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 couldn't come up with an excuse to stall longer. "I'm coming."
The overhead lights cut off then, which meant Andrew had stayed by the door after letting Nicky in. Thinking that Andrew needed space and time to regroup the same way Neil did almost wrecked Neil's attempts to get his neutral facade back together. The chilly ice cream was a little more helpful at sucking the heat from his skin, so Neil held tight to it and got up from the desk. There wasn't room to sit between the beanbag chairs and he couldn't look like he was avoiding Andrew, so he sat on the floor to Andrew's left.
Nicky got the movie started as soon as Andrew joined them. Neil watched it so he wouldn't stare at Andrew, but if someone asked him later what it was about he wouldn't be able to tell them. He was sure he still felt Andrew's heartbeat on his skin when he went to bed a few hours later.
-
Neil had survived more than a few hectic weeks growing up, but the week leading up to the Foxes' first death match was almost enough to rattle even him. His teammates' stress levels were through the roof and Neil couldn't help but be affected by their quiet panic. Dan tried playing it cool, but Neil could hear the strain in her voice as she directed her team at practices. Allison harped at the fractured defense line any chance she got, and Kevin was awful to all of them. Matt was marginally better at keeping his act together, but the further into the week they got the more restless and anxious he seemed.
Even Renee was feeling it, though she hid it well. When her friends were around she was the perfect rock to lean on, as encouraging and pleasant as always. It was a different story when she was walking laps on break with just Neil and Andrew. She admitted to nothing, but she looked a little more tired every day. Neil knew better than to ask her if she was all right. She might feel obligated to put on a smile for him, too, when what she really needed was time to catch her breath and soothe her own nerves.
It took Neil a couple days to realize it wasn't the Foxes draining most of her energy. Renee rarely said anything on their walks anymore, too intent on what was happening on her phone. The occasional unhappy twitch at the corner of her mouth said her text conversations with Jean weren't going well.
Afternoon scrimmages had all of them walking away bruised and sore. Kevin and Neil pulled out all the stops to get around their teammates, and their backliners pushed back as hard as they could. Despite the aches Neil took home with him, the only thing he could think about over dinner was getting back to the court that night.
When Neil drove Kevin to the court Wednesday night, he said, "We should have brought Andrew with us."
"No," Kevin said. "I told you: he must come with us of his own volition. It means nothing if he agrees for our sake."
"I know what you said," Neil said, "but we need more practice against a guarded goal."
"It would not do us any good," Kevin said. "Your target is not the goalkeeper: it is the goal itself. Goalkeepers change every week. No two have the same strengths or styles. Why obsess over besting one man when it has no effect on the rest? Perfect your own performance and it won't matter who is in goal."
"I'm just saying—"
"Continue arguing with me and you will be practicing alone tonight."
Neil scowled out the windshield and went quiet. Despite his annoyance, Neil thought about Kevin's words the remainder of the drive. He couldn't make sense of them, but he refused to ask Kevin to explain. Goalkeepers weren't invisible obstacles. They were the last line of defense for their teams and usually the most agile players on the court. Scoring wasn't just landing a ball within the marked goal lines; it was getting the ball to that point in a way the goalkeeper couldn't predict or deflect.
It still bothered Neil the next day, so he asked the Foxes' goalies about it on break Thursday afternoon. Renee turned her phone over in her hands as she considered it. Andrew didn't even acknowledge the question.
"It's an interesting idea," Renee said, "and it seems to be working for him. Asking someone to change his mindset and approach is a tall order, though, especially so late in the season. Then again," she said after a moment, "you did change racquets mid-season."
"A racquet is one thing," Neil said. "I don't think I can do this."
"If you don't want to, don't," Renee said, as if it was that simple to turn Kevin down. "If you want to try, we will help you any way I can."
"No," Andrew said before Neil could answer. "Stop copying him."
"I'm trying to get better," Neil said. "I can't improve on my own."
Andrew flicked him a bored look and said nothing else. Neil gave him a minute then planted himself in front of Andrew when he realized Andrew really wasn't planning on elaborating or explaining. Renee quietly put her phone away and looked between them. Her gaze lingered on Neil, but Neil didn't return it. He searched Andrew's calm expression for answers.
"Why shouldn't I copy him?" Neil asked.
"You are never going to play like he does," Andrew said. Before Neil could take that as an insult against his potential, Andrew continued. "He is a fool whose style is numbers and angles. Formulas and statistics, trial and error, repetition and insanity. All he cares about is finding the perfect game."
"Is that so bad?"
"Don't ask stupid questions."
"Don't make me."
"A junkie like you can't be that cold," Andrew said.
"I'm not a junkie."
Andrew just looked at him, so Renee broke in with a careful, "I think he means to say Kevin is very analytical, whereas you're passionate. You both care about winning, but not in the same way."