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)
The week following Jean’s interview earned a near-immediate spot on the list. Few of them were comfortable with this development, but the tone of the nonstop messages Jeremy and Xavier fielded that weekend leaned more toward curiosity and concern than anger.
Finding out who Jean’s parents were couldn’t erase what they’d seen with their own eyes all summer; it simply added a critical piece to the Jean Moreau puzzle. No one would deny he was standoffish and often rude, but Jean wasn’t the vicious transfer student they’d expected. They’d seen his countless scars, and they’d all noticed how quickly Jean retreated when challenged by his coaches. How could they fear a man who couldn’t even look Rhemann in the face two months into summer practices?
Monday’s practice started with a team meeting, but to Jeremy it felt more like a formality. The Trojans had had plenty of time over the weekend to hash it out over texts and calls and to watch the interview as often as they needed; their minds were made up before they set foot in the Gold Court on August 13th. The coaches went over the more pertinent details, such as the increased risk of scrutiny and trespassing journalists. After-practice Raven drills were temporarily canceled until the coaches could assess the blowback.
After they covered their necessary talking points, they opened the floor for questions, but the Trojans steered clear of the actual interview content in favor of more light-hearted gossip: did Jeremy and Kevin combust when they saw each other out of uniform, had Jeremy convinced Kevin to transfer to the Trojans for his fifth year, how many languages did Jean really speak, and so on.
Lisinski let them joke around longer than Jeremy expected her to, but maybe she knew Jean needed to see his teammates’ uncowed support of him. She finally called for them to wrap it up, and they got to their feet in a cacophony of sliding chairs and laughter. How Jeremy heard Lucas’s accusation, he wasn’t sure, but the weight behind his words punched through the rest of the noise:
“You’re nineteen.”
Slowly the Trojans went quiet. Lucas was the only one still seated, arms folded across his thighs as he stared down at his shoes. It was the first time Lucas had acknowledged Jean since his brother’s death, and Jeremy wasn’t sure which way this was going to go. Jean had refused to throw Grayson under the bus when Hannah gave him the opportunity, but the way he’d reacted to Grayson’s name and news of Rhemann’s unprecedented banishment got people talking. No consensus yet, according to Cat, but she’d keep an eye on it.
Lucas said nothing else, so finally Jean said, “Yes.”
“Then you were sixteen when—”
“Do not,” Jean warned him.
Jeremy didn’t trust Lucas to let it drop, but the Trojans didn’t need to be here for this. He caught Xavier’s eye as he said, “Let’s keep it moving, guys, we’re behind as it is.”
Lucas, unsurprisingly, didn’t budge. Neither did Jean, and Jeremy wasn’t sure if he was honestly willing to hear Lucas out or if he knew Lucas would chase his exit with louder demands. Lisinski helped Xavier herd the rest of the Trojans out of the room, though she lingered just out of the doorway in case she needed to intervene. Jeremy remained at Jean’s side and kept his eyes on Lucas’ bowed head.
“Did they know?” Lucas demanded, still staring at the floor like he wanted it to swallow him whole. “They had so much shit to say about your freshman year, but did they know you were just sixteen? When he—” Lucas made a noise like he was about to throw up, but somehow he managed to fight it back. His voice was hoarse when he said, “You’re younger than I am. Did Grayson know that?”
Jean was digging bruises into the side of his neck, but his voice was steady when he said, “They all did.” Lucas flinched like he’d been struck, and Jean forcibly loosened his grip as he started for the door. “Trade racquets with Ananya today. You are dead weight on a heavy, and I will not tolerate it any longer.”
Lucas said nothing, so Jean was able to slip out of the room. Jeremy lingered long enough to test the water with a careful, “Lucas.” He thought about Cody’s warning and forcibly changed what he was about to say, eschewing useless comfort in favor of facts: “You are not your brother, and you are not responsible for what he did. Stop trying to carry that weight in his absence. It will only crush you.”
Lucas scrubbed a rough hand over his face but gave no sign he’d heard. Jeremy glanced toward the door and nodded when Lisinski motioned to him. She’d keep an eye on Lucas; he needed to catch up with his team and get them over to the fitness center.