Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 109903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Neil stared at his schedule while Matt dug his laptop out of its bag and debated what to cut. It wasn't about which ones were time consuming, like Dan suggested, but ones he didn't need at all. Neil was only going to be at Palmetto State for a year, though he hadn't told his teammates that. Whatever he dropped, he dropped for good.
That made history and chemistry his prime choices, since he hated them. Neil wasn't a fan of his English or Speech classes, but those lessons might come in handy somehow when he had to run away. He needed his Spanish lessons for sure, and math was at least interesting.
Matt passed Neil his laptop when it booted, and Dan and Matt watched as Neil logged into his student profile. Matt reached across Dan to point out the appropriate links to follow.
"Better?" Dan asked when his modified schedule loaded. "Look here. You had a break between history and speech, right? Now you've got two open periods. You can squeeze your tutor hours in there if you want. You have one morning class on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so you have all that time until practice for sleeping and homework. Works out perfectly, don't you think?"
Neil was more interested in the sleeping than the homework part. "Yes, thank you."
"Don't thank us, remember us," Dan said. "We're your teammates. We're here to help you with whatever you need, whether it's this or games or general stress. We've all got different experiences, but we're used to needing help. We're just not used to getting it. But you've got us now."
Neil didn't know how to respond. He wasn't sure what bothered him more: that he believed she meant it, or that he could never take her up on that offer regardless. The Foxes couldn't deal with his demons. The only one Neil quasi-trusted with the truth was Andrew, and that was only because he was desperate.
He was saved from answering when someone knocked at the door. Neil started to get up, but he had the computer in his lap still, so Matt beat him to his feet. Neil thought it might be one of the other athletes from their hall who'd known Seth for years, but Renee was waiting in the hallway. Matt stepped out of the way to let her in. Dan cursed quietly at Neil's side. Neil heard her tone but missed her word choice; he was distracted by Renee's new limp.
"I wish you wouldn't do this," Dan said.
"I know," Renee said.
She eased onto the cushion Matt had abandoned while Matt rummaged in the kitchen. Matt returned with a cold pack. Renee smiled as she took it and pressed it to the knuckles on her right hand. Pain pulled at the corner of her mouth, but her expression was otherwise calm as she flexed her fingers. Neil expected Matt and Dan to smother Renee with alarm and concern, but neither one of them asked if she was okay.
"Tell me if this is going to be a problem," Dan said.
Renee shook her head. "Not for us. Whatever it is, it's strictly personal. He'll be back on the court tomorrow."
Neil wondered what alternate universe he'd stumbled into. "Andrew hit you."
"A couple times," Renee said. "I forgot how fast he is when he's high."
Neil looked from Renee's smile to her rainbow-streaked hair to the cross necklace hanging around her throat. He didn't understand. Renee warned him not to overestimate how good she was, but everyone else said Renee was the gentle soul of the team. She'd been nothing but conciliatory since he first met her. Up until now, the only questionable part about her was her friendship with Andrew.
"Renee and Andrew are sparring partners," Matt said.
It obviously didn't sound as ridiculous to them as it did to Neil, but aside from flat-out asking what a sweet Christian girl was doing fighting the unofficial sociopath of the team, Neil didn't know what to say. He looked at Matt for help, but Matt only grinned at his confusion. Neil looked at Dan next, but she was too intent on Renee's hand to notice the attention. Finally Renee glanced up and took pity on him.
"I am a born-again, Neil. Andrew is not interested in my faith; he is interested in the person I was before. He and I have more in common than you think. That is why I make you uncomfortable, isn't it?"
Dan and Matt sent Neil curious looks at that. Apparently they hadn't noticed how hard Neil worked to avoid getting caught alone with Renee. Neil ignored them and said, "You make me uncomfortable because you don't make sense. I don't understand you."
"You could ask," Renee said.
"Is it really that easy?" Neil asked.
"I'm not proud of my past, but I can't heal if I hide it. When you think you are ready to trust me, let me know. I don't want it to be a problem between us. We can get a cup of coffee and talk about anything you like. Right now, though…" Renee braced her good hand against the arm of the couch and got to her feet. "All I want is a hot shower and my bed. I'm exhausted."
Dan looped her arm through Renee's and looked from Matt to Neil. "You guys can spend the night in our room, if you want. If you think…" She didn't finish, but the look she sent around the room said enough. "We've got a futon you can use, Neil."
"I'll sleep here," Neil said, "but I've got practice with Kevin tonight, so you should take Matt with you."
"You sure?" Matt asked.
"I'm sure," Neil said. "I'll be fine."
Matt hesitated, then kissed Dan goodnight. "I'll wait with him until Kevin comes by. See you in a bit."
He walked them to the door and closed it behind them. In their absence the room felt a thousand times larger, and the silence settled between Matt and Neil like a stone.
"He's late," Matt said in an awkward attempt to break the quiet. "Maybe Andrew's too mad to let him come."