Aftg react

Part58

Foxes react: chapter11

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Neil tried for something neutral, but the interviewer took a good-natured jab at his newfound discretion.
"The last time I said something no one wanted to hear, my school got vandalized," Neil said. "I was trying to prevent collateral damage this time. But you know what? You're right. I can't afford to be quiet. Silence means I condone their behavior, and that's a dangerous illusion. I'm not going to forgive or tolerate them just because they're talented and popular. Let me answer that question again, okay?
"Yes," Neil said. "I am a thousand percent sure we are going to face the Ravens in finals this spring, and I know for a fact we are going to win this time. And when the nation's best loses to a nine-man 'know- nothing' team—when they lose to a team their own coach likened to feral dogs—Edgar Allan is going to have to change things up. Personally I think they should start by demanding Coach Moriyama's resignation."
The noise Kevin made wasn't human.

It was quiet but it didn't last long Kevin made the same sound that came from the screen and looked worse then ever before but the others on the other hand were smiling and laughing even Andrew had a tiny smirk on.
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Andrew stole a beer from the fridge and worked the tab back and
forth. Neil watched him for a moment before looking across the room at his desk. He was annoyed with Kevin for canceling practice, but he knew a free evening was a lucky break. He had a math test next week and a paper due tomorrow that he hadn't started yet. Midterms weren't far away and Neil's grades were straddling their usual shaky line. This was the perfect night to play catch-up.
A metal tab bounced off his cheek.

Andrew was ignoring and sending threats at the same time at everyone that was sending him amused faces because there is no way in hell Andrew was going to say anything about what his future self was doing, it was not even him ok? even if he knows that he would most definitely do it again but no one has to know about it and fuck Neil for not understanding anything and needing everything spelled out for him!
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Andrew wasn't looking, but maybe he felt the weight of Neil's stare, because after a couple minutes he said, "Problem?"
"No," Neil said, but even he heard the lie in it. "Andrew? Last summer you made me a promise. I'm asking you to break it."
"No," Andrew said without hesitation.
"You said you'd stick with me if I kept Kevin south, but Kevin doesn't need me anymore. He chose us over the Ravens because as a whole we're finally worth his time. There's nothing else I can give you in exchange for your protection."
"I will think of something."
"I don't want you to," Neil said. "I need you to let me go."
"Give me one good reason," Andrew said.
"If I'm hiding behind you I'm still running," Neil said. "I don't want
to end the year like this. I want to stand on my own two feet. Let me do that. None of this means anything if I don't."
Andrew stared at him in silence. Neil didn't know if he was weighing the truth of Neil's words or silently rejecting them. He wanted to push Andrew for a solid answer but knew it'd backfire. Andrew took his promises and his word too seriously. Convincing him to renege was going to take more than one attempt and if Neil pushed too hard Andrew would know something was wrong. Neil closed his eyes and scrunched deeper in the beanbag chair. He hoped Andrew would read it as his willingness to wait for a decision.

They understood what he meant by him not wanting to be stuck behind his back but they didn't understand what he meant by Andrew knowing something was wrong it was confusing and Andrew looked annoyed most likely because Neil was asking to break a promise and was hiding something at the same time.
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"I couldn't live there again. I couldn't retrace my steps to any of those places."
"How many is 'any'?"
"Twenty-two cities," Neil said, but didn't say he'd spread them across sixteen countries. Andrew still thought Neil had hit the road alone all those years ago. A child couldn't go back and forth across the world without help. "Longest stay was that year in Millport. Shortest was one week with my uncle."
"Am I supposed to believe he's real?" Andrew asked. "You told Nicky you would see him over Christmas. You lied."
"Uncle Stuart is real," Neil said. "He was the first person I went to when I ran away, but he's a gangster, too. I didn't feel any safer with him than I did at home so I left again. I still have his number, but I've never been desperate enough to call him. I don't know what his help would cost me."

This triggered some of their interest, Neil never talked badly about his uncle except the often reminder that he was a gangster and was from London, he never said anything else and it made them curious.
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"So California and South Carolina. You've really never been anywhere else except when traveling for a game?" Andrew only shrugged in dismissal. Neil thought it over for a bit, then said, "Spring break's coming up. We could go someplace."
"Go someplace," Andrew echoed, like it was a foreign concept. "Where and why?"
"Anywhere," Neil said, and amended, "Anywhere at least three hours from campus. There's no point in going someplace closer than that. It won't feel like a vacation. The only trick is figuring out how to pry Kevin away from the court."
"I have knives," Andrew reminded him. "That doesn't answer the 'why'."
Neil couldn't explain where the idea had come from, so he said, "Why not? I've never traveled just for the sake of it, either. I want to know what it's like."
"You have a problem," Andrew said, "wherein you only invest your time and energy into worthless pursuits."

This had peak Andrew's interest and all of the others's too "well it's decided on spring break we are going on a vacation" said Alison it was no question just a statement, Andrew's sigh was not heard from all the agreements from the others and the annoyed sound of Aaron all expect Renee who just smiled an innocent smile towards him who glared back at her.
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"This," Neil flicked his finger to indicate the two of them, "isn't worthless."
"There is no 'this'. This is nothing."
"And I am nothing," Neil prompted. When Andrew gestured confirmation, Neil said, "And as you've always said, you want nothing."
Andrew stared stone-faced back at him. Neil would have assumed it a silent rejection of Neil's veiled accusation if Andrew's hand hadn't frozen midair between them. Neil took the bottle from Andrew's other hand and set it off to one side where they couldn't knock it over.
"That's a first," Neil said. "Do I get a prize for shutting you up?"
"A quick death," Andrew said. "I've already decided where to hide your body."
"Six feet under?" Neil guessed.
"Stop talking," Andrew said, and kissed him.

Even with the clear death threat everyone could say that it was one of the sweetest things they have seen except Andrew who would say that that was the dumbest thing he has ever heard.
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Kevin started to say something Neil knew would be negative and dismissing. Neil reached behind Andrew and popped Kevin in the back of the head to shut him up. Matt choked on a laugh and tried unsuccessfully to pass it off as a cough. Kevin froze for a startled second, then sent Neil a scathing look.
"No one wants to hear that right now," Neil said.
"If you hit me again," Kevin started.
Andrew cut in with a casual, "You'll what?"
Kevin shut up but didn't look happy about it.

Like Matt they were laughing "damm Kevin your bodyguard has chosen favourites" said Alison with a laugh witch Kevin didn't look happy about and Andrew just shrugged, he was more interested in where this was all going then to point out the obvious.