Total pages in book: 131
Estimated words: 145402 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 727(@200wpm)___ 582(@250wpm)___ 485(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145402 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 727(@200wpm)___ 582(@250wpm)___ 485(@300wpm)
When Kevin gave no sign he was moving any time soon, Neil had to give up. Andrew was sitting on his desk, so Neil perched beside him. Nicky and Aaron claimed the beanbag chairs and loaded a game on the TV. They powered through three levels before Kevin reappeared.
Kevin looked from Neil to Andrew and said, "Take me to the court."
It was obvious he didn't care which one of them complied, but Neil looked to Andrew. Andrew had the window open so he could blow cigarette smoke through the screen. He was only halfway through the stick but he didn't hesitate to stub it out on the windowsill. He set the butt aside for later and slid off the desk. When he was halfway across the room Neil got up and invited himself along. Kevin didn't seem to notice and Andrew acknowledged his presence with a brief glance. Nicky sent them off with a cheery farewell and went back to mowing down monsters.
They left Kevin in the locker room and continued down to the court. Neil stood near the wall to study the polished floor and gleaming fox paws. Andrew sat on the home bench and said nothing. Kevin didn't make them wait long but showed up with a bucket of balls in one hand and his racquet in the other. Neil watched him stride across the empty court to the first-fourth line. Kevin set the bucket down, tightened his gloves, and began firing on the empty goal.
Andrew tolerated the spectacle only until the bucket was empty, then got up with a bored, "He really is pathetic."
"Aren't we all?" Neil asked without taking his eyes off Kevin.
Kevin surveyed the mess around him and rocked his racquet to-and-fro. He used the butt of his racquet to bring a few stray balls closer, then handed his racquet off from his right hand to his left one. Neil expected him to shake his right hand out before starting a second around. Instead Kevin reached right-handed for the nearest ball.
Neil banged his hands on the court wall in warning. The reverberations sent heat curling through every healing cut and burn on his arms and he ground out a pained, "Andrew."
Kevin ignored the thump and slipped the ball into the net of his racquet. He gave his racquet an experimental twirl, then fired at the goal. Neil thought he was aiming for the same spot he'd been pummeling for the last five minutes, but the ball landed a half-foot off. Kevin flicked his racquet in obvious irritation and scooped up another ball. He took another shot, but it still landed wide of the target. Kevin systematically went through the rest of the balls within easy reach. He made his mark on the fifth try, then landed the next four balls in the exact same spot.
Neil looked over his shoulder. Andrew had turned back to watch at his name, and the look on his face was indecipherable. The twitch at the corner of his mouth might have been scorn, but Neil wasn't convinced. Finally Andrew turned sharply on his heel and left. Neil looked back to the court as Kevin rounded up balls. He clenched his teeth, braced himself for the pain, and pounded on the wall again.
Kevin pointed his stick at Neil in a clear order to knock it off. Neil ignored the way his hand was pulsing hot and cold in turns and waved his left hand at Kevin. Kevin made a dismissive gesture and went back to work. Neil resisted the urge to go on-court and choke Kevin for his recklessness, but it was a near thing. Instead he watched as Kevin slowly picked up speed, going from stationary goals to running shots. Kevin dashed for the balls as they rebounded and tried to fire them back as fast as possible. He drew two crosses on the goal, the cardinal directions first followed by the four corners, and hit the center of the goal with every ball after that.
Neil felt cold all over watching him, but he didn't know if it was fear that Kevin was going to injure himself again or awe. He'd always known Kevin was the best, but he'd almost forgotten what Kevin used to be like at his peak.
A flash of orange in his peripheral vision was enough at last to distract him from Kevin, and Neil stared as Andrew set his helmet on the home bench. Andrew had to notice the attention, but he focused on tightening his gloves. He wasn't going to volunteer an explanation, so Neil asked, "You're going to play with him?"
"Someone needs to keep an eye on that idiot," Andrew said.
He yanked the last strap into place, strapped his helmet on, and headed for the door. He didn't bother to knock a warning before throwing open the court door, but Kevin was facing the door and stumbled to a stop at the sight of him. He shot a quick look Neil's way. His face guard and the distance between them made it impossible to see his expression, but Neil could guess there was something accusing in it. He shook his head and gave an exaggerated shrug, trying to convey his innocence. Andrew slammed the door behind him and headed for goal.
Kevin shepherded balls back toward the first-fourth line. Andrew made an expansive gesture at whatever Kevin said to him and slung his racquet carelessly against his shoulder. He refused to budge even when Kevin signaled readiness. Kevin stood with his racquet back for a few seconds longer, then gave up and fired a shot. Andrew didn't so much as twitch, and the ball shot right past his helmet. The goal lit up red. Kevin took another shot, and another, then grew impatient and aimed for Andrew himself. It cracked off Andrew's helmet, and Andrew finally shifted into a ready position.
The next time Kevin fired at goal, Andrew shot it straight back at him. Kevin caught it but had to retreat to hold onto it. As soon as he had his footing he aimed at the goal. Andrew popped that one right at Kevin's knees, and Kevin sidestepped out of the way just in time. They went back and forth for a while before Kevin scored again. Kevin scored twice more in quick succession, but Andrew deflected the shot after that with an impossible twist of his racquet. It escalated from there in speed.