“It’ll be easier if I just?—”
“You’re not quitting, Roux. You deserve that spot. You earned it. Keep it and prove to the haters that you won it on your own skills and don’t need the competition to be taken out in order to achieve it.”
I smile. “Thanks, Lix.”
“Of course. For future reference, when I ask you what you did over summer, getting two boyfriends seems like something you could mention.”
I laugh. “I know. I wanted to. But I didn’t think we had time to talk since we ran around for four days, and… I’m sorry. Believe me, I’ve wanted to tell you.”
“How are you doing with Trevor’s murder?”
“I think I was freaked out all the more because the police came here to question me. I’m not sure if they were looking at me as a suspect, but… Maybe I’m a bad person, but I’m glad he’s dead.”
“You’re not a bad person, Roux. I’m glad he’s dead too. I’d go so far as to say he deserved far worse than he got.”
“Maybe, but I’m just glad he’s gone.”
“I’m glad you’ve made peace with it. I worry about you.”
I grin. “Of course you do.”
He pffts.
“Lix?”
“What, brat?”
“Thanks for worrying about me.”
He sighs. “Always.”
CHAPTER 32
OSCAR
Neither Alka nor Roux were looking forward to this scrimmage. It’s not that I thought they were exaggerating about the breakdown of teamwork, but watching them on the field now? I wince when another unnecessary steal takes place and Martinville gets the ball back.
Harper’s yelling. She hasn’t stopped yelling. She’s going to be hoarse before the game is over.
Alka’s sitting on the bench, biting his tongue. I can see how angry he is in the set of his shoulders. How frustrated. Ready to lose his shit. We’re still in the first half, so there’s plenty of time to turn this around.
Though I’m thinking it’s not going to go that way.
Our entire line looks like they’re playing two separate games. There’s the anti-Ruby team—those keeping the ball away from Ruby—and those who are willing to pass it to Ruby. Thankfully, the Ruby side isn’t as stupid as the other side, and they’re playing the game they should be.
I’m not the only one who groans when Ruby kicks the ball to Doherty and the man literally fucking ignores it. Like heactuallyturns away.
Harper screams at him. The audience screams at him. TheRuby team on the field screams at him. Even one of the Martinville players says, “What the fuck, dude?” I don’t hear it, but I can read lips pretty well.
I don’t know how, but we make a goal. Rather, the Ruby team scores a goal. I’m not sure if I’m relieved by or wary of the renewed animosity from the anti-Ruby team and how they’re even more aggressively ignoring him. Instead of a team of ten players, we’re a team of four plus Ruby-team’s six.
Jeff Doherty, number eight, whom I know by name and face because of his stop into Alka’s office the other day, has the ball. I’m not sure if Harper put him in to shut him up or if she’s giving him a chance to prove he deserves the starting line or what. He has the ball and manages to keep it away from Martinville as he brings it down to the other end.
The teams split, and Ruby is wide open. I mean, there’s a path straight toward him as if they were waiting for an escort.
Jeff literally looks right at him and turns, kicking the ball to our number seventeen. The entire bench groans when it’s intercepted.
“Doherty!” Harper shouts. “Bench. Now.”
