Rainbow Connection, AFTG ✔️

2.7

CHAPTER SEVEN
JAMES

The Ravens handled Neil's insults with rude grace. Their only official comment on the matter was that they couldn't care less what a loudmouthed amateur had to say about them.
Neil seemed a little surprised that they stopped there and didn't mock his miserable December performance, but James knew they couldn't throw him under the bus when he'd come back to South Carolina with Riko's number on his face. It would undermine Riko's estimation of his worth.

Unfortunately, the fans were less tolerant, and their retaliation started before sunrise Saturday. James woke up when Porter already had him halfway upright and close to falling off of the bed. The window was still dim, and he was exhausted, by heavy pounding on the door got his attention. "Hmm? I'm up," He muttered, and Porter pushed his crutches into his arms before running into the main room with Neil and Matt.

Voices in the hallway were loud enough to carry through the door, muffled but angry. James didn't hear any of the Foxes, but the word "cops" was thrown around. He would've opened the door himself if he wasn't weighed down by the cast.

Neil opened the door, ready to ask what was going on, but Dan slipped past him as soon as she could fit through the door.

Porter and Neil both leaned out of the doorway, so James crutched his way over and tried to get a glimpse of the chaos. Doors were open most of the way down, but only a couple athletes stuck around to rant at each other. The rest aimed for the stairwell like their lives depended on it.

Neil closed the door, and the trio turned back to the bedroom for an explanation. Dan had shaken Matt awake and was talking as they walked in: "—trashed the cars."

Matt rolled out of bed and onto his feet in a heartbeat. Neil boosted himself up his ladder enough to grab his keys. Matt slowed just long enough to throw a jacket on over his pajama pants and pull his shoes on. He slapped his jacket pockets until his keys jangled in response. By the time Neil found his shoes Matt was already gone with Dan close behind him.

Porter looked between the chaos and James, and James rolled his eyes, "Put your shoes on, I'll get down there on my own."

Porter didn't put on his shoes before he was out the door, jacket and Converse in hand.

James waited for the chaos to calm down, giving him a clear path in the hall, and limped into the elevator. To say the smell was putrid was an understatement. He could smell the damages before he saw them, more rancid than anything he'd smelt before. A layer of raw meat, broken eggs, and rocks covered the parking lot and stuck to the athletes' cars. Some cars got by with a couple dings and scratches; others had cracks and holes in their windows and windshields.

Enraged athletes swarmed the parking lot, half of them on their phones, the others raging at the state of their vehicles. Someone had already been inside long enough to get a bucket, and she was steadfastly scrubbing beef off her hood. Squad cars and campus security were on the scene, with a dozen officers taking statements and pictures.

Neil, Matt, and Porter were all swarmed by Matt's truck. It was obvious that this was the result of Neil's blatant disrespect; someone had taken extra time to wreck it. Every window on the cab had been busted clean out, leaving only glittering spikes of glass around the frames. The tires were long-deflated from wild slashes. New dents were pounded into the frame from whatever tool the rioters had used on the windows.

Allison's car was in the same sorry shape two spots down from Matt's. She stood by the trunk with her arms folded tight across her chest and her face a stony mask. She was cutting Neil a hard look.