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)
“Rude,” Preston protested as Jean let the door slam behind him.
A half-dozen backliners were at the lockers when Jean arrived, in varying stages of undress. Cody’s baggy t-shirt was sticking to them in places where they’d been careless drying off, and they only added to the mess when they tugged the hem up to swipe along their hairline. They smiled at Jean as he started unloading his clothes from his locker and snatched up a piece of paper to show off.
“Coach Rhemann was able to print off your schedule,” they said. “Just let us know when you’re ready to head out.”
Jean wasted no time getting scrubbed dry and dressed, but Tanner still managed to catch up with him before he could leave. The backliner had remembered a towel but hadn’t slowed to dry, and he left puddles on the floor where he planted himself in Jean’s path. He lifted his chin in defiance and insisted, “I can learn. Just give me a chance.”
His persistence was promising, but Jean motioned for him to step aside. “It would require additional court time. I don’t have the authority to grant that.”
Tanner didn’t budge. “Coach Jimenez could. I’ll ask him.” That he thought it at all appropriate to bypass both his captain and vice-captain to directly ask a coach for a favor was borderline repulsive. Jean felt every muscle in his back tense at such a presumptuous statement. The look Cody sent him said his expression gave him away, but Tanner was too invested in his argument to notice how many lines he was crossing. “If he says yes, then it’s a yes from you, right? That’s your only hangup?”
Cody propped their elbow against Tanner’s shoulder and asked, “What are you trying to bully out of him this late in the day?”
“I want him to teach me drills.”
“Raven drills,” Jean elaborated when Cody quirked a brow at him.
“Yeah, Raven drills,” Tanner enthused. “I want to learn to pass like he does.”
“Well, maybe get dressed before you break down Coach’s door,” Cody suggested as they lifted their arm. “But we’ve got plans tonight, so I’m stealing Jean. If you find time to ask before you leave today, just message me his response and I’ll let Jean know. You do have my number, right?”
“Got it,” Tanner promised, and bolted for his locker on the far end of the row.
Cody caught Jean’s gaze, but Jean didn’t need encouragement to follow. They reached the strikers’ bench about the same time Ananya did. A touch of her hand was enough to draw Pat from his conversation with Derek and Derrick, and the four headed for the door with a chorus of goodbyes following them out.
Pat held the gate open for them and slipped his hand into Ananya’s as soon as they were free. The other hand was offered to Cody. Cody didn’t see it, or was good at pretending they didn’t, and busied themselves with inspecting Jean’s schedule. Pat huffed, equal parts exasperation and fondness, and set forth toward campus. Cody hung back a step, but Jean didn’t miss the way they glanced after Pat and Ananya as soon as they thought it was safe to do so.
Cody noticed that he noticed and cleared their throat. “Okay, look,” they said, turning Jean’s sheet toward him as the pair followed Pat and Ananya. “You’ve got an easy schedule here: four of your classes are all in the same building, and the last isn’t that far away. Good thing, since you’ve only got this ten-minute gap on either side of it. Only one class on Fridays, too. That’s nice, it’ll make it easier with our away games.”
They’d just reached Lyon when Cody heard from Tanner. “Rhemann and Jimenez want you at the stadium tomorrow morning,” they told Jean. “We’ll be in the pool without you, so it’s good timing. Sounds like they want to see these mysterious drills before they sign off on them.”
Jean nodded understanding, so Cody tapped out a quick response and passed Jean’s schedule over. “Okay, every morning this fall we’ll meet here from six to seven-thirty. Let’s start with the odd days: Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Where are you heading from here?”
And so they went: first from the fitness center to Hoffman Hall where he’d be taking business writing with Shane, then over to Watt where he and Jeremy had wheel throwing. Afterward it was right back to the first building, and Cody smiled triumph as they came to a stop in front of it. Jean considered it and was satisfied: it was an austere building of pale stone, tall enough to stand out from the rest and be an easy landmark.
“Tuesdays and Thursdays, you come here and stay here for your last two classes,” Cody said. “How boring.”
Ananya lifted her free hand to point past Hoffman. “That’s the edge of campus,” she said, glancing over at Jean to make sure he was paying attention. “You’ll have easy access to the park and stadium, but you’ll have to go down a bit to find a crosswalk. Not like it should matter too much. I think I remember you having an open period after your last class.”