"I'm not asking you to be their friend," Neil said. "I'm asking you to give an inch."

"Give them an inch and they'll take a mile," Aaron said.

"You really think they're strong enough to take a mile from Andrew? You think he'd let them?" Neil shook his head when Aaron started to argue again. "Kevin told Riko we'd see them again at semifinals. I'd like us to get our act together before that rematch, wouldn't you? We can't do that until we respect and understand each other. We might as well start now, with this."

"I doubt they'd agree even if we invited them," Nicky said. "We kind of burned that bridge last year."

"You mean Matt," Neil said, looking between the three. Nicky's gaze shied away, so Neil looked at Andrew again. "Abby mentioned it my first night here. She didn't want you doing to me what you did to him. When Coach was yelling at you afterward, you said it was different. So what happened with Matt?"

"Ask him," Andrew said.

"I'm asking you."
"I'd rather hear how he tells it," Andrew said. He slung a striped inmate's outfit over one shoulder and detoured past Neil on his way to the front of the store. When Neil started to argue, Andrew hooked a finger under his chin and forced his mouth closed again with an easy jerk of his hand. "Ask him, and then tell the busybodies to come along if they dare."

Nicky's jaw dropped. "Wait, are you serious?"

Andrew's smile was wide and pitying. He continued like he hadn't heard Nicky. "It won't make a difference in the long run, but find that one out for yourself."

Nicky and Aaron exchanged a baffled look as Andrew left. Nicky tilted his head in silent question, as if making sure he hadn't imagined that. Aaron only shook his head. Nicky rubbed the back of his neck, looked after Andrew one more time, and went back to his search. Neil didn't know what to make of Andrew's easy agreement either, but he wasn't going to question it.

The others found their costumes long before Neil chose anything for himself. It didn't take Nicky long to realize Neil was stalling. He batted Neil's hands away from the rack with a heavy sigh.

"Never mind. I'll find something for you."

"I'll dress up as a college student," Neil said.

"No," Nicky said, and pushed a couple hangers around. "You're going to be a zombie cowboy."

"You're making that up."

"Shhhh." Nicky pulled a costume off the rack and draped it over one arm. "You are absolutely impossible to put up with sometimes. I might ban you from shopping with us ever again."

"I tried banning myself last time," Neil said. "It obviously didn't work."