Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 87395 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 437(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87395 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 437(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Aaron pushed off the bench and stormed out, leaving Nicky glowering after him. Matt looked from the door to Nicky, frowning.
"Nicky?" he asked.
Nicky affected a wounded look and tilted his entire body toward Matt. "Aaron hurt my feelings! Kiss it better, Matt?"
"Faggot," Seth said, stalking out.
Matt wasn't swayed. "You guys all right?"
Nicky feigned confusion. "Of course we are. Why?"
Matt looked at Kevin, then Neil, waiting for one of them to back him up. Kevin ignored him, so Neil gave a slight shrug. Matt let it go and finished getting ready. Nicky gathered the last of his uniform and left a couple seconds later. Neil watched him go.
It wasn't an act. They wouldn't have let their argument take such a personal turn if they knew Neil was listening to every word. But that meant Andrew hadn't told them, and Neil didn't know why Andrew would keep such a secret from his own family. Maybe it slipped his mind when he medicated Saturday night, but it was a big thing to forget.
Neil didn't know what game Andrew was playing or what he expected to get in return for his silence. He kept an eye on Andrew when Andrew made it back from Betsy Dobson's office, but when he might have had the chance to ask, he let it slide. Andrew was drugged and happy; Neil didn't want him to change his mind in a burst of scatterbrained amusement.
That night Kevin was at his door again. Neil bid his disgruntled teammates goodnight and followed Kevin to the car. Andrew was smoking in the driver's seat but stubbed his cigarette out upon their arrival. He took them to the stadium, waited for them to change, and went up into the stands as they continued to the court.
When Kevin locked the court door behind them, Neil asked, "How often do you two come here?"
"Every night," Kevin said.
Neil looked over his shoulder at the stands, but he couldn't see Andrew. "Isn't he bored of this by now? He's never going to practice with you, so why does he humor you?"
"He will," Kevin said. "He just doesn't know it yet."
"I didn't take you for an optimist."
Kevin ignored that and started setting out cones for interval runs. "Let's go."
Neil pushed Andrew out of his thoughts and focused on Kevin's drills.
They had two weeks of practice before the ERC made an official announcement regarding the district change. The day's practice was over and the team was back at the dorm when Wymack called to warn them. Matt flipped on the TV and went to ESPN to see the segment. They'd missed seeing the news itself but were in time to see the reactions on the news show. The anchorman was gesturing wildly and talking a mile a minute. One of his guests was shaking his head in exaggerated disapproval; the other kept trying and failing to interrupt.
"Here it comes," Matt said. "They'll be all over us like white on rice. Coach's phone is going to be ringing off the hook for weeks."
"I didn't sign up to be part of a freak show," Seth said, cracking open another can of beer. "Let's just send him back north and be done with it."
"Why do you hate him?" Neil asked.
Seth looked at Matt. "Told you this kid was stupid."
"Why do you hate him so much," Neil clarified, "that you'd wish such a thing on him?"
"Because I'm sick of him getting everything he wants just because he's Kevin Day," Seth said. When Matt started to say something, Seth pointed a warning finger at him and kept going. "Do you know what fame gets you, shitface? Everything. All he has to do is ask for it, and someone will give it to him. Doesn't matter what. Doesn't matter who. The world is dying to give him anything he wants.
"When he broke his hand, his fans cried for him. They flooded our locker room with letters and flowers. The amazing Kevin Day can't play anymore, they said. Their lives were over. They'd grieve the loss forever. But tell me," Seth said, leaning forward on the couch to stare at Neil, "when's the last time anyone cried for you? Never, right? They're there for Kevin every step of the way, but where were they when we needed them?"
"So you're jealous," Neil said.
Seth made as if to throw his beer at Neil. "His life is not more important than mine just because he's more talented."
"You have to admit your attitude makes it hard for anyone to care about you," Neil said. "You and Kevin both have impossible attitudes, but he can play better. Of course they chose him."
"Look here, shortbus," Seth started, incensed.
"He has a point," Matt cut in. "This is your last year, Seth. Maybe it's time for a fresh start. Give the people someone to rally behind and you'll win them over."
"What's the point?" Seth slouched back on the couch again. "We're the laughingstock of the NCAA and Edgar Allen is going to massacre us this fall. It doesn't matter what I do. No one will ever recruit a Fox to the pros."
"Awesome attitude, Seth," Matt said. "Way to encourage the rest of us."
"I am encouraging you," Seth said. "I'm encouraging you all to stop being stupid. You're not going to get anywhere so long as you play for this team."
"You're too big of a coward to try," Matt said. "Neil and I will prove you wrong. Right, Neil?"
"I'm just here to play," Neil said. "I don't care about the future."
Matt stared at him. "You don't really believe that."
Neil shrugged. "Afraid so."
Matt looked between them. Seth raised his beer in a silent toast, somehow looking both smug and angry.
"I can't believe you two," Matt said at last. Neither man answered him. Matt looked to the ceiling for answers, then said, "I guess our dinner plans are scratched. I'm not going downtown if the press is out and about; I don't care how many campus police Chuck gave us. Let's see about ordering in and watching a movie or something. You guys sit here and wallow in self-defeat or something while I check with Dan."