Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 109903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Except Andrew was moving before the striker finished taking his shot, as if he already knew where the striker was going to aim, and he didn't even try to swing. He threw himself at the ground as far over as he could and slammed his racquet down between the ball and the goal so hard Neil heard wood crack all the way across the court. He was just fast enough; the ball hit the taut strings of his racquet and bounced off.
Andrew let go of his racquet and went after the ball himself. The striker raced for it, too, but he'd lost a precious second expecting his point to be good. One second was all Aaron needed to catch up with him, and Aaron crashed into him before he could scoop the ball off the ground. They narrowly avoided colliding with Andrew, but Andrew didn't even look up. He grabbed the ball in one gloved hand and threw it to one side, clearing it away from the goal.
The final buzzer was deafening, but Matt's triumphant roar carried through it. Neil looked up, needing to see the numbers to believe it. Relief was almost enough to take him off his feet, but the heady rush of victory put the breath back in his lungs. He looked across the court for Kevin, but Kevin was striding toward the goal. Neil turned a bit more so he could see Andrew again, but the sight waiting for him took some of the edge off his excitement.
Andrew was kneeling just inside the goal line with his racquet in his lap. Neil heard Dan's excited voice as the subs were allowed onto the court, but he didn't wait for his teammates to catch up with him. He ran after Kevin and reached the goal right after Kevin did. Kevin didn't have to ask what was going on. He'd lied to cameras for years and he knew how to buy Andrew time. He crouched in front of Andrew and reached for Andrew's racquet, adding to the illusion that Andrew was inspecting his racquet for damage.
Andrew let go with one hand and gestured. Kevin gestured back as if they having an actual conversation. The only sound either of them made was the desperate gasp of air through clenched teeth as Andrew tried not to get sick in front of the crowd. Kevin turned the racquet some and dug his gloved fingers into the head. Shattered wood split beneath the pressure, showing off an awful crack all the way down to the handle. Neil winced at the sight and checked the court floor for an indent.
The rest of the team fell in around them, bringing the celebration to their strikers and forming an impromptu barricade around their fallen goalkeeper. Matt smacked shoulders and helmets in excitement and bared his teeth in a jaw-breaking grin.
"That's how we do it! That's how we do it, Foxes!"
Andrew let go of his racquet and got to his feet, but he was obviously unsteady. Neil expected him to fall, but Nicky slung an arm around Andrew's shoulders and yanked Andrew close to him. It let him take some of Andrew's weight without it being too obvious what he was doing. Andrew looked ready to say something about the unasked-for help, but Nicky didn't give him a chance to argue. He pumped his fist and whooped.
"That was awesome! We are going to own this season!"
"That was sloppy," Kevin said as he stood. "We barely had it."
"Oh, shut up, sour face," Nicky said. "Save your grouching for the ride back and stop spoiling our moment of glory."
"Seriously." Matt gave Kevin's helmet a vigorous rub. "Would it kill you to smile when no one's paying you to?"
Matt didn't wait for an answer but turned to Allison as she finally joined them. She was already clean and changed out for the ride back, and her wet hair was pulled out of her face in a tight ponytail. Neil saw how red her eyes were and looked away. Matt scooped her up in a hug that took her feet off the ground. "You're amazing."
"Come on," Dan said. "Let's give these guys our condolences and get out of here."
They shuffled into line as fast as they could, and the Terrapins grudgingly formed their own line further down the court. They passed each other, slapping sticks and offering a chorus of "Good game!" neither side fully believed. The Foxes filed off the court as quickly as they could and swarmed Wymack. Andrew broke away in the commotion and set off for the locker room.
Neil had never seen Wymack smile like this. It was small but fierce, as angry as it was proud. "That's more like it. Draw straws and figure out who's helping me fend off the press. The rest of you get your sticky, stinky asses to the showers. We'll talk shop on the bus."
"Renee and I will handle it," Dan said as they headed to the locker room. "Neil, you can use the girls' shower while we're busy."
Neil stared at her. "What?"
Dan frowned at him, so Matt explained. "There aren't stalls here."
Neil had noticed, but he hadn't thought his teammates would. That they had, and that they were doing something about it, knocked the wind out of him. He tried to answer, but he didn't know what to say. The best he managed was, "Is that really okay?"
"Kid, you're killing me," Nicky said. "Why do you always get that deer-in-headlights look when someone does something nice for you?"
"It's really okay," Dan promised. Neil tried to thank her, but she waved it off with a breezy, "Nope. None of that. Just don't steal all the hot water."
She, Renee, and Wymack plopped down on benches in the front room to wait on the press while the others went to clean up. Neil grabbed his bag from the men's changing room and took it across the hall. The women's shower room was a little more private. It didn't have doors but it did have stall walls. Neil kept his back to the door and took a quick shower. He scrubbed dry so fast and hard he left his skin red in places, but he didn't want Dan and Renee to have to wait any longer for him. He dressed in loose clothes, grabbed his things, and hurried out.