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)
Relief was almost strong enough to bring him to his knees. Neil sucked in a slow, rattling breath and closed his eyes. As the day's anger and fear ebbed away he was left feeling exhausted and hollow. Maybe Andrew's night out in Columbia had been awful, and maybe he'd never wanted to say these things out loud, but having the air cleared between him and Andrew to some degree took an enormous weight off his chest. He'd convinced Andrew to back off and leave him alone. The Foxhole Court was his until their match against the Ravens. It wasn't freedom, and it wasn't safety, but it was breathing room. That was enough.
"We're leaving," Andrew said in English.
Neil opened his eyes. "Where are we going?"
"Back to the dorm," Andrew said. "Your teammates have been annoying us ever since we got back, demanding we return to Columbia and scour the streets in search of you."
"He can stay here if he wants," Wymack said. "I can call Dan to let her know he's safe."
Andrew didn't look at Wymack. "Neil wants to come with me."
A day ago, those words might have been an order or a threat, but today Neil heard only truth. He'd chosen the Foxes. He'd chosen to trust Andrew, whatever that meant and whatever consequences it brought down the road. There was no reason or need to hide behind Wymack now.
"Thanks for the shower," Neil said to Wymack. "I'll wash your clothes and bring them back on Monday."
Wymack glanced between them, obviously wondering if they'd really settled things that easily, and said, "No rush."
"Going now," Andrew said, and led Neil out.
Wymack must have called ahead anyway, because when they got back to the dorm all of the Foxes were in the hallway waiting for them. Kevin, Aaron, and Nicky were leaning against the wall near their suite door. The upperclassmen stood in a small clump in the middle of the hallway outside Dan's room. Neil wanted to skip the questions and hide in his room, but as soon as he was close enough Dan caught his shoulders and patted him down for injuries.
"Are you okay?" Dan asked.
"I'm fine," Neil said.
"Andrew?" Kevin asked.
Andrew paused in his doorway long enough to look at Kevin. "I'm washing my hands of this. He's your problem now."
He disappeared into his room. Aaron and Nicky exchanged looks before following. Kevin was the last to leave, and not without sending Neil a searching look first. Neil watched the door close behind them, then faced the rest of his teammates. Dan still looked angry, and Matt looked wired for a fight. Seth and Allison were already heading for Neil's room, likely bored by the peaceful resolution. Renee's gaze was searching. Neil couldn't hold her stare for long.
"Coach said you hitchhiked your way back here," Dan said. "I'd yell at you for being stupid, but Coach said he handled that already."
"Lesson learned," Neil said. "Next time I'll call for a ride."
"There won't be a next time." Dan gave a heavy sigh and scrubbed her face. "Come on."
They went back to Neil's suite. Six piles of cards lay face down in the living from an interrupted game and were surrounded by a graveyard of crumpled beer cans. Allison and Seth were rummaging through the fridge when Neil passed. Renee continued to the living room to get her cards, but Dan and Matt followed Neil to the bedroom. They stopped in the doorway and watched as Neil went to his safe. Neil traced the lines of it with his fingers and tugged on the combination lock. It didn't look tampered with, but he couldn't check the contents with an audience.
"You were right," Matt said. "Andrew tried to get in."
"We didn't let him," Dan said. "He didn't make it further than the front door."
"Thank you," Neil said.
"Thank Renee," Dan said. "She doesn't take sides all that often."
"It's so much easier when she does, though," Matt said.
"Andrew seems to like her," Neil said.
"They've got an understanding," Matt said, but didn't explain. "We're between rounds in our game. You should join in. It'll help clear your head, I think. Spending too much time with Andrew's lot will rattle anyone."
"I'm probably going to crash early," Neil said. "It was a long day."
"We'll take our stuff to my room," Dan said, and they closed the door on their way out.
Neil waited until their voices faded before unlocking his safe. He found everything where it was supposed to be. As he slipped the lock into place again he realized his hand was trembling. He held up his shaky fingers where he could see them better and wondered at the equally weak flutter in his chest.
Hope was a dangerous, disquieting thing, but he thought perhaps he liked it.
CHAPTER NINE
Neil didn't see Andrew's group again until practices on Monday. He was happy to keep his distance, and they seemed to finally have lost interest in him. When they had to interact on the court they kept it short and civil. Even Kevin seemed to have forgotten his lines. His barbed remarks were gone, replaced by a heavy, unwavering stare that somehow made Neil feel even more insignificant than he had before. Neil refused to miss his condescension, but being the bug in Kevin's microscope made him jumpy.
He was still trying to sort it out when he climbed into bed that night, but he didn't have long to dwell on it. Someone pounded on the suite door, too heavy-fisted to be one of the girls. Matt was on his computer in the other room, and Neil heard his chair creak as he got up to investigate. Neil didn't hear what he or their visitor said, but he definitely heard the door bang closed against someone's unyielding body.
"Kevin, I swear to God—"
Kevin's name was enough to get Seth out of bed. The fifth-year senior threw his covers back and rolled off the side of his bed. Faced with both Seth and Matt, Kevin had no choice but to retreat, and the door slammed closed a couple seconds later. Neil stared at the bedroom door, heart hammering in his chest. Kevin wouldn't have come over here for either of them, which meant he was looking for Neil. Neil didn't know why, but he desperately hoped it didn't have to do with his conversation with Andrew. Why had he assumed Andrew would keep his story a secret? Andrew and Kevin were connected at the hip.