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)
She had to take a breath to reach her next destination, and Jean cut in with a disbelieving, “You live here.”
Cat stared at him, then at Jeremy, then at Jean. “Yes?”
“I thought I told you,” Jeremy said. “You’re going to be rooming with Laila and Cat.”
Jean was waiting for this to make sense, but each second left him feeling a little more ill at ease. Cat only gave him a few seconds to sort it out before saying, “That’s not going to be a problem, I assume? Because if it is, it would’ve been easier to know before we forged your signature on the lease in Jillian’s place.”
Jean turned on Jeremy. “There has to be something else. I won’t live off-campus.”
“You don’t want to, but you will,” Jeremy said. “You’re on the lease.”
“Jeremy,” Cat pressed.
“It’s fine,” Jeremy said to her.
“It’s not fine,” Jean insisted. “I can’t be this far from the court. I’m not—” allowed. He hadn’t had a say in it while he was in Abby’s care, but now he had a team back. There was no legitimate reason to be so far out from the stadium. By the time summer practices started he’d be three months behind. He needed his gear. He needed easy access. He needed to prove he belonged on the lineup, that the number on his face meant something even without the Ravens. His life depended on it. “Time wasted in transit is time I could be doing drills.”
“We’re a mile out from the stadium1,” Jeremy said, one hand out like he was trying to soothe a riled animal. Jean wanted to break his fingers. “I can show you the way there and back as soon as you get your stuff settled. On this side of campus it’s almost a straight shot to the fitness center, and the way down to the Gold Court takes only a couple turns. Easiest route in the world, I’ve walked it a hundred times.”
“How close is beside the point,” Jean said, waving that off with an impatient jerk of his hand. “Why aren’t the Trojans required to live on campus?”
Cat finally clued in that she was not at the heart of the problem. “We are our freshman year, but after that it’s up to us where we go. So long as we get to class and practice on time, what’s it matter? Dorms are so noisy, and they always smell like bodies. This place is much better.”
Jean ignored her. “Knox.”
“I’d really appreciate it if you wouldn’t call me by my last name, just so it’s said,” Jeremy said. For once he wasn’t smiling, though his expression wasn’t entirely unkind as he considered his newest player. “I told you we were going to have to deal with some hiccups, a bit of compromise between your way and ours. Even if I wanted to put you in campus housing—which I don’t—I can’t. We aren’t like the Ravens or the Foxes, you know? We don’t room with each other exclusively.”
Jean stared. “You’re lying.”
“The only other Trojans who share a room don’t have room for you. Everyone else is mixed in with the general populace or athletes from other teams. I went back and forth with Kevin on this for days trying to figure out what the lesser evil was going to be with you, and he voted in favor of the team. That means Cat and Laila are your only option.” Jeremy jerked a thumb toward Cat, but Jean couldn’t look away from Jeremy.
“Why don’t the Trojans room together?” he demanded.
“Because as much as we love each other we do like meeting other people, maybe?”
“An unnecessary distraction,” Jean said. “You have to see that.”
“This’ll be great,” Cat insisted. “I’m loud, yeah, and sometimes Laila leaves her brain lying around, but we’re good roommates if I do say so myself.”
Jeremy counted off on his fingers. “You’re getting your buddy system, Trojans in your classes, and Trojans for your roommates. It’s three out of four; I’d call that a win.”
“It isn’t a win,” Jean said, but Jeremy only shrugged at him. Jean folded his arms tight across his chest. He clenched his jaw so hard his throat ached and finally asked, “Who is my partner going to be?”
Jeremy answered one question with two: “Do they have to share your major and do they need to be in the same position on court?” He caught himself and put a hand up. “Forget the first; we’re kind of winging it on that one. I’ll reword. Can you take classes with someone who isn’t your partner?”
Jean didn’t miss the curious look Cat sent Jeremy, but he ignored it in favor of considering the questions. “Classes are flexible so long as there are at least two enrolled. Partners are almost always on the same line, but it’s not required. If one has a weakness the other shores up, then they are put together until they can even each other out. The coaches evaluate it each semester.”