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)
"Coach said not to ask about your eyes," Matt said. "I'd assumed Riko blackened them."
It wasn't really a question, so Neil didn't answer it. "We'll be back in a few hours."
He left before Matt could argue. Kevin, Nicky, and Aaron were waiting two doors down in front of their bedroom. Nicky was holding two gift bags but dropped them at Neil's approach. Neil was halfway to them before he saw the bruise on Kevin's face. The red stain across half his cheek said a second bruise wouldn't be long in forming. It wasn't the first time Matt hit Kevin and it definitely wouldn't be the last, but Neil made a note to talk to him later. None of this was Kevin's fault.
With that, he pushed Matt from mind and focused on the three men in front of him. Unsurprisingly, Aaron was the safest one to look at. The frown tugging at the corner of his mouth was curiosity, not sympathy, and his gaze lingered longer on Neil's hair than it did on the bruises staining Neil's face. Neil gave him a moment to see if he'd ask, but all Aaron did was shrug.
Nicky, on the other hand, looked absolutely crushed as he took in Neil's wrecked appearance. He reached out as soon as Neil was close enough and wrapped his hand around the back of Neil's neck. He carefully pulled Neil up against him and propped his chin on Neil's head. Nicky was tense as stone but the long breath he let out was shaky.
"Oh, Neil," he said in a choked voice. "You look awful."
"It'll fade," Neil said. "Most of it, anyway. Don't worry about it."
Nicky's fingers tightened a fraction. "Don't you dare tell me you're fine. I can't hear that from you today, okay?"
Neil obediently went quiet. Nicky held on a minute longer, then finally let him go. Neil turned to Kevin last and felt his stomach drop. Kevin was staring at Neil like he'd seen a ghost. The others might find Neil's abrupt change in appearance startling—the cousins less so because they'd seen Neil's blue eyes on their trips to Columbia—but Kevin knew who Neil really was and he'd met Neil's father. He knew exactly what this meant. Neil shook his head in a silent plea to keep quiet. He wasn't entirely surprised that Kevin ignored that, but at least Kevin had the decency to speak in French.
"Tell me the master did not approve this."
"I don't know," Neil said. The last several days in Riko's care were a painful, meaningless blur he was still trying to make sense of. He only dimly remembered Jean's hands working dye through his hair. He thought it was one of the last things they'd done to him, but he couldn't remember if Riko's uncle Tetsuji had been present for it. "Riko said he'd hurt us if I change it back. All I can do is duck my head and hope for the best."
"Duck your head," Kevin echoed. He gestured incredulously at his own face. "Riko called me on Christmas to say he inked you. How long do you think he'll let you hide before he forces you to show it off? The press will be all over this, and they won't stop their questions at your tattoo. He's trying to get you found."
Fear was ice in Neil's stomach, eating its way up his throat. Keeping it from bleeding into his voice took everything Neil had. "I'll take it as a compliment. He's trying to take me out of the game before semifinals. He wouldn't waste his time unless he thinks we really are going to be a problem for his team. That means something, doesn't it?"
"Neil."
"I'll worry about this, Kevin. I'll worry about me. You do what you do best and focus on Exy. Take us where he doesn't want us to go."
Kevin's mouth thinned to a hard line, but he didn't argue. Maybe he knew it was pointless; maybe he knew it was too late. Nicky looked between them as if making sure they were done then scooped his bags up again and held one out to Neil.
"Belated Christmas present," he said, a little sadly. "No one knew your address in Millport so I figured I'd just give it to you in person. Erik helped me pick it out." At Neil's confused look, Nicky said, "He flew to New York for a couple days as a Christmas surprise. Kevin's got something for you in there, too. He wouldn't let me wrap it, so it's in an ugly plastic bag. I'm sorry."
Nicky jiggled the other gift bag as Neil took the one offered him. "I've got Andrew's with me, too. Actually I got you two the same thing because you are like the most impossible people in the world to buy for."
"I'm sorry," Neil said. "I didn't get anyone anything. I'm not used to celebrating Christmas."
"You mean you were too busy getting pulverized to shop," Aaron said. Nicky looked like he choked on his cousin's rudeness, but Aaron continued like he hadn't said anything wrong. "Kevin said you went because of Andrew. Is that true?"
Neil flicked Kevin a warning look. "Yes."
"Why?" Aaron asked. "He won't be grateful."
"He won't be grateful to you for killing Drake," Neil said. "It doesn't matter. We did what we had to do. I don't care what Andrew thinks."
Aaron studied him in silence. He was looking for answers, but Neil didn't know what the question was. All he could do was gaze back until Aaron finally shook his head and looked away. Neil wanted to push for an explanation, but he needed to save his energy for Andrew. He distracted himself by opening the present Nicky gave him. Wrapped in orange tissue paper was a black coat. It looked small but was heavy in his hands; it would keep out the bitter chill that had settled in South Carolina. Neil let Nicky take the bag from him.
"Thank you," he said.
"You still don't have any proper winter clothes," Nicky said. "We should just take you out and expand your wardrobe again, but I figured we'd start with this. You can't keep wearing team hoodies and not expect to catch a cold. Does it fit?"