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)
After smashing another ball up-court, Andrew beat his racquet against the wall and called Nicky. Neil only had a half-second to see Nicky wheel toward the goal; the ball was on its way to Kevin and that was more important than what was happening at the far end of court. Kevin couldn't get past his backliner and was in a bad angle to pass to Neil, so he flicked the ball to Dan. Dan shouldered her mark out of the way and raced up the court to buy the strikers room. She heaved the ball to the far wall so it'd rebound to the strikers. Neil and Kevin raced for it, but the goalkeeper took a running leap to get the ball first. He popped it up toward the ceiling at a steep angle and it came back down at mid-court between the dealers and Foxes' defense.
Nicky's mark started for it, and Nicky swept his legs out from under him with his racquet. Such a blatant foul brought the entire game to a screeching halt, at least until Nicky's striker found his feet again. He came at Nicky with fists flying, but Andrew was already there. He thrust his racquet out lengthways between them and used it to shove the furious striker away from his cousin. The striker was almost stupid enough to take a swing at Andrew instead, but Matt and his mark intervened.
By then the referees were on court, and Nicky blew them a kiss when he was handed his red card. He sailed off the court like a triumphant champion, both fists high in the air and grinning ear to ear. Aaron came on to replace him, and the teams prepped for a foul shot. Neil was smiling as he took his place. He glanced down the line at Kevin. Kevin was already braced to run, confident in Andrew's ability to defend the shot.
Andrew did, and like always, he fired the rebound where Neil could get it. Neil tore off up the court like his father was on his heels, and there was nothing his striker could do to stop him. A glance at Kevin showed his mark was too close for a safe pass. Neil snagged the ball and passed it to himself instead, hitting the ground low where it'd bounce off the wall a few feet from goal. The goalkeeper took a swing for it, but Neil was just quick enough. He grabbed the ball, twisted his racquet out of the way in the nick of time, and fired at the goal. He was going too fast and was too close to the wall to stop, but he had just enough space to turn. He crashed shoulder blade first, back and helmet next, and grunted as the breath was crushed from his lungs.
Neil didn't care about the pain; the goal was red and the buzzer was deafening in his ears. He stumbled away from the wall, using his racquet as a cane until he found his balance again, and gasped air back into his aching body. The goalkeeper snarled something rude at him, but Neil tuned it out with the ease of long practice. His teammates caught up with him on his way across the court. Neil clacked sticks and accepted their excited congratulations, but all that mattered was getting through them to the goal. Neil didn't have a lot of time left before the referees could dock them for stalling play, so he jogged the rest of the way to Andrew.
"Nicky's not a fighter," Neil said. "You told him to take a swing."
"It was getting boring," Andrew said.
Neil grinned. "Now are you having fun?"
"That part was vaguely interesting," Andrew said. "I can take or leave the rest."
"It's a start," Neil said, and headed to half-court.
Ten minutes later, Kevin exploited the Catamounts' rattled nerves and scored. The Catamounts didn't score again at all, though they tried with a ferocity borne of desperation. Andrew stopped every shot on goal and bounced a couple rebounds off the strikers' helmets just to rile them further. The stands were in an uproar the entire last minute on the clock. With five seconds left in the game Dan threw her racquet aside and took a running leap into Matt's arms.
The buzzer sounded on an eight-three win. They'd dominated the first death match and were on to round three for the first time ever. Dan had Matt's helmet off by the time the Foxes caught up to her and kissed him to the roar of crowd. Kevin and Aaron clacked sticks and exchanged triumphant looks.
Neil was dimly aware of the subs tearing across the court toward them, but he looked past them to where Andrew was standing alone in goal. He'd already set his racquet aside and was busy undoing his gloves. He had to know this was a historic night for the Foxes, and Neil knew he could hear the crowd losing its mind, but Andrew was unhurried and uninterested. Whatever had inspired him to intervene earlier was long gone. Neil hadn't honestly expected this to be the game that finally got through to Andrew, but that didn't make it easier to see him regress.
Nicky was a perfectly-timed distraction, barreling into Aaron and Neil nearly hard enough to take them off their feet. He hooked his arms around their shoulders and gave them a back-cracking squeeze.
"Can you believe it?" he asked, amazed. "We are such hot shit sometimes!"
Allison gave Neil's shoulder a thump on her way past them to Dan and Matt. Renee snagged Kevin for a quick hug before looping arms with Allison and Dan. Dan was laughing, giddy with impossible success. Matt left them to each other and slung an arm around Kevin's shoulders. Neil looked from one happy face to another, savoring and memorizing this moment.
Andrew missed the half-court party, but he showed up in time to follow his teammates past the Catamounts' line-up. Wymack, Abby, and two cameras were waiting for them when they filed off the court. Dan flashed the cameras a toothy grin before hugging both Wymack and Abby. Neil joined his teammates in waving up at the stands but was quick to abandon the girls to the reporters' microphones and questions.