The four young adults walked out on the court. Neil, Kevin, Dan and Andrew all stood silently all the way in the back, waiting for coach Wymack. As minutes passed by, Allison, Nicky, Matt, Aaron and Renee decided to show up.
More minutes passed before a door opens violently to their left, making the waiting youngsters turn their heads towards the sound. In the distance they heard someone yell, and Wymack walked out the door and looked around. Dan waved a bit to make him notice them, and he did.
"Alright you troublemakers. I have news" Wymack said as he walked with a bunch of papers in his hands. "We have to find next year's lineup. Neil, Kevin, i want you two to look at these and tell me if they fit in or not" Wymack split the papers for both of them to look at.
"Coach why did you make us come down here before practice? You cherish the hours without us" said Dan as she looked at some of the papers in Kevin's hands.
The coach clasp his hands together, getting the attention to all of the players. "Yes right. I don't really want to tell you but someone wants me to suffer" Wymack grumbled lightly and cleared his throat. "Right, so I know that we all are mourning Seth still, but it's been a while now, and-"
"Don't tell me you are going to put another misfit into this already horrible team. And especially not in Seth's spot" interrupted Andrew with his hoarse voice. The entire team stood there in silence. That's the first thing Andrew have said since he was released. Neil raised an eyebrow and balanced his weight on his right leg.
"You can't possibly mean that you think we're done mourning Seth" Allison shook slightly as she spoke. Wymack sighed as he rubbed his face. "I know it might be too soon to some of you, but we can't keep playing like this, we need more players. And i believe we have a great candidate. Neil, paper four, take a look." Wymack pointed at Neil's handful of papers. Neil raised a eyebrow and fliped over some papers.
"Alexandra Flores, now Léo Flores. Male, 17, Seville, Spain. Striker. Exy Champion in Junior Class. Earlier played as a Backliner, moved up to a Striker after his teammate died" Neil read out loud for the rest of the team. Allison were pissed about the whole ordeal and ran off with Nicky running after. Neil looked up at the remaining team members.
"Backstory?" asked Aaron with interest, now turning his attention towards the coach. Wymack crossed his hands. "Well, shortly said, years and years with drug abuse and abusive parents. He's fucked up in the head. Very easily irritated, kinda physical... not much more to say unless he comes onto the team." Wymack responded with ease. Andrew had a small smirk onto his face as he nodded slightly. Dan sighed. "Let's bring him in for an interview. Is he able to come here soon?" She asked as she grabbed the papers from Neil.
"He's already here. He will be participating on practice. We discuss further from there. Now go kids! Go and learn useless stuff" Wymack shooed everyone out towards the exit.
Allison and Nicky were outside waiting for the team. "Now? Is this Léo person worthy in our fucked up team?" Aaron asked too lightheartedly. Allison almost went to choke Aaron, but Nicky stopped her. "Give him a chance. Just like we did to Neil." Nicky said with a low hum. Dan were texting on her phone. "Okay, interview at 4. Guys be nice to him" said Dan with a warning in her voice as she walked off with Renee and Allison with her. The boys stood there, silently.
"Are we going to ignore the fact that Andrew actually spoke?" said Matt silently. Andrew shrugged and crossed his arms. "Let's just ignore it for now" said Kevin as he walked away. Neil watched as the team split up in walking each their way, all except for Andrew and Neil. They stood there silently, listening to the breeze and watching their breathes as it showed in the cold.
"Let's go back to bed, I'm tired" said Andrew and grabbed onto Neil's wrist as he dragged him towards the fox tower. Neil struggled to keep all the papers in place, but managed to bring them all into the elevator. "Andrew, we need to talk-"
"Shut up. Not right now" interrupted Andrew as the elevator 'plinged' to a stop. Both boys slowly made their way towards their room. They heard the girls were talking in their room as they walked past it. Reaching the door to Neil and Andrew's room, Andrew kicked it open and walked in with Neil coming right after, closing the door carefully. He watched as Andrew kicked off his sneakers and went straight for the bedroom. Neil sighed and put the papers ontop of a chair, taking off his shoes, following Andrew into the room.
As he entered he saw Andrew stripping off his t-shirt, showing off his pale back and now a more messy hairdo. Neil swallowed hard as he entered the room, closing the door silently. Andrew glanced back at him as he took off his wristbands. "Andrew. We have to talk. I don't want this to be a one way communication relationship." Neil said in a stern voice as he crossed his arms. Andrew raised an eyebrow as his hazel eyes looked Neil up and down. "Is there something to talk about?" Andrew rasped. Neil clenched his jaw "You talked for the first time to the team? You participated in a conversation? What the fuck did they do to the Andrew i know?" he said with a clear irritation in his voice. "You ignore me for days, then to suddenly show affection? What the fuck Andrew?"
The silence that filled the room after Neil finished his sentence was heavy. You could feel the tension, it was so thick. Both boys stared eachother down, as the entire room was silent, except fir the humming if the air system. "The Andrew you knew were high on medication. Irritated on the world. I quit those meds earlier than planned. I went through withdrawals for weeks and weeks on end. And you dare to raise your voice and question me?" Andrew sounded so pissed while he spoke it sent chills down Neil's spine. "I haven't spoken to anyone since I came back because if I were to open my mouth and talk the same way i used to, i just know people wouldn't take me seriously" he slowly spoke.
Neil's eyes widen, as another great pause of silence snuck in on the two boys. Andrew clenched his fist and went to the window, grabbing a cigarette as he walked towards it. He opened it with a loud squeak. "Andrew, i'm sorry. It's just been bugging me for a while. I thought we might have started to open up to eachother" Neil whispered lowly. Andrew lit his cigarette and blew the smoke out the window. "I might open up someday, Neil. The day I'm ready for it myself" said Andrew as he took another drag of his cigarette. "I hope so" said Neil with a sigh.
—
Practice came around, and the foxes were exhausted by the end of it, they trained without their Captain. No sign to this Léo anywhere on the field. The foxes made their way up towards the office area of the court. Neil glanced towards Wymack's office, where there was a low hum of two voices talking together. Dan were standing outside the office with an unreadable expression.
"Hey, Dan, how is the interview going?" Matt asked ans smiled gently. "They have been arguing for about twenty minutes now" Dan said with her mouth being a thin line. "Coach wasn't lying when it came to his temper"
The foxes sat down together and waited. The interview lasted about twenty more minutes, before the door was opened and Wymack came out alone.
"Okay listen up foxes. We have a new fox. But he does not want to meet you all at once. Therefore, i assign him to share the room in fox tower with Neil and Andrew."
The two boys looked up when their names were mentioned. "Léo is living with them?" Nicky asked with a small laugh in his voice "well this will be fun"
Wymack shook his head. "The rest of you is dismissed. Neil, Andrew, you stay."
The boys stood up and followed Wymack into the office.
In the chair most of the Foxes have sit when meeting with Coach for the first time sat a short boy. His black hair was curly and styled just perfect and black as the colour of the night, his skin was pale, but not as pale as Andrew, his lilac eyes looked pissed off where he sat and stared into the wall with Betsy standing in the corner reading through some papers.
He was extremely thin, but muscular, both hands were covered with bandages, and a tattoo resting on his neck, just where you can't see it. Neil wondered why he had a tattoo at that young age. "Léo Flores, meet your new roommates, Neil Josten and Andrew Minyard." Wymack announced to the short boy in the chair. Léo sighed and got up. "Hey" he said shortly as his eyes met Neil's. They stares each other down, while Andrew looked him up and down.
"Okay kids! Go and get settled down, we meet again in two days for practice. Léo, you will meet with Kevin tomorrow to go out and buy equipment. Ask ur roomies for his number, now go!" Wymack shooed the boys out of his office to talk with Betsy.
"So you are our new striker number 11" Andrew said with a small smile, a devious smile.
—
YOU ARE READING
Damaged: a Andreil Story
Fiksi Penggemar[COMPLETED BOOK 1] BOOK TWO: SUNSET LOVERS Palmetto State Foxes were at their high in the Championships. They've won every game since Evermore, but it's taking a toll on the foxes. Half of the team is exhausted, one isn't speaking. Andrew Minyard ha...
