Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 117363 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 587(@200wpm)___ 469(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117363 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 587(@200wpm)___ 469(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
He looked to his team for their emphatic nods. “For the last few years, he’s made it clear that he doesn’t have a horse in the race, but he’s stepped it up this spring in an astounding way. That he could see exactly what his team needed in such an important match and that he trusted them to pull it off says worlds for both how far he’s come and how much respect his teammates have for him. I for one am beyond excited to see how he continues to grow from here.”
“He’ll be Court,” Jean told them, but they yammered away oblivious.
He watched and waited, sure they’d be allowed an interview with the Foxes or Ravens eventually and hoping for an update on Riko’s health. Time dragged by with no real updates, and at last Jean reached for the laptop. He left the TV on in the background just in case and closed the USC game in favor of rewatching tonight’s game from the top. Five minutes in, Jean’s phone dinged with a text from Renee:
“Now do you believe in miracles?”
“That wasn’t a miracle,” Jean typed out. “That was the Foxes.”
“That you admitted it is miracle enough for me,” was her cheeky response. Soon after was a warning: “Sounds like we’ll be staying here overnight after all so we can pick up our trophy in the morning. Coach is trying to find us a hotel, but they still won’t let us leave the stadium. Will you be all right there?”
Jean looked across the room, checking the angle of the lock on the door. “Yes.”
“Get some rest,” she sent.
Jean sighed and set his phone aside. The TV was now displaying a scrolling list of upcoming Exy graduates who’d been signed to major or professional teams. Jean watched for the Ravens’ section, took quiet note of Zane’s contract with the Montana Rustics, and forcibly turned his attention back to the laptop.
Irritation had him pausing the game again, and he scrolled back to the beginning before going in search of paper and pen. Getting up sent a warning twinge through his knee, reminding him it was just barely healed, but he ignored it in favor of ransacking the desks. He found what he needed, returned to his spot on the floor, and began taking notes on every time Kevin and Nathaniel had been bullied by the Raven backliners. He went in and out of French as he wrote, depending on how agitated he was and how quickly he needed to get his thoughts out, but trusted them to be able to make sense of his scribbled tirade.
When he was done, he had almost four pages of scathing commentary and he was so tired his vision was swimming. The floor was killing his tailbone, so he hoisted himself up onto the couch. The room was warm enough he thought he could make do without a blanket, and he fell asleep with the TV humming in the background.
CHAPTER SIX
Jean
Jean was startled awake by the sound of his phone ringing. He scrubbed a tired hand across his eyes and sent a bleary look around the dorm room. Predawn sunlight was drifting through the gaps in the curtain at the far end of the room. The TV was still going, though it was currently playing commercials. Jean tried blinking the fogginess out of his thoughts and was distantly annoyed at how difficult it was. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been asleep, but just a few months ago it would have been enough.
He belatedly realized what woke him, but by the time he looked for his phone the ringing had stopped. It started up again as he was reaching for it, and Jean saw Renee’s number on the screen.
“Yes,” he said in greeting.
“Jean,” she said, with obvious relief. “Good morning, I woke you, I’m sorry.”
Jean put his free hand over his ear, trying to hear past her. At least one person was yelling, but it was far too muffled for Jean to make out. She’d put a door or two between herself and the fight, he guessed. Renee wasn’t waiting for him to respond, but what came out of her mouth next had him going perfectly still:
“Can you trust me one more time?”
“Your tone says I will regret it,” Jean said.
“Please.”
Jean looked to the dorm room door, saw it was still locked, and said, “Once more.”
“I need you to keep the TV off today,” Renee said. “No news. No internet. Neil told me Kevin has a backlog of Trojan games on his computer. Watch those and nothing else. Can you do that?”
Jean’s phone creaked in his clenching grip. “Are they hurt?”
“No,” she said, so quickly he would have doubted her if not for the fond warmth in her voice. “No, we’re all okay. I promise. It’s just… I really think this is a conversation we need to have face-to-face, okay? I’ll let you know as soon as we’re on the road, and—” There was the sound of something heavy falling and the distinctive sound of glass breaking. The yelling had stopped, at least. “Jean, I need to go referee.”