The Foxhole Court

Chapter 12

When Neil's alarm went off at one the following morning, it took a minute of groggy staring before he remembered why he was getting up. He stuffed his alarm clock under his pillow, wished Kevin and Wymack both an early death, and dragged himself to the edge of his bed. Matt's alarm sounded when Neil was halfway down the ladder. 

Seth grumbled something rude across the room when Matt didn't immediately turn it off. Matt's pillow muffled whatever he said in response but his tone was unfriendly.

Neil stopped at the bottom of the ladder to scrub sleep out of his eyes. Matt finally found his alarm and silenced it. Seth huffed, noisily rolled over, and started snoring again right away. Matt glowered blearily across the room at him before looking at Neil.

Matt looked as miserable as Neil felt. Wymack warned them last night they'd have an early start today, but there was no way the Foxes could start the season without a small party. Andrew's group predictably sat out of it, but Neil and his roommates had ended up hanging out in the girls' room. 

The upperclassmen put away most of a bottle of vodka even without Neil and Renee helping them. At the time they all thought it would be worth it. After getting less than an hour of sleep, Neil wasn't so sure.

Someone pounded on their suite door. Neil went down the hall to answer it. The hall light was brighter than Neil expected. Neil rubbed his eyes again, both to get the spots out of them and so he wouldn't have to look at Wymack. It should be impossible for Wymack to look so awake at this hour, but there he was looking completely refreshed.

"Stop yawning and get moving," Wymack said, clapping his hands in Neil's face. "We're on a schedule. I want everyone on the bus in five."

Neil shut the door in his face and went to get dressed.

He was still dead tired when he left his room a minute later, but his mind was waking up to survival mode. Renee gave him a tired smile and half-wave in greeting. Dan stumbled over to Matt, looped her arms around his neck, and fell asleep against him almost immediately. Andrew's group was the last to show. Neil took one look at the wrist braces Kevin was wearing and instantly felt more awake.

Wymack pointed at Kevin. "How the hell did they wake you up?"

"They didn't let me sleep." Kevin sent Andrew a sour look, but Andrew ignored him.

"Smart," Wymack said, and waved them toward the stairs. "Let's go."

Abby was out back by the team bus. It was Neil's first time seeing the bus, since it was usually locked in a gated compound to prevent vandalism. It was painted to match the stadium, orange trim and paw prints against a white background. On the inside, instead of the traditional two rows, the bus had only one. The cushions were big enough to comfortably seat two athletes or let one curl up and nap. In his tired state Neil thought it was the greatest bus ever invented.

Andrew led his group all the way to the back. Abby took the first row. Matt and Dan went in behind her, and Renee sat alone behind them. Neil left an empty row between Renee and himself. He leaned against the window and stared at the seatback ahead of him as Wymack got settled in the driver's seat. He heard the engine cut on, saw the dorm disappear in his peripheral vision, and then tilted over to sprawl on the cushion. He was asleep before they reached the highway.

It was almost six when they reached Raleigh, North Carolina. Wymack stopped at the next fast food joint he passed. Abby and Renee went inside to buy the team's breakfast and coffee. As soon as they left, Wymack stood in the aisle to face his team.

"All right," he said, then promptly forgot what he was saying when he got a good look at the back of the bus. "Damn it all to hell. Hemmick! You were supposed to wake them up ten miles ago."