FenceStriking Distance - Sarah Rees Brennan Page 0,39

is so exciting and romantic!” said Eugene.

“Do you like him a lot?” asked Bobby, starry-eyed.

Seiji had more questions, too. “Could you not find a boyfriend who was interested in fencing? It seems better to have a boyfriend who is interested in fencing.”

“That does seem true,” Nicholas muttered, but then raised his voice and said with loyalty to his captain: “I’m sure your boyfriend’s super nice, though!”

“He is really nice,” Harvard confirmed, sounding shy. “He’s really cool and funny. He likes comics! He loaned me some and said I could give them back to him on Tuesday. When we have our next date. I do like him a lot. So far.”

Tuesday was the day after next. How many dates was Harvard planning to have per week? They would never win the state championship at this rate.

Everyone seemed pleased—except Seiji and Aiden, whose face had darkened further. Seiji was glad to see someone else was worrying about the important things in life, but if Aiden wanted a shot at the state championship, he should practice more himself.

Seiji was about to voice this when Harvard’s phone buzzed with a text. Harvard smiled as though it was an instinct, the others said “Ooh” in a chorus, and Aiden knocked over the burner. The fallen curtain caught on fire. Dante gave Bobby a look that combined pleading and total rage.

“I’m so sorry, everyone!” exclaimed Bobby. “Especially Seiji. Fencing team, you have to leave now.”

Nicholas walked back to their dormitory, bumping shoulders with Seiji companionably in the way nobody else ever did, but he was still much quieter than usual. It was worrying. However, Seiji was able to go to sleep secure in the knowledge that at least he hadn’t been the worst guest at the midnight feast.

12: AIDEN

Harvard liked a boy. His name was Neil. Aiden was sick of hearing the name.

The whole school was talking about it, because Eugene—Aiden might wring his stupid thick neck—was Kings Row’s worst gossip. The Bons cornered Aiden to ask sorrowfully if it was true. Aiden snarled that it was, and the gaggle looked as though they might cry.

“Worse things happen at sea,” said Aiden.

Did they, though? If they went to sea, Neil might fall overboard.

Aiden couldn’t tell the Bons apart. They were all shiny-eyed and brimming over with effervescent admiration, like mini prosecco bottles on legs. Today, apparently, they’d gone flat, with not a golden bubble in sight.

“If you’re happy for your best friend, we’re happy for him!” declared the tallest Bon.

“Who said anything about happiness?” asked Aiden. “Who cares?”

“We always thought that possibly, when you were done being a glamorous playboy…”

The two other Bons elbowed that Bon in the ribs at the same time. The unlucky Bon folded over with a squeak.

“I’ll never be done being a glamorous playboy.” Aiden pronounced this sentence with a laugh and left the Bons shattered in his wake.

One day the sun would die, and Harvard liked a boy. Aiden’s fan club needed to toughen up and accept life was pain.

Worse than hearing the Kings Row kids chatter about this in a low, continuous hum was listening to Harvard talk about Neil. Harvard didn’t talk about him that much, but Aiden wished he would. If Harvard were excessive about it, Aiden would be perfectly justified in complaining. He could roll his eyes and tell Harvard to lay off, and everybody would sympathize with Aiden about his annoying roommate.

As one date turned into two dates and then metamorphosed hideously into plans for a third, Harvard let the name Neil drop more often into conversations. His phone went off all the time, and when it did, he would smile to himself, private and delighted. He mentioned a plan to see a movie, and Aiden knew he wasn’t invited rather than just assuming he was. Neil was going with Harvard instead. From now on, Neil would be Harvard’s first choice.

How was any of this just or right, Aiden wanted to know? This guy Neil didn’t seem like anything special. Why did Neil get Harvard? He’d known Harvard for precisely six days, as opposed to twelve years. He’d been set up on a date with Harvard because their mothers were friends, and that was all. He didn’t know anything about Harvard. He was some random idiot who drew pictures and played a lot of games on his phone, and he’d been chosen by fate?

Only that wasn’t right. Neil hadn’t been chosen by fate, he’d been chosen by Harvard. If Harvard liked this guy, there was nothing