It was the perfect opening, but Neil couldn't take it. If he did, he really would go, and he wouldn't come back. Running wasn't easy, but it was easier than trusting Andrew. But Neil remembered the weight of a key in his palm, its metal soaked through with another person's body heat. He remembered Andrew's promise to see this year through with him.

"No," Neil said, finally finding his voice. "I knew this was going to happen. I just wasn't ready for it. I'm fine."

"What can I do?" Wymack asked.

Neil looked up. The tired look on Wymack's face said Neil's surprise was a little too blatant. For a split second Neil felt guilty, though he wasn't entirely sure why. He crushed it as fast as he could. He had too much else to worry about right now and was feeling too much already to deal with a strange thing like guilt.

"I don't know," Neil said.

"When you know, tell me."

"Yes, Coach."

The arrival of another team helped distract them. Kevin returned a while later, looking worlds better with an ungodly amount of vodka in his system. When all fourteen teams were accounted for, Blackwell's coach gave a short speech about the season. Event staff rolled food out, and the teams ate to the sound of scattered laughter. Away from the pressures of game night it was easier for them to behave. They just needed to avoid bringing up rivalries and tensions.

Thirteen of the coaches had taken the Foxes' original seats with the Ravens. The Foxes were stuck socializing with the other half. It was easier than Neil expected it to be. The coaches were professionals and therefore more reserved in their personal opinions. Dan and Kevin carried most of the conversation, Dan with an infectious enthusiasm and Kevin with drunken good nature. Neil was glad for that, as he didn't want to talk to anyone, but now and then a coach directed a question down the table toward him.

After dinner a crew cleared the court. The table legs were collapsible, so the tables were piled three high along one of the court walls. They stacked chairs until the weight of them threatened to topple them over. With the middle of the court cleared out there was room to set up a couple icebreakers. Neil twitched as he watched them erect a temporary volleyball net where only Exy should be played. No one else seemed to have a problem with it; teams fell apart and mingled as they found something new to do. Further down, a stereo system started blasting what passed as popular music these days, and half of the court became an impromptu dance floor.

"Go forth," Wymack told his Foxes. "Have fun. Or don't. I don't care. Just no more fighting, you got me?"