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)
Neil stopped when Andrew told him to. It wasn't much, but it was more than enough. Neil managed a nod, too numb to speak, and watched Andrew walk away from him.
-
Kevin took the court right-handed Friday night. Neil started to say something about it, but the quelling look Kevin sent him killed his questions. Dan mistook Neil's expression for worry and paused in the court doorway to reassure him.
"We've got this," she promised.
"I know," Neil said, and Dan's grin went ear-to-ear.
Dan headed to the half-court line as the Foxes' second striker, and the rest of the Foxes filed on behind her as their names were called. Renee and Nicky were left on the sidelines with Neil as the night's subs. Renee would be in and out for the backliners, since the Bearcats would run defense into the ground, and Andrew would hold the goal the entire game.
The Binghamton Bearcats strode onto the court with palpable arrogance. Neil didn't blame their overconfidence, considering the Foxes' sorry state tonight, but he didn't have to forgive it either. The stadium roared excited as the last ten seconds counted down. The Bearcats took first serve and the game got violent inside the first minute. It took Neil all of ten minutes to realize the Bearcats were trying to eliminate another player. The Foxes were a skeleton crew as-is. Down another body they had no chances.
Wymack's vicious swearing at his side said he understood why yellow cards were popping up all over the place. Abby grimly unpacked her first aid kit and waited for the first injury. Nicky paced irritated lines and yelled colorful insults at the Bearcats through the walls. Renee attempted to quiet him when he got too loud but said nothing otherwise. Neil attempted to leech off Renee's calm but he could feel his blood starting to boil as he watched Allison take another spill. Behind that growing outrage was the chill of inevitability. The Foxes could only tolerate this type of play for so long. They'd been pushed aside and stomped on most their lives; the court was the last place they would put up with this kind of insult. Seth would have thrown a punch eight minutes ago. The others would snap before long.
Except the minutes raced by, two Bearcats were evicted with red cards, and the Foxes kept their cool. They let hits land and racquets fall and gave ground when pushed. Matt didn't even fight back when his striker mark took a swing at him. He dropped his arms to his sides and let the punches land until the referees tore them apart. Dan scored on the foul shot and hugged Matt on her way back to half-court. Neil watched the short exchange and finally relaxed. The Foxes had chosen victory over pride tonight.
It was a necessary sacrifice, but it took an emotional and physical toll on all of them. They spent most of halftime fuming, too angry at their opponents to appreciate how well they were doing. Wymack toned down his halftime recap, not wanting to set anyone's fraying tempers off with his usual gruff approach. If anyone heard him, they gave no sign of it.
Wymack looked around when he was done and asked, "Anyone else have something to say?"
Dan rapped the butt of her racquet against the floor. "We're halfway there. Let's wipe the floor with these assholes and then get wasted. Tell me someone has alcohol back at the dorm. ABC will be closed by the time the game is over and I'm down to half a case of beer."
Nicky grimaced at the expectant look she sent him. "Not enough to make up for this. We went through most of it Monday."
"Something's better than nothing, I guess," Matt said, a little dejectedly.
"Katelyn has some," Aaron said without looking up from where he was tightening his net. "Between her and the Vixens we might get a decent haul."
Surprise wiped the disappointment off his teammates' faces; the Foxes flicked quick looks between Aaron and Andrew as they waited for a reaction. Andrew was as usual standing alone on the far side of the room. He didn't say anything, and his bored expression didn't so much as twitch at the sound of Katelyn's name.
Aaron finally looked up, but he looked to Dan, not Andrew. "Unless you don't want it?"
Dan sent a cautious look at Andrew. "Uh, yeah. Sure. If they've got some to share, the more the merrier. Right?"
The last was directed at Andrew, a careful prod expecting a violent reaction. Andrew stared into space and continued to ignore all of them.
Aaron nodded as if this wasn't at all a strange turn of events and set his racquet aside. "I'll get a headcount when we're back down there. We can borrow the basement study room again."
"Uh," Matt said.
"Don't," Neil said, cutting him off before he could ask the obvious.
Nicky was harder to shush, and he gave Aaron an unsubtle nudge. Aaron brushed him off with a bored flick of his fingers. Nicky sent a wide-eyed look at Andrew that Andrew didn't return. Luckily a warning chime went off before Nicky's mouth got him in trouble.
Wymack ushered his Foxes to their feet. "Up and out. We've got a team to send home crying. You can gossip on your own time."
Second half was just as rough as first had been, but halftime had restored the Foxes' spirits. Sending Aaron and Nicky on together to start the half was the best decision Wymack made all night. Aaron played with an energy and focus Neil had never seen from him, and Nicky's excitement gave him a much-needed edge. Andrew held his ground behind them and watched their blind spots. Their flawless teamwork let offense pace themselves for a hard last-quarter push. When Matt and Renee stepped onto the court with twenty-five minutes to go, Dan and Kevin went all-out.
The final bell heralded a seven-five Fox win. Neil and the subs were on the court as soon as the referees opened the door. The Foxes spared only a couple seconds to celebrate; they'd had enough of the Bearcats to last them two lifetimes and would rather enjoy their success with drinks in their hands. They went through handshakes as fast as they could go.