Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 87395 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 437(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87395 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 437(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Traffic around campus that day was horrendous as spectators flooded in and settled down for back-to-back weekend opening home games. None of the Foxes expected to win that night, as they were opening the season against their longtime rivals Breckenridge. Until Edgar Allen made its move, Breckenridge was the largest and first-ranked school in the district. Fortunately the football team's chances for Saturday afternoon's game were much better. It would be too much of a downer if Palmetto lost both opening games.
Campus police were out in full force that day, helping direct traffic and making sure guests didn't interrupt classes. Neil hated the sight of their blue uniforms, but having them around was better than dealing with the press. He had enough problems getting along with his classmates now that he was wearing his Exy jersey. He caused a small disruption wherever he went. Neil wanted to cut class and hide at Fox Tower until game time, but athletes weren't allowed to call out without a legitimate medical excuse. Someone from the athletics committee went around all day counting heads through classroom windows, and Wymack would be the first to hear Neil was absent.
Luckily Neil's teammates had anticipated trouble. Matt was waiting for him outside his Spanish classroom to walk him to his next class. It didn't matter if the school rallied behind their Exy team or not; Neil was a secret finally let out of the bag. Anyone who followed the school's news knew the ERC had bent the rules to protect Neil's anonymity. Neil had checked the internet periodically throughout the summer to make sure it was working. As of this morning, though, his name was everywhere.
Almost as disturbing was finding out Andrew hadn't lied to Neil back in May. In almost every article that talked of Neil's pathetic experience Kevin was quoted as having high hopes for him. Kevin really had said Neil would one day be Court. It was a bold statement from a former champion, and it only added to the intrigue surrounding the Foxes' tenth player. The looks Neil kept getting made his skin crawl, but Matt kept them moving through the crowd without a problem.
After math Renee took Neil to history, neatly bypassing a group of cheerleaders before they noticed the jerseys in their midst. Allison found him after his history class. He had an open period, so she dragged him to lunch with her and Seth. Neil's nerves killed his hunger, but he obediently put food on his tray and sat with them.
It was the first time Neil had been alone with them, and it went better than he expected it to. They were in an "on" stage in their relationship, which helped. They talked mostly to each other, sparing only a few words for him, but Neil was content to watch. Seeing Seth act something other than completely hostile was fascinating, but he still didn't know what Allison saw in him. A girl with her money and connections could have had anyone and anything, but she chose to be a Fox and date Seth. Neil didn't think he would ever understand that decision.
"Well?" Allison asked, startling Neil from his thoughts. "What are you going to do about a date?"
They'd spent most of lunch talking about the Exy's kickoff banquet. Every school in the southeast would put in an appearance, including the Ravens. Neil wasn't planning on attending, but he hadn't yet figured out the logistics of skipping it.
"I'm not bringing one," Neil said. "That's stupid," Allison said. "Even the monster's got a date." Neil wasn't expecting that, but he could guess. "Renee?"
"She hasn't asked him yet, but it's inevitable." Allison picked her pita bread into pieces and mopped up leftover salad dressing with it. "Money's on the table as to whether or not he says yes. Pot's getting pretty big, so get your bet in fast."
The only thing the Foxes had in common besides Exy and hardship was their strange obsession with betting on the stupidest things. Neil had figured that out only two weeks into practice. A week didn't go by when there wasn't money on something or another.
Neil looked between Seth and Allison. "Are Andrew and Renee…?"
Seth looked like he might be sick. "Better not be."
Allison gave a prim shrug. "Renee promises it'll never happen. I believe her," she said, glancing at Seth like she was daring him to argue. He stabbed at his chicken and kept quiet. Allison pointed a chunk of bread at Neil. "You're running out of time to find a date. Ask Aaron to set you up with a Vixen. I'm sure Katelyn knows a pretty face or two."
The last thing Neil wanted to do was hook up with a cheerleader. He had no fond memories of Millport's high school squad. "Who is Katelyn?"
"Aaron's unofficial girlfriend. Look for her at the game tonight. It's pretty pathetic watching them moon over each other long distance." Allison checked her watch and pushed back her chair. "Have to run. Meeting my advisor." She leaned across the table to give Seth a quick kiss and carried her tray away.
Seth and Neil finished up a couple minutes later. Seth took Neil to his speech class. Dan met Neil afterward and escorted Neil across campus to Fox Tower. She left him at the crosswalk, since she still had another class to get to before she was done for the day.
"Rest up," she said. "Tonight's going to be a long night."
Neil was too tense from the morning to follow that advice, but he made a beeline for his bed anyway.
He'd lived in several towns like Millport over the years and dealt with small-town curiosity and distrust most of his life. Somehow Palmetto State grated more against him, maybe because his jersey and place on the team demanded people pay attention to him. He couldn't fade into the background here, not with these colors and not after tonight's game. There were twenty-one thousand people enrolled at Palmetto State University. Neil wasn't playing for himself anymore; he was playing to represent them.