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)
It took the Foxes almost no time at all to empty the tray. Andrew cleared the mess away, and this time Renee followed him to help. Dan watched them go, then spoke up to be heard over the music. "You sure this is safe?"
"Huh?" Nicky asked.
"Letting Andrew be sober for a full night," Dan clarified. "Good idea, bad idea, won't live to regret it idea?"
Nicky looked confused by her ignorance. "He's not sober; he never is. You've seen him go through withdrawal at games, yeah, and we," he jerked a thumb between the remaining four of Andrew's group, "sometimes get to put up with him like he is tonight, but Andrew hasn't been sober in years. He's always got something in his system to mess him up. Trust me, you'd know if he was clean. It's, uh…"
Nicky looked at Aaron as he searched for the right word, but Aaron stared back and refused to help. Nicky was undeterred by his silence and settled for saying, "It's unmistakable. You'll see next summer whether you want to or not. He's off his program in May and should finish rehab by the time we start June practices."
"Finally," Kevin said, sounding annoyed.
"Of course you're looking forward to this," Nicky said. "Curiosity killed the cat. Fox. Whatever. I'm just hoping the past couple years of drugs and intense counseling have mellowed him out some."
"New team rule." Matt mimed banging a gavel on the table. "Never again put 'Andrew' and 'mellow' in the same—oh my god."
"Does that still count as blasphemy?" Nicky asked, because Dan and Matt had come dressed as a pair of Greek gods. He turned to follow Matt's stare to a passing partygoer. The man had come dressed as a neon yellow oven mitt. Nicky's face contorted in incredulous dismay and he laughed hard enough he almost fell over. "I think that one wins grand prize, kids. No one's outscoring that one on the crazy meter."
He was probably right, but that didn't stop the Foxes from craning their necks and looking for any other weird costumes. They were in the middle of a couple harsh critiques when Andrew and Renee made it back. The arrival of more drinks slowed the conversation, but it was the packets of cracker dust Kevin produced that completely derailed it.
Matt, Renee, and Neil abstained. Andrew divvied up the rest, keeping the most for himself since his system could tolerate more than anyone else's. Dan took only one packet and dumped half of it into a drink near Allison's elbow. Nicky counted down from three and they knocked the dust back as a group. They raced each other through their third and fourth rounds before heading for the dance floor. Renee promised Allison she'd join them as soon as she finished her soda and stayed behind with Andrew, Neil, and Kevin.
Andrew stacked the empty cups on his tray and left again. He didn't need help this time, since he was only getting enough drinks for himself and Kevin, but Neil followed after him. He had to shove past two drunks in lopsided Carnival masks to reach the bar counter and he squeezed into the small space at Andrew's side. Andrew pushed his tray across the counter for Roland to retrieve when he had a minute and slanted a look at Neil.
"Stop hiding. This was your idea; deal with the consequences."
"It's not that easy," Neil said.
Explaining his discomfort wasn't any easier. Andrew had promised to watch Neil's back until May, but when he made that deal he said Neil's growing reputation could keep him safe the rest of his Fox career. Andrew assumed Neil could graduate from Palmetto as long as Neil played his cards right with Kevin. Neil hadn't yet told him plans had changed, which made it harder to say why tonight was making him unhappy. Finally he fell back on the half-truth he'd given Andrew that summer.
"I've never been in a position where I could get to know people. I know I have to let them in if we're going to make it through the season, but it'd be easier if they were just names and faces. How have you stayed so disconnected for so long?"
"They're not interesting enough to keep my attention."
"Kevin is. So is your brother, apparently." Neil wasn't surprised when Andrew didn't acknowledge either accusation. He pressed on. "What about Renee?"
"What about her?"
"She's not interesting?"
"She's useful."
"That's it?"
"You expected a different answer?"
"Maybe," Neil said, and hesitated when Roland finally showed up. Roland stayed only long enough to get their tray before leaving again. Neil looked back at Andrew and wondered at the cool smile on Andrew's face. He was being mocked, but he wasn't quite sure why yet. "Most everyone is waiting for something to happen with you two. Even Nicky thinks it's inevitable. But Renee promised Allison nothing would come of it. Allison said as much to Seth. Why?"
"Does it matter?"
Neil gave an uncomfortable shrug. "Yes? No? It should be—it is—irrelevant, but…" He hesitated, but Andrew said nothing, unwilling to make this easy on him. Neil shouldn't be surprised by Andrew's attitude, but he was annoyed regardless. "I'm just trying to understand."
"Sometimes you're interesting enough to keep around. Other times you're so astoundingly stupid I can barely stand the sight of you."
Neil scowled at him. "Forget it. I'll ask Renee."
"You'll have to stop avoiding her first."
Neil didn't waste his time answering that. Roland returned their tray a couple minutes later and they headed back to the table. Renee's soda was finished, but she was keeping Kevin company until their return. As soon as Andrew sat, she looked to Neil.
"Are you not coming?"
"No," Neil said.
She nodded and left to find the others. Andrew and Kevin had the chairs, so Neil stood between them in silence. He watched them drink a few more rounds, then went alone to the railing overlooking the dance floor. The metal bars were sticky with sweat or spilled liquor, but he folded his arms across them and looked out at the jumping mass below.