“Why would I sit in the back?”
“Wyatt gets the front.”
We get in the car.
“We’re picking someone up?” I ask.
“Just today. His car’s in the shop.”
“Where’s Trystan?”
“Already left. After today, you’ll be going with him. Today you get the privilege of riding with me so enjoy it.” He looks at me in the mirror and smirks.
“Why’d Trystan leave early?” I ask as we go down a street I’ve never been on before. It’s lined with huge, expensive homes.
“Soccer team went out for breakfast. They do it every year on the first day of class.”
“Doesn’t the season start later?”
“Yeah, but they start training soon. Trystan’s team captain.”
“Did you ever play soccer?”
“Tried it. Didn’t like it.” He stops abruptly and turns into the driveway of a large two-story house with lion statues on each side of the front door. “The shithead better not make us wait.”
“Is this a guy on your team?”
He ignores my question as a guy comes out of the house. He’s tall with blond hair that flops on his forehead as he walks.
Braden gets out of the car. “What the fuck? I’ve been waiting ten minutes!”
“Liar,” the guy says, coming around to the passenger side.
Braden gets back in, shoving the guy in the shoulder. “Where the hell were you this morning?”
“I overslept.”
“Get a better alarm. You don’t fucking miss practice.Ever!” he yells.
“Yeah. Got it,” the guy mutters.
“I mean it,” Braden says. “There’s gonna be punishment if you do.”
The guy looks at him. “Coach said that?”
“I did. Coach doesn’t know shit. Letting his players miss practice is why we didn’t win last year. And there’s not gonna be any missed workouts either. It’s two a day until the season ends.”
“Who made you the fucking decision maker?”
Braden slams on the brakes and turns to the guy. “You want to fight me on this? I thought you wanted to win.”
“Doesn’t mean you have to be a damn drill sergeant.”
“It’s the only way we’ll beat those fuckers at Legion. You know how much time they spend at the gym?”
The guy doesn’t answer.
“Twice as much as us,” Braden says, continuing down the street. “Novak is more like three times. So yeah, I’m gonna bust the ass of every guy on the team.”
