Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 117363 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 587(@200wpm)___ 469(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117363 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 587(@200wpm)___ 469(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
It took all of two seconds for White and Lisinski to catch up to him. Being trapped between three coaches and a bench was the worst thing Jean could think of until Jimenez shoved Lucas into the scant space at Jean’s side.
“You want to explain yourself?” Jimenez demanded, looking between his backliners.
“Your fourth line has a smart mouth, Coach,” Jean said. “I was hoping he would bite his tongue off in the fall and save us both some grief in the long run.”
“Fuck you,” Lucas said. “Fourth line nothing.”
“You are lucky to be on a line at all,” Jean shot back. “That they afforded you two games last season speaks volumes of their disdain for your opponents. I would have stopped after your performance in the first.”
White realized this wasn’t going to be a quick or clean resolution and sent the subs on a run around the inner court to get them more space.
“Enough,” Lisinski said, flicking a sharp look between them. “Accusations and insults aren’t going to fix anything. Tell us what the problem is so we can find a way forward, because we are not going to spend the year with this kind of disunity. You,” she stabbed a finger at Jean, “explain what started this today.”
“I will not be insulted by a know-nothing child, Coach,” Jean said.
“Are you going to fight everyone who insults you?” Lisinski asked.
“Raven,” White reminded her.
Jimenez cut in like he could somehow smother that easy explanation before Jean heard it. “That’s not a good excuse. You’re going to be dealing with a lot of aggressive attitudes on the court this fall. If you let them all get to you, that’s a problem for all of us. You agreed to play by our standards when you transferred here. If you can’t even watch your temper when playing your own team, how can we trust you on the court this fall?”
He didn’t wait for a response but rounded on Lucas. “And you,” he said, stabbing a finger at Lucas’s face, “know better than to start fights here. How many times are we going to have this conversation before you start taking it to heart? I know this isn’t the first time you two have gone at each other. You think Winter hasn’t already warned me there was going to be a problem here?”
“Cody’s a snitch,” Lucas said.
“They are trying to look out for the entire defense line, which includes both of you,” Jimenez said. “What’s going on with you?”
“I think signing him was a mistake,” Lucas said flatly. His opinion was no surprise to Jean, but that he’d say it so boldly to his coaches was unfathomable. Jean put a little more space between them in case someone started swinging, but there was only so far he could go. Lucas noticed the movement and sent him a heated look. “Kevin tricked us into signing him so we could sabotage the Ravens for him and made us into villains in the process. We’re complicit in everything that happened during championships. We're not the good guys or the good sports anymore, we’re underhanded schemers. I didn’t sign up to be a part of that!”
Jean curled his lip at Lucas in disgust. “Those are Grayson’s words. I know his voice.”
“Tell me he’s wrong,” Lucas accused him.
“The only thing that wretched beast does right is Exy.”
“Don’t you dare talk about my brother that way.”
“He’s not your brother,” Jean shot back. “He is a Raven. He stopped being yours the day he signed with Edgar Allan. You are lucky to have lost him.”
It took all three coaches to break them apart when Lucas lunged for him. Jean tongued the corner of his mouth and tasted a bit of blood; his jaw was numb for the moment but likely would flare hot before long. White’s hands on him were tense, like he expected violence, but in no universe would Jean ever touch a coach. He kept his gloved hands at his side and waited for Lucas to stop struggling.
“I’m not going to take your word over his,” Lucas said when the coaches finally got him to back off.
“Then take his word,” Jean said, and Lucas sent him a suspicious look past Lisinski’s shoulder. Jean wished he had the common sense to shut up, but the challenge was already crawling out of him, icy with a bottomless rage. “Ask him why he’s so sure the rumors are true. Ask him what his part in it was. If you’re going to believe him just because he’s blood, then at least make him tell you the truth.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Lucas demanded.
“And keep Kevin’s name out of your ignorant mouth,” Jean continued. “My transfer had nothing to do with championships. You think I would have come here if I had any real choice in the matter? Here?”