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)
Neil was lightheaded with nausea. "Shut up."
"What will you do when he finds out? Run?"
"You know I will."
"I know," Andrew agreed. "I can see it. You've got that look in your eye that says you know where every exit to this dormitory is."
Neil turned away, but Andrew was faster. He rocked forward and grabbed Neil's collar, dragging him to a halt before he could leave. He left sticky blood on the back of Neil's neck from his messy fingers. Neil reached back and tried to pry him off, but Andrew refused to let go.
"Hey, Neil. Neil, listen. Running won't save you this time."
"Let go of me."
"Don't you understand? Running was only an option when no one was looking. You knew that back in June. It's why you wanted to leave before October. You could have left before Riko knew you existed. You should have left before you insulted him in front of all of his adoring fans. Now you can't go. Riko wants to know who defied him, and he'll get his answers. You can't outrun your past anymore."
"I have to try," Neil said.
Andrew hummed a little in mock disapproval. "Have to nothing. There you go again, thinking there's only one choice. I thought you didn't want to leave."
"I don't want to," Neil said.
"What would it take to make you stay?"
The question was so unexpected Neil had to turn back. "What?"
Andrew laughed quietly at his shock and leaned forward. "Name it and it's yours. It doesn't matter what it is so long as you stand your ground here with us."
"I can't."
"You can. You have everything you need to survive. You're just too afraid to see it."
"I don't understand."
Andrew sighed as if Neil was being difficult on purpose. "Riko will find out the truth, but he can't tell his brother. For starters, Riko and Ichirou aren't allowed to associate with each other, seeing how they belong to separate branches. More importantly, Coach Moriyama won't let him. This year is about Kevin and Riko, see? He won't want news about you getting out and distracting people from their showdown. They're free to make your life a living hell and they'll try to use the truth against you, but they can't sell you out yet.
"Use that time to narrow the angles they can get at you. Kevin wants to make you a star, so let him. Take what he is giving you and make it your shield. It's hard to kill a man when everyone's eyes are on him. Make them love you, make them hate you, I don't care. Just make them look at you. You have one year to figure it out," Andrew said, putting a finger in Neil's face. "For one year, I'll stand between you and the Moriyamas if you stand at Kevin's side. Next year your life is your problem again, understand?"
"Why?" Neil asked. "Why would you help me?"
"Ask me later," Andrew said. He tapped bloody fingers to his mouth and grinned at Neil around them. "It's better if this isn't in the way, don't you think? You'll get your answers in Columbia. Oh, but no one told you yet, did they? You're coming out with us tonight."
"Never again."
"Shh, Neil, shh," Andrew said. "If you want to stay, you'll come with us at nine. If you're stupid enough to run, pack up and leave before then. That's three hours, almost, for you to make up your mind. Aren't I generous?"
"That's not enough time."
"I doubt you're a stranger to snap judgments when it comes to saving your skin. You gave your game to Kevin. Give your back to me."
Andrew dug his medicine out of his pocket and shook a pill onto the dresser. He snapped the lid on, tossed the bottle to the corner of the room, and plucked the pill up with his bloody fingers. He held it up where he could see it, turning it this way and that like he'd never seen it before, and finally pushed it between his lips. He dropped his hand to his lap as he swallowed and bared his teeth at Neil in a fierce grin.
"Tick tock, says the clock. Get out of my room."
Neil left as fast as he could, but he only made it as far as the hallway. As soon as he shut the door behind him, his legs locked, and he grabbed desperately at the wall. A spike of panic wrenched his stomach into his throat. He dug the side of his hand into his mouth so hard he tasted blood.
Was he supposed to honestly think some rabid goalkeeper could protect him?
His thoughts went unbidden to the confrontation in Kathy's studio. Andrew showed up in time to protect Neil. He should have gone straight for Kevin, since Kevin appeared to be the center of his strange world, but he'd put himself between Riko and Neil instead. Andrew knew exactly who the Moriyamas were and he knew hints of what Neil was involved in, but he thought he could stand between them just the same.
Neil shoved away from the wall and went to the stairwell. He was running before he reached the ground floor, and he slammed the front door open so hard it banged on its hinges. Louder than that crash was his heartbeat thundering in his ears.
What if he could stay? What if a psychotic teenager really was enough? What if Andrew was right that the Foxes' infamy could protect his identity?
Neil should know better than to believe such dangerous promises, but Andrew's words haunted him every step of the way.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
The dormitory was uncharacteristically busy when Neil made it back at nine. The football game had ended about the same time he'd run away, and now some of the after-party crowds were slowly drifting back. People yelled to each other up and down the hall, and loud music blasted through open doors here and there. Neil wound his way through the chaos toward the Foxes' rooms. They were the only three closed doors this side of the stairwell.