FenceStriking Distance - Sarah Rees Brennan Page 0,1

himself at Kings Row, any more than Kings Row knew how to handle his awful haircut and worse style. However, brawny Eugene was congenitally enthusiastic, and Aiden doubted Seiji Katayama had ever been late for anything. Seiji, their baby fencing genius, took life far too seriously.

Aiden shrugged. The important member of the team was here with him.

Unquestionably, Harvard was Aiden’s favorite. Even if he did insist on dragging Aiden away from his life of careless playboy ease. Aiden tried to be very dedicated to his life of careless playboy ease.

When Aiden gave Harvard an approving glance for being the best captain, Harvard avoided his eyes. Aiden had known Harvard since they were five. Harvard was marvelous in many ways, but he was not skilled at deception.

“What’s going on, Coach?” Aiden asked with sudden dark suspicion.

“Aiden, Aiden, Aiden,” said Coach. “Can I direct your attention to this? All will be explained, in the fullness of time.”

She was pointing to her bulletin board, which included a list of phrases such as What’s going on, Coach? Anyone who said, or made reference to, any of the bulletin-board phrases had to do two hundred suicides. In their gym, Coach had a whole wall crowded with things people weren’t allowed to say to her. One was Aiden dumped me. It made Aiden very proud.

“I already talked to the rest of the team this morning,” said Coach Williams.

“Before class?” Aiden wrinkled his nose. “You made the poor little freshmen get up at some barbaric hour?”

“Seiji gets up at four every morning for fencing practice.”

Even their coach seemed slightly horrified to report this.

“Seiji’s life is so tragic,” said Aiden. “I hope I never catch work ethic from him.”

Harvard smacked Aiden affectionately on the back of the head.

“Wow, I wish you could. We’re listening, Coach!”

Outside the picture window set high in the wall was a late September afternoon, even the trees golden with promise. The idea of Aiden’s evening shone before him, all starlight and making out. Aiden didn’t know why Harvard insisted on blighting Aiden’s life by being a team player.

Coach raised an eyebrow at Harvard. “And why are you cluttering up my office and interrupting my writing to my sister to see if Bruno has stopped eating plants?”

“Is that a pet?” asked Harvard with real interest.

“You’d think,” said Coach. “Actually, Bruno is my nephew. My sister’s dog, Antoinette, started munching on the geraniums, then the baby started copying her. Any other questions?”

There was the obvious question: Why would anyone name a dog Antoinette and a kid Bruno?

“Can I see a picture of your nephew?” asked Harvard.

Coach, won over by Harvard’s dangerous sincerity, softened and showed Harvard a picture on her phone. Harvard got out of his chair to take the phone and coo over the kid.

“Aw, Coach, he’s so cute and little!”

Aiden sneaked a glance over at Harvard’s glowing face, and then smiled to himself. Harvard really got a kick out of kids. He also secretly collected videos of kittens and puppies being friends.

Suddenly, Coach slammed her hand down on the desk. Harvard laid Coach’s phone down discreetly beside it.

“The reason I wanted to talk to the whole team in turn was to say you all have to do better,” said Coach. “You hardly ever practice, Aiden. Nicholas choked during tryouts. Eugene choked against MLC. Seiji choked in his tryout against you.”

Aiden snickered.

“I know I should do better,” murmured Harvard. “I’ve been letting everyone down as captain.”

Aiden stopped snickering and lifted his eyes to heaven. There was another picture of a saber taped to the ceiling.

“No, you haven’t!” Aiden snapped. “You’re an angel of a captain, and everyone is thrilled you’re here.”

“I do have a bone to pick with you, Captain. But stop lurking and go,” said Coach. “I will speak with you in private later. For now, leave Aiden to me.”

Harvard winced and nodded. Aiden sat bolt upright.

“Why would Harvard leave me?”

He found Coach’s smile frankly sinister. “I asked him to bring you because I want to talk to you alone.”

“It would be wrong to bring me to this place and desert me,” said Aiden, but Harvard was already making for the door. He cast an apologetic look over his shoulder at Aiden as he went, but Aiden was not appeased. “You’re betraying me like this? I can’t believe it. I thought you loved me!”

“I do love you, buddy,” said Harvard. “But I am betraying you, yeah. Coach’s orders. Captain’s gotta do what a captain’s gotta do.”

He waved goodbye and gave Aiden a mischievous grin.