The Raven King (All for the Game, #2)

by Nora Sakavic

It was no secret everyone in Andrew's four-man group hated Seth, but Aaron and Nicky were still human enough to be rattled by his sudden death.

Kevin looked at him like he was stupid.

thats my son

Wymack didn't care if he had nine Foxes or twenty-five. He'd stand behind them until the bitter, bloody end.

best dad in the universe tbh

"Last I checked Andrew didn't like you," Wymack said. "He still doesn't," Neil said, but he didn't bother to explain. "Interesting." Wymack eyed Neil a moment longer before turning on the upperclassmen.

wow neil the genius wow

"Hear that, Kevin?" Matt said. "Your sub said you're incompetent." "His opinion doesn't matter to me," Kevin said.

the entirety of 19th century russian literature does not compare to the dramatics of this whole exchange

As brutal as Kevin could be toward the rest of the team, he was hardest on himself.

#neverforget #lovekevinday #thisboydeservedbetter

"Andrew Joseph Minyard, what the flying fuck have you done this time?"

i fuvking loblve this so mucj youi dont understand

"What seems to be the problem, Officer… Higgins, you said?" "Oh," Andrew said, startled. "No, Coach."

this shit hurted bro. this shit right there is the first fucjing tkme my hurt Hurts for andrew

"I think I'm coming down with something. Cough, cough. Best I leave before I infect your team. There's so few of them left. You can't stand to lose anyone else."

what a savage burn you gotta admit

Neil wondered if he would disappear so easily.

oh honey dont-

But when summer practices started, ninety percent of conflict on the court began with Seth. Seth was always ready for a fight with Kevin and the cousins. He wouldn't work with them on the court and refused to deal with them off it. It constantly forced the Foxes to take sides.

"Don't go so deep you forget about us, okay? Put one foot in their hole and keep the other up here with us. You've got to be the piece that finally brings this team together. We can't make it to championships without them. Promise me you'll try."

i just gotta say i find this endearing, for some reason. dan is the mom and i love her yes

"Why is chemistry so awful?" Neil asked, reaching for the next assignment.

for real

"Don't thank us, remember us," Dan said. "We're your teammates. We're here to help you with whatever you need, whether it's this or games or general stress. We've all got different experiences, but we're used to needing help. We're just not used to getting it. But you've got us now."

see....the mom

Neil didn't know how to respond. He wasn't sure what bothered him more: that he believed she meant it, or that he could never take her up on that offer regardless. The Foxes couldn't deal with his demons. The only one Neil quasi-trusted with the truth was Andrew, and that was only because he was desperate.

im sobbinnhgg

Neil looked from Renee's smile to her rainbow-streaked hair to the cross necklace hanging around her throat. He didn't understand.

oh this here actually is an accurate description of my thoughts on renee

"I am a born-again, Neil. Andrew is not interested in my faith; he is interested in the person I was before. He and I have more in common than you think. That is why I make you uncomfortable, isn't it?"

...yeah. that

"You make me uncomfortable because you don't make sense. I don't understand you." "You could ask," Renee said. "Is it really that easy?" Neil asked. "I'm not proud of my past, but I can't heal if I hide it.

and this.

Neil wanted to tell them death was no reason to hold back, but he found their humanity interesting. He just hoped they got over it before first serve on Friday night.

jsbsjsjsjshsj i love a sociopath

They were different kinds of heartless and Neil, for all his problems connecting with other people, didn't want to be a monster.

Allison Reynolds was a bewildering choice for Palmetto State.