Total pages in book: 177
Estimated words: 163209 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 816(@200wpm)___ 653(@250wpm)___ 544(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 163209 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 816(@200wpm)___ 653(@250wpm)___ 544(@300wpm)
At some point almost everyone was to blame for these deaths: Muldani and Kevin, for their heartlessness despite the Ravens’ public struggles; Coach Rossi, who’d put a team on the court knowing they weren’t ready; Edgar Allan, for not keeping a better eye on their cherished athletes; Coach Moriyama, for abandoning his team so swiftly and thoroughly after their first loss; on and on it went, with increasing heat and speculation. For once, the only name not tossed about so carelessly was Jean’s.
Laila texted him Tuesday evening to ask, “Do you think it’s over?” When Jeremy took too long to answer, she added, “Those three started the fight. They cost the Ravens their season by injuring Andrew and Neil. If they’ve absorbed the blame, the rest might be able to move on.”
“I don’t know,” Jeremy finally sent. “I hope so. How is Jean?”
“A little lost,” she admitted. “We’re keeping an eye on him, but I wish you were here.”
Jeremy typed out six different responses before settling on, “I’m sorry.” It wasn’t what she wanted to hear, he knew, but it was all he had to offer. With a sigh he tossed his phone toward his bed and turned his attention back to his schoolwork. He didn’t remember putting his head down, but William woke him with a hand on his shoulder sometime later.
Jeremy smothered a jaw-cracking yawn and peeled his face off his textbook. He sent a fuzzy look around for a clock before blinking up at William. “Mom?” he guessed. Instead of answering, William stepped to one side. Jeremy glanced toward his bedroom doorway and the person standing there. “...Laila?”
“I rode a motorcycle to get here,” she said, chucking a sleeping bag and backpack into the nearest corner of his room. Jeremy watched them land, then turned a bewildered stare on his best friend. William moved so Jeremy could get up, but Jeremy stayed put. He wasn’t convinced he wasn’t dreaming. “I thought I was going to die at least ten times. You are the only person I would do that for, I hope you know that.”
“I will prepare some drinks,” William said, starting for the door.
“Thank you,” Laila said, shifting so he could get by.
Jeremy finally got up, and he pulled her into a tight hug when she moved to meet him halfway. “What are you doing here?”
“If the mountain won’t go to Mohammed...” She propped her chin on his shoulder and heaved a heavy sigh. “You said your parents won’t be back until Sunday, right? We’ll duck out Saturday morning with no one the wiser. Just swing us by the apartment tomorrow so we can get some clothes.”
“You hate it here,” Jeremy reminded her as she wriggled free of him.
“If your family isn’t here, I hate the new place more.” Laila caught his hand and dragged him after her. “Now come on, Cat is threatening to take Jean on a tour of the second floor. She was saying something about loosening every screw on Bryson’s desk and chair.”
Despite that threat, Jean and Cat were waiting patiently in the foyer. Cat called a cheery greeting up at him when he appeared on the landing and collected her bags from by her feet. Jean hung back for only a moment before following her up, and Cat caught Jeremy’s free hand to kiss his knuckles.
“We’re invading,” she said. “Resistance is futile.”
“No resistance from me,” Jeremy promised, and moved so she and Jean could get by. He checked Jean’s expression as he passed, looking for tension and grief. He saw neither. Maybe the ride had helped clear his head, or he was suitably distracted by the change in scenery. Jeremy was grateful either way, but he’d want to keep a careful eye on his friend tonight anyway.
It was too early to sort out sleeping arrangements, so the two added their things to Laila’s small pile. Cat propped her hands on her hips and spun to consider his room. Her “Sheesh!” was to be expected, and Jeremy could read the disapproval on her face. “I forgot how boring this place is. You still have those ugly sheets? One of these days we’re going to buy you a set with like... spaceships or little sasquatches on it, just to see what your mother says.”
“Oh, I can imagine,” Jeremy said.
“Unfortunately, so can I.”
Jean studied the room with a slow and quiet interest, lingering longest over the pictures hanging on Jeremy’s walls. Jeremy put away his homework as quickly as he could while Cat chatted about the ride over. The exhaustion that had dogged him all day was gone, scattered to the wind by the warmth his friends brought with him. They ended up on his bed while he sat opposite them in his desk chair, and Laila was halfway through a story about one of her classes when William returned.