FenceStriking Distance - Sarah Rees Brennan Page 0,94

than he usually did.

“Before you arrived, we heard Eugene’s tearful confession of his crimes,” said Aiden. “Actually, Coach had to pretend vigorously that she couldn’t hear. You were having some trouble with various Kings Row idiots?”

That almost sounded like concern. But ha ha, who was Nicholas kidding? This was Aiden.

“Whatever,” said Nicholas. “Who cares what idiots say? And they didn’t say anything you haven’t said.”

Aiden nodded, pulling his picnic blanket close under his chin. His green eyes caught firelight, and Nicholas saw the moment his mouth twisted, about to say something nasty Nicholas planned to tune out.

Then Aiden didn’t say it after all.

“It’s possible…,” Aiden conceded, “… that I tend to go somewhat too viciously after other people’s vulnerabilities so that nobody ever has the chance to go after mine.”

“Oh, is that why you talk so much?” Nicholas asked. “Huh.”

“Even cool, rich, devastatingly handsome people have feelings, Nicholas,” drawled Aiden.

“Sorry, who are we talking about again?”

Aiden laughed. Nicholas smirked, kind of pleased with himself for amusing Aiden. After all, Aiden was older and a teammate and everybody else thought Aiden was seriously awesome.

“I know I have made fun of you frequently, for many good reasons, especially your hair,” continued Aiden. “I may have also mentioned your socioeconomic status, which you can’t help but could hide better, by having—just for example—some knowledge of how to dress or even basic—”

“What?” said Nicholas. “Speak up. Enunciate, as Seiji would say. Can’t make out what you’re babbling about.”

“Anyway… sorry,” Aiden told him.

Nicholas caught Aiden’s eye. “That’s okay, Aiden.”

Aiden raised a single brow, because he was annoying and able to do that. It made him look cool and ironic. “Oh, that you heard?”

“Yeah,” said Nicholas. “That, I heard.”

He smiled at Aiden. After a moment, Aiden smiled back.

“Just don’t fall in love with me,” warned Aiden. “I’ll only break your heart.”

“Oh no,” said Nicholas. “It’s gone again… what was that…?”

Aiden snorted and shook his head, sparks dancing in the smoke reflecting gold and red shimmers in the loose strands of his hair. Nicholas could almost see what all the fuss was about.

Not really, though.

Because Nicholas was watching Aiden, he noticed when Aiden cast a single glance through the spark and smoke at Harvard, now sitting with Coach and Eugene across the way.

Then he saw Aiden swallow and look away. A look flitted across Aiden’s face, swiftly gone as the shadow of a night bird on the forest floor. Nevertheless, the sight of it made Nicholas bite his lip.

Had Aiden and Harvard had some kind of fight? Was Aiden acting like a halfway okay person purely because he’d alienated the only one who’d put up with Aiden for so long? Weren’t friends meant to be forever?

Coach’s gaze swept around the entire team assembled around the bonfire. Panic and guilt instantly filled Nicholas’s heart and stopped him from worrying about Aiden. Seiji edged toward Nicholas so they could be in trouble together.

“Hands up, who has completed their essays?” said Coach.

Nicholas made a face at the bonfire. Nobody lifted their hand, so at least they were all failing as a team. That was a bright side!

Nicholas opened his mouth to point this out. Seiji elbowed him heavily in the ribs. There was something about the nudge that made Nicholas believe if he tried to speak, Seiji would shove him right into the bonfire.

Nicholas decided to be tactfully silent.

“I’m about to suggest an amazing bargain to you all,” Coach announced. “If you succeed at this small task, you don’t have to write your essays.”

Aiden stirred as if he were going to protest but decided not to. Nobody had shoved him, so Aiden must be figuring out tact on his own.

“I wish each one of you to nominate the person you believe to be the best teammate. I want you to be strictly honest,” Coach stipulated.

“Harvard,” said Aiden at once, to exactly nobody’s surprise.

Harvard looked up from his intent contemplation of the fire. “Aiden,” he said quietly, and he and Aiden exchanged a smile. It was only a small smile, but somehow it had more warmth than the bonfire.

Nicholas felt comforted by that smile. He was suddenly certain that whatever had gone wrong between them, it could be fixed. That best friends, as Nicholas had hoped, were forever.

After Harvard and Aiden spoke, there was a long silence, in which there was only the crackle of flames and the rustle of leaves in the night wind.

“Seiji. And Eugene,” Nicholas said at last, since it didn’t seem like anyone was going to talk