my head, and opted for DMing her again, but then realizing her Instagram had been deactivated.

"What the...."

"Everything alright back there?" my driver inquired.

"I'm good."

"Would you like me to slow down so you can sign some autographs like you usually do?"

"Nah, take me straight home please."

"No problem." He sped away from the crowd and continued down the street, making sharp turns and taking short cuts to make sure that no one was following behind us. Once the coast was clear he did a U-turn on an empty street, heading in the actual direction of where I was staying.

Throughout the ride I read through articles on the way, disgusted at how they were dragging my name through the dirt. I wanted so badly to respond but I couldn't because the things I wanted to say, would've made things even worse. To keep my anger at bay I scrolled through the pictures of Monet and I in Maui, I couldn't wait for playoffs to be over so that I could finally get to enjoy being around her again.

"We're here." My driver announced, as he pulled up to the front gate of my Airbnb.

"Thank you." I handed him a couple bills as well and hopped out of the car, walking to the front gate. I punched in a passcode and it opened for me. Walking up the driveway I noticed a few cars in the parking lot; my lawyer and my manager. I was so not in the mood.

I rolled my eyes as the front door opened and my mom stood in the door frame, she placed her hand on her hip. "What happened tonight?" she asked as I made my way up the steps.

"D Wade is a problem. We tried our best. Did Monet by any chance call my business phone?"

"No and no,"

"Guess she just needs some time to cool off."

"I've seen your best and that wasn't it. You know draft picks for next season is coming up and I want you playing for the teams that are willing to pay you much more, which means you gotta put in work DJ! Not just sit back and allow Dwayne to destroy you guys like he did tonight." I walked by her, stepping into the house. She shut the door behind her and continued to follow me into the living area where I kicked off my shoes and placed my gym bag on the floor. My manager and lawyer were in the kitchen, going over some paper work I'm guessing. "You were on the bench for far too long tonight."

"And is that my fault? Coach makes the decisions of who he subs in and who he subs out."

"And you got subbed out because the whole first and second quarter you couldn't get one shot in."

"It was a bad day for me, everyone has those." I plopped down on the couch and grabbed the remote, turning on the TV.

"You were distracted. I know how you get when you're not focussed."

"And what if I was? It's human nature... we all get distracted, we lose focus. Shit with all that's going on around me, what do you expect."

"Exactly, like I told you from the jump. This girl would be nothing but trouble. Just like her mother."

"Like her moth... you know what? Ma, I'm not in the mood to hear it tonight."

"Well I'm going to talk regardless, thank God that you were smart enough to end things with that distraction, she was using you to get to the top and she got it, you helped her get to the Olympics and now that she's out of the picture I need you to step it up a notch during the games. Do things you've never done before on the court, get noticed by the media and other team managers."

"I'm already doing enough and a pretty damn good job if you ask m-. Wait... what do you mean with Monet out of the picture?"

"... You guys broke up?"

"Not to my knowledge we didn't, Monet and I haven't even spoke as yet."

"Well... she did a lot of talking to press. Made the big announcement that you guys were over and she was now focusing on the Olympics."

"Excuse me...." I pulled my phone out of my pocket and opened my YouTube app; trying in Monet and Dejounte break up. The first video that appeared was one of Monet talking to TMZ, titles Monet speaks up and clears the air, #DeMo is over.

As I watched the video, I saw the smile on her face but the pain in her eyes. It was clear that she had just found out about everything going on, she played it off well but I knew it was all a front.

"So Dejounte," my manager walked into the room holding a few papers in her hand. "Your mother and I spoke." Renee also came out from the kitchen and I sat up, looking her over in disgust. "I have some good news for you. Ever since this scandal got out you've been getting a whole bunch of interview offers for talk shows, sponsorship offers from brands, and all round more publicity surrounding your name. You're in the limelight right now, and companies love that which is resulting in more revenue. Although I know that you hate the idea of your business being out there like this I feel like it would be good for you to speak up and let them know how you're dealing with the breakup as well as making a public apology to your fans and to Monet. Afterwards, everything will subside but I want to keep you in the limelight before drafts are picked so your mother and I came up with an idea for you to move on with your mistress and break the internet; bringing in more publicity and more money."

"Monet and I are not breaking up." my brows furrowed. "What do you not understand? This all happened because that sneaky trick over there set me up."

"I didn't set you up Dejounte. You kissed me last night, you said all those things to me before we left here about missing us and wanting to work it out."

"Ma, go check her temperature because clearly; she's sick with something."

"Why would I lie to you Dejounte, lie on us? Everything is in the recording that I leaked, the one you and I sat in the car and agreed on leaking so that you could break ties with Monet."

I looked up at her, then over at my mom, then back at her. What the hell was going on? "Renee. Honestly, if you want me to take you to the hospital. I don't mind."

"I'm perfectly fine."

"Clearly you aren't. Ma, you're my witness after the conversation we had in the office even you said it yourself that I had to be careful of her."

"I probably said that because you were playing with both girl's hearts, and I knew that it would get out if you weren't careful. Come to find out that you planned this whole leaking thing the whole time?"

"What the hell?" I scrunched my face up looking between the two of them. "Is there something going around in the air because both of you sound like you're on something." I sucked my teeth and turned to my manager. "Anyways, while the two of them find the senses that they've clearly lost, you can go back in the kitchen and rip up that whole plan you made up because I'm not doing it. Matter of fact, with my day off I am going to get me a flight to Texas so I could see Monet for myself and make things right. then the two of us can go on one of those talk shows and let the world know that we are going strong."

"But Dejounte, on the recording you sai-."

I held my hand up, stopping Renee from speaking. "I swear you got somewhere else to be, like looking for a job or something? Cause this whole acting career you got going on aint going to last." I leaned back in my chair and opened my phone, looking up flights.

"Dejounte." My manager said, I raised my brow as I looked up at her she wore a smirk as she stepped in closer to me. "I don't think you understand, you have no choice but to go ahead with this plan."

"I don't think you understand me when I say you have no choice but to rip it up and go back to the drawing board. I'm not doing this, making up some fake life just for a couple more dollars. That's not me and will never be me. So, stop coming to me with offers that include publicity stunts, it's not going to happen."

"DJ, when she says you have no choice she means it." my mother said, "this is the only way you can go." just then my lawyer walked into the room, Justice was his name; a muscular guy with long dreads, we didn't communicate much unless there were some discrepancies with my pay from the NBA; apart from that he worked with my manager who was his wife and mother mostly. So, I wasn't too sure on why he was here.

"Justice, tell Dejounte why he has no choice." My manager commanded, taking a seat next to me.

"Okay well I hate to be the bearer of bad news but Ms. Renee Bahar here is threatening to go to the media with both evidence and stories about your drug issue." As the words flew out of his mouth the house grew silent and all eyes were on me, including Bruce who had just walked in from outside. I looked up at Renee who was staring directly at me.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"There are videos and picture evidence of you in the act and under the influence while being in the presence of Ms. Bahar. Ones that could literally ruin the career that you've worked so hard to gain."

"The career that I won't watch go down the toilet." My mom said.

"I... I... T..t...this is crazy." My mother stood there with her arms folded, her expression was pretty calm as well; a bit too calm. "We can just pay her off or something, I have the money. Give her something to shut her up and get her to delete the content."

"We've offered her everything... all she is interested in is being with you."

"Nah if that's not a sign of her insanity I don't know what is!"

"I can agree that it is a bit crazy, normally I would opt for a restraining order but the fact that she had proof is where we run into an issue."

"Ugh!" I exclaimed running my hand down the side of my face. "Okay, so say that I do go ahead with this? How long do I have to deal with it for?" I asked the question, and my manager looked at Justice who looked at my mom, then looked at me before answering.

"Renee needs papers, her green card. As you know she was engaged to Kingsley who ended up not being a landed citizen but drafted from Canada which means her marrying him wouldn't help her case. You would be the only one that knows her long enough to marry her without Immigration questioning the union."

"Oh helllllll no!" I busted out in laughter, "pretending to be smashing the chick is one thing, but to be in a whole fake marriage? Nope. Nope. Nope. Let her leak the videos and pictures, I'll make a statement and donate to a rehab or something. Marriage? NAH, not me." I laughed out loud again, "you got me all the way messed up." I said while standing to my feet and walking away, "have a good night guys."

"Dejounte." Justice said, causing me to turn around.

"What now?"

"There's more?"

"What?" I asked, and he handed me a sheet of paper. As I read over it, the little smile I had on my face faded. I felt as though I could faint after reading and seeing the images of what I saw. "This can't be me."

"But it is, you were probably just too high to remember." He took the picture back and stuck it in a folder with the statement letter. "Steroids in the NBA is not tolerated. Anyhow she drops this, it's over for you."

I let the words sink in, a message flashed across my screen causing me to see the picture I had of Monet laying in bed. I then heard Renee clear her throat, she waltzed over to me and sized me up; biting her lips. "Guess we're going ring shopping?" she said with a slight smirk as she rested her hand on my chest. I pushed it off and reached for her neck but luckily, Bruce was able to stop me before I could. "Oop, first druggy... now abuser? The claims just keep piling up, hubby." She said as she flipped her hair over her shoulder and made her way to the door. We shared a glance and I tried to search her eyes, I knew her long enough to know that this was not her idea, not her planning. The whole situation didn't even seem like the Renee I had grown to know.

Once it was closed Bruce let me go and adjusted my clothes.

"It's late, so we're going to head home. Dejounte, Mrs. Murray, we will speak on this issue tomorrow at lunch?" My manager asked and my mother gave her a nod. Afterwards her and Justice packed up their things as well and headed out, it was clear that I didn't want to talk to them for the rest of the night.

"DJ, I know this isn't what you saw for your future but it's what you need to do. In order to keep your name and image clear." My mom said.

"So, I'm just supposed to be unhappy for the rest of my life? Because of this?"

"You made your bed, and now you have to lay in it."

"Ma, I get that but I can't do this."

"You can and you have no choice but to. It's going to be hard but you can do it." she approached me and rubbed my arm. "Get the distraction out of your head like I said before, leave it at what it is now, just a spring break fling."

"Monet means much more to me that a spring break fling."

"I understand and I'm sorry that it had to end the way it did but remember that everything happens for a reason. Thankfully you guys aren't in too deep. Now you just gotta adjust, and make things work. This is to save yourself, save your career, save your brand."

"Can I tell Monet at least, speak to her so that she knows?"

"No. You will give your public apology when you make the announcement and that will be it. Monet cannot find out that this is an act, right now she's an ex-girlfriend that could easily open her mouth if need be."

"She's not like that."

"You don't know that. Jealousy is something that you don't want to risk to find out."

"I just... ugh!" I clenched my jaw.

"Everything is going to be alright D."

"It's not." I left the room until I got into mine upstairs. I slammed the door shut, sliding down against it until I was seated on the carpeted ground.

How the hell was I going to do this?

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