FenceStriking Distance - Sarah Rees Brennan Page 0,57

“Having peace of mind sounds fun. I wish I had some.”

“Uh, Seiji,” said Nicholas. “I think you’re overlooking one important thing.”

Seiji blinked interrogatively.

“If Eugene and I go to the fair together, then we will be rocking at teamwork, as usual”—Nicholas accepted another Eugene fist bump, this one actually intended for him—“and you will suck at it. As usual!”

“Is that so?” Seiji asked, his voice extraordinarily calm.

Eugene made a faint protesting sound.

It seemed as though there was something going on here that Nicholas didn’t understand. Nicholas felt grievously injured. He’d become Seiji’s friend first, but here Seiji was having secrets with Eugene.

On the other hand, Seiji didn’t train with Eugene, so that was sort of like Nicholas having a secret with Seiji. And going to the fair with Eugene would be fun, though obviously it would be better if Seiji were there, too.

“Fine, Eugene and I will go to the fair without you.”

“Enjoy yourselves,” said Seiji. He seemed in a weirdly good mood.

“What’re you doing, Seiji?” Eugene was speaking from the corner of his mouth.

“I haven’t done anything,” said Seiji blandly.

“What are you going to do?” Eugene asked in an unnecessarily loud voice. Nicholas wasn’t fussy about indoor voices like Aiden, but there were limits. Seiji obviously wouldn’t do anything bad. “I’m starting to get that intense feeling of disquiet again, bro! Bros don’t let other bros fret. Tell me what… Okay, everybody shut up right now.”

Seiji frowned, his particular frown of being imperiously disappointed that the world was failing him by making no sense.

“Do you wish for me to tell you something, or do you wish for me to shut up? Your requests strike me as contradictory.”

“Shut up!” Eugene hissed. “Some truly momentous gossip is unfolding right before our eyes!”

Nicholas knew Eugene enjoyed gossip. He looked around with interest to see what had caught his attention but saw only boys rioting excitedly over the fair to come.

Then he noticed the captain was here. Nicholas brightened. Harvard and Aiden were walking down the hall together, as they often did, but today they were holding hands.

One of Aiden’s fans stopped beside Eugene and clutched his arm. “Is it happening, do you think?” the Bon whispered. “Is it finally happening?”

“I don’t know, bro, but I think so, bro!”

Eugene over-bro’ed when he was excited.

Nicholas liked to see the Bons’ enthusiasm for fencing but found the specific target of their enthusiasm mysterious.

Aiden wasn’t that good a fencer. Why not support Seiji or the captain instead?

Someone gave a piercing whistle as Aiden and Harvard passed by. “Hello, gorgeous! What are you doing later?”

Aiden glanced around without much interest, accepting whistles as his due. Harvard was the one who actually responded to the whistle. His face clouded and he stepped back immediately, moving as though by instinct. His hand fell away from Aiden’s grasp.

Then a new idea seemed to strike their captain.

He stepped forward with a purposeful air, linked his fingers with Aiden’s, and tugged Aiden to his side. Aiden went easily, leaning close.

Eugene and the Bon made sounds like steaming kettles. Nicholas exchanged a questioning look with Seiji to see if he understood what was happening. Seiji gave him a tiny shake of the head.

Aiden was ignoring the crowd in the way Aiden did, taking for granted that he was being watched. All his attention seemed focused on Harvard.

Enlightenment descended upon Nicholas. “Oh, are Aiden and Harvard dating now?”

Harvard glanced again at Aiden, who nodded. Then Harvard nodded, too.

While light had only just dawned for Nicholas, Eugene’s eyes were glowing with unholy joy. “I must tell everyone!”

“Wait,” said Nicholas. “What about that Neil guy?”

Aiden’s green eyes narrowed. “Neil’s out,” he reported.

“Like, taken out?” Nicholas muttered.

Aiden proceeded: “Harvard made the excellent decision to upgrade blah, blah, blee, bloo…”

Aiden’s mouth kept moving, but Nicholas had not bought tickets to the Aiden Kane Is So Great Show. He refused to hear.

Harvard was nodding along indulgently. This kind of heroic patience was why Harvard was the captain, Nicholas supposed.

They wandered off toward the open doors, hand in hand, still smiling. The Bon was texting frantically. Nicholas caught a glimpse of many exclamation points and capital letters on the Bon’s screen.

“That’s good that Aiden and Harvard are dating,” Seiji decided.

Everyone exchanged surprised glances that Seiji had an opinion on this matter.

“If the captain is determined to date, and it seems he is, then he should choose someone who has at least some interest in fencing. My parents are a very devoted couple,” Seiji explained.

“Are they?” Nicholas felt unexpectedly touched. Seiji’s parents