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)
Jeremy lost Xavier and Min first, then Ananya’s group not much later. Cat and Laila came and went as the swelling crowd swept them this way and that. The first time a family almost pushed Jeremy away from Jean, Jean caught hold of his wrist in a death grip. Jeremy took one look at his tense face and hauled Jean closer. Jean would feel better when the show started and the crowd went still, surely, except the first crackling pop startled a violent flinch out of him.
Jeremy flicked him a worried look, but Jean’s transfixed gaze was on the fireworks crackling to life above them. Surprised, not afraid, Jeremy decided, but he couldn’t look away again. He watched colored lights dance off sun-reddened cheeks until Jean finally caught him at it. Gold peonies reflected in Jean’s eyes as he turned a curious look on Jeremy.
Between the delighted crowd and the fireworks, it was too loud for Jean to hear him. Jeremy rocked onto the balls of his feet to say at his ear, “I’m glad you came.”
“I could’ve watched three more matches in the time we’ve been gone,” Jean said.
Predictable to a fault; Jeremy couldn’t help but laugh. Maybe he ought to apologize for upending Jean’s plans so thoroughly, but then Jean tapped idly at Jeremy’s wrist. Jeremy glanced down, curious, but didn’t get a chance to ask. Jean’s lips grazed his cheekbone as Jean turned his head, and every coherent thought Jeremy had crumbled to dust. Jean had to feel Jeremy’s pulse kick up beneath his thumb, but all he said was, “But I’d forgotten—I do not know them in English.”
“Fireworks,” Jeremy said.
“Fireworks,” Jean echoed. He tipped his head back to study the sky once more, and maybe Jeremy imagined his, “This is good, too.”
It was more than Jeremy had expected or hoped for, and he was still smiling when he went to bed that night.
-
On Thursday morning, Rhemann ruled in Jean’s favor: effective immediately, Jean was allowed extra court time after practices with any Trojans interested in learning his Raven drills. Rhemann was generally trapped doing paperwork for an hour after his team left anyway, so it made sense to let them use it productively. All he wanted was a promise they’d clean up behind themselves.
Jeremy was glad for them—it was hard not to be, when Tanner was so stoked and even Jean looked satisfied with the outcome—but he quietly worried what would happen in August. Once classes started, he’d be living at home again. The trek home after afternoon practices would take nearly an hour. Staying here later might allow some traffic to clear up, but it was just as likely to work against him. He did the math on his fingers and found the numbers too uncomfortable to dwell on.
Either Laila caught him at it, or she’d been his friend long enough to sort it out herself. She waited until Tanner and Jean took the court Thursday evening before joining Jeremy on the home bench.
“Remember that Jean’s our responsibility this fall, not yours,” she said without preamble. “If you try and wait him out, you won’t get home until ten. I don’t need you falling asleep on the road again.”
“That was one time,” he protested. She leveled an arch look at him, and Jeremy relented with a sheepish, “Three or four times. If I’d realized you would hold it over me this long I never would’ve told you about it. But thank you,” he added before she could lecture him about his safety, and he tipped his head toward the court so she’d understand what he meant. “Have I told you yet you’re perfect?”
“This week?” Laila considered it. “Not yet. Feel free.”
“You’re perfect,” he said. “Must be why Mom wants me to marry you.”
It startled a laugh from her. “You’re joking. She can’t even look me in the eye. It would make for such an awkward ceremony.” She pressed her shoulder to his, and he was content to lean back. Laila held her left hand out so they could study her imaginary ring. “Tempting as the offer is, I will have to decline. Can I keep the rock?”
“Family heirloom,” Jeremy said gravely. “I’m afraid I need it returned.”
“Alas.” Laila mimed slipping it off, but instead of pressing it to his hand she settled her fingers on the open book at his lap. There was no humor in her now, just quiet reluctance as she asked, “Are you sure about this, Jeremy?”
Jeremy refused to look down. This was his fifth time attempting the section on logical reasoning. Every time he made it further than two paragraphs in, his thoughts wandered off without him, and he didn’t have the energy or willpower to call them back. Having a deadline would make it easier to focus, but every time Jeremy considered registering for an exam, he remembered Bryson’s warning. The chances of it being an empty threat were slim to none, but Jeremy didn’t have it in him to fail on purpose.