Chapter Twenty Four ~Ohtori~

Warnings: Yaoi, Love, Angst, Fluff, and Lots of Sex. Some kink. You've been warned ;)

Disclaimer: Nope not mine. Still in my dreams. ;)

After practice had ended Taki-san showed Ohtori where everything was and insisted Ohtori use the regulars facilities to shower. Everyone seemed amused by Taki-san taking care of Ohtori. Ohtori kept careful note of the smiles behind hands and the looks the other people gave to each other. The one person Ohtori didn't see was Shishido-san and he looked everywhere for him. Ohtori finished showering first, quickly thanked Taki-san before he could suggest they do something else, and then went to go home. He heard a sound coming from the courts and he knew somehow who it was. Shishido-san. He must have missed practice and not wanted to return after Ohtori passed out so he was working out now. Ohtori went to watch him.

Part of being alone so much Ohtori guessed was that since Takeo had died, Ohtori had taken to talking to him in his head. He knew all Takeo's replies already and it made him feel that Takeo was close still so he kept doing it.Ohtori knew enough to never tell anyone about it though. Ohtori watched Shishido from a ways back so he wouldn't bother him a second time. He's good. He's better than me... The Takeo in his head said and Ohtori agreed. He was good and not only better than Takeo but Ohtori could see even just warming up and hitting against a wall, Shishido-san was very different from Takeo. Takeo played because he loved to play. He liked nothing better than a long drawn out game on a hot summer day with some friends. Shishido-san didn't play like that or for those reasons. He played to win. His every motion and every movement was bent on achieving his one goal of winning. Ohtori knew after watching him practice, in a match Shishido-san would be ruthless. Ohtori was fascinated at how different from Takeo he was. And intrigued.

He was so absorbed with watching that he never heard someone come up and stand next to him. "He's good isn't he?" Taki-san asked quietly as if he too was a little in awe of Shishido-san and did not want to disturb him. Ohtori was startled. Then he turned to him and just nodded. He looked back to watch Shishido-san more. "The bastard." Taki-san said quietly but was smiling as he said it. Ohtori turned to him surprised. "Come on. Let's get you something to eat. You passed out because you haven't eaten today, right?" Ohtori thought about it and was surprised. He really couldn't remember the last time he ate. Not dinner last night, no, maybe around breakfast of yesterday? He wasn't sure. "And when was the last time you slept?" Ohtori went to tell him that he slept last night but before he could Taki-san said, "I mean straight through the night? Not for a while right? Come on, your senpai will take care of you." Ohtori couldn't say no to that but he didn't want to go. He didn't feel sleepy or tired, just a burning need to continue watching Shishido-san destroy invisible enemies on the court where he was practicing alone.

Taki-san took Ohtori to a burger place to eat. After the harder than usual practice and with the company of someone talking with him, Ohtori found to his surprise he was hungry. After they ate, Taki-san asked Ohtori to accompany him back to his room to pick up something. He said he had a sleeping pill he wanted Ohtori to take. Ohtori thanked him but refused. He had no idea if he should with the other pills they were making him take. Taki-san asked Ohtori point blank what else he was taking as if he already knew. He was so matter of fact and so up front that Ohtori blurted out what it was without thinking about it. Taki-san said the pills Ohtori was taking had a side effect of keeping some people awake or in too light a sleep to get any real rest. He assured Ohtori that it would be safe. He said Ohtori looked exhausted and needed to sleep.

Ohtori eventually relented and trusted him because he seemed to know what he was talking about. Taki-san also seemed to care. He went out of his way to help Ohtori and the fact was, Ohtori was really tired. He sometimes still would wake up with nightmares of Takeo needing him and him not being able to get to him while he seized or him somehow being just out of reach screaming for him. He didn't tell any of that to Taki-san.

Taki-san also told Ohtori that another side effect of the pills was nightmares and then hallucinations. It made perfect sense especially after Ohtori saw how the different drugs Takeo had to take had terrible effects on him. Taki-san seemed to know a lot about things like this and told Ohtori that it was a secret from everyone else but Taki-san took similar pills because if he didn't he sometimes got terribly depressed. It was a chemical imbalance he said and on the pills he was fine but when he was off them things went from bad to worse. Ohtori listened and they talked about things while they walked over to Taki-san's place. Taki-san said he and his roommate were having problems and he wanted someone with him so they didn't fight. Then he would go back over to Ohtori's with him and do his homework there if it was all right. Ohtori agreed and was glad he had made a friend.

The suite Taki-san and his roommate lived in was huge.Ohtori couldn't believe there were only three people living in the huge space. They had a small kitchen, a large nice living room, their own bathroom, and Taki-san said two bedrooms, one single and the other bigger room that he shared with his roommate. Taki-san laughed at how impressed Ohtori was and said now that Ohtori had a shot at being a sub-regular and maybe even someday a regular he could live like this too. That all the tennis club regulars and sub-regulars did. What Ohtori wanted to ask Taki-san about, or rather who Ohtori wanted to ask him about was Shishido-san. Ohtori wondered where he lived. Maybe he was the other guy who lived with Taki-san and his roommate Sato-san. Ohtori asked who else lived there and Taki-san said Oshitari-san. Ohtori tried not to look disappointed and find a way to get Taki-san to talk about Shishido-san but he couldn't think of anything.

They went back to Ohtori's and talked a lot. Ohtori felt almost like Taki-san was expecting Ohtori to admit something to him sort of like he did to Ohtori about his depression. Ohtori though had decided before he ever came to Hyoutei that he would not talk about Takeo with anyone. He missed his best friend terribly. He was feeling lost at this big strange new school without his friend by his side, but Ohtori didn't want to be pitied. He didn't have the words to explain to people how close he and Takeo were and how hard losing him was so instead Ohtori decided to say nothing. It didn't seem like anyone at Hyoutei was really reaching out to him or cared anyway. Taki-san was the first person who was really nice and he didn't deserve Ohtori dumping his troubles on him. Even if Ohtori did talk about Takeo and was somehow able to explain things, it wasn't going to bring Takeo back or change anything. Ohtori had promised his parents he would stick it out at Hyoutei through the winter holidays but they seemed forever away.They had told him if he was still unhappy then after the holidays, Ohtori could say he tried his hardest and come home. After how supportive his family had been he refused to let them down. He was trying, it was just so hard.

After a while of talking and doing homework, Ohtori suggested that if Taki-san didn't want to go back to his place because of his fight with his roommate, he was welcome to use the spare bed in Ohtori's room for the night. He warned him though that he had trouble sleeping and nightmares but Taki-san reassured him that if he took this sleeping pill he would sleep well with no dreams through the night. That sounded really, really good. A long deep sleep with no bad dreams. With Taki-san agreeing to stay, Ohtori felt better about taking the pill and took it when his own homework was done. About twenty minutes later Ohtori could no longer keep his eyes open and fell deeply asleep.

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When he woke up,Ohtori was in a completely different place and thought he was still dreaming. His head was pounding with a blinding headache and he felt groggy. He stirred and looked at the bed he was on. It was his sheets. He looked around the room and couldn't make sense of anything. "Hey." Someone said sounding barely awake, "You're up early..." They yawned. Ohtori whipped his head painfully around to see who it was. Taki-san lay in a bed near him. He recognized the room as Taki-san's from last night but had no idea how he had gotten there. Ohtori felt a moment of panic and Taki-san sat up and said, "Ohtori, its okay. Relax. Some big changes happened last night and I'll fill you in now on everything, okay?"

Ohtori felt afraid but nodded. The movement made him wince from his headache. Taki-san said, "Aspirin? You're head feels like it might fall off? Hold on. I'm just going to get you some aspirin and some water and then I'll explain everything, but its all good news, really. Don't worry." Ohtori did not feel like everything was okay. He was still dressed in his pajamas. On the bed was his own comforter and pillow. He wondered what happened and still thought he might be dreaming.

Taki-san returned and said, "Sorry, the first time I took that I woke up too soon too and my head felt like that. I should have only had you take half but you're bigger than I am so I didn't know. It'll go away soon and you'll feel better for having slept. Take this. Its just aspirin." This time Ohtori looked at the bottle. It was just aspirin. He took two and swallowed most of the glass of water. He didn't know he was thirsty until the glass was nearly drained.

Taki-san sat on the bed next to him. "All right, I'm not sure where to start but here goes. Last night, Sato my roommate moved out. He was dropped from the sub-regulars because of an injury. Atobe decided he liked you after yesterday and wanted to make some changes. He wanted you to move in here in Sato's place but well, you were out of it asleep so they had the freshmen move all your stuff over here and Kabaji carry you over. So, I'm your new roommate. Congratulations."

He smiled and said this as if Ohtori should be thrilled. Ohtori was just completely confused. He considered that he still might be dreaming after all. "But...I don't even know you. I just met you yesterday..."

Taki-san waved that away. "Did you know your other roommates that they assigned to you?" Ohtori thought and shook his aching head no. "Well at least we met and like each other. Right?" Ohtori didn't agree. This all just felt wrong and overwhelming. Taki-san said, "Ohtori, if you don't want to be my roommate I guess we can check and see if Shishido will switch rooms and give you his single..." Ohtori looked up at Shishido's name. "Oh, yeah, I didn't get to that part yet." Taki-san looked less than thrilled. "He lives here too. Atobe decided everyone needed to be moved around. Oshitari is living with Gakuto. Sato with Kabaji. Shishido with us. But we won't have to see him much. He has his own bedroom and he pretty much is a loner anyway." Taki-san shrugged. "Oh, and he's your sponsor."

Ohtori was totally confused and...excited. This had to be a dream. Shishido-san from yesterday was living with him now? "My...my sponsor?" Ohtori had no idea what that meant.

"Yeah, your senpai sponsor. Your big brother. For when you're inducted in with all the other sub-regulars. He'll teach you what you need to know but other than that, you won't have to see him. And probably won't see him much. Like I said, he's a loner." Taki-san shrugged, "Ohtori, this is really good. Atobe really likes you and its not like anyone can really argue with Atobe. Really it won't be so bad. I like you too. It will be great. Really. You won't live alone anymore. I'm a good roommate and you'll practice with us and...everyone moved last night and...well, you're in. Very few freshmen ever get in, its an honor...do you understand any of what I'm saying?"

"So...I live here now?" Ohtori said trying to grasp it all. "My things are all here, Shishido-san is my sponsor, and you're my roommate?"

"Yeah, okay?" Taki-san said and spread his hands wide as if waiting for Ohtori to agree. "I can help you unpack now if you'd like? You got up so early we have plenty of time before morning practice? We even have time for breakfast first. You're going to love it here Ohtori. I promise." Taki-san grinned as if still trying to convince Ohtori. Ohtori was convinced the moment he said Shishido-san was their roommate, as long as he wasn't dreaming and his head didn't split open. "Tell you what, we'll try it for a month and if you really hate it, I'll ask Atobe if you can move back to the freshman dorms." Taki-san said.

Ohtori nodded painfully, "Thank you Taki-san."

Ohtori loved animals. He was shy sometimes around people but very good when he was dealing with animals. Ohtori frequently rescued strays. He knew a veterinarian by his house well and helped out sometimes at the local shelter. Takeo hated it, it upset him too much to see the animals hurt or alone but Ohtori loved to help them all. He had even talked his family into foster caring for several abused and neglected cats and dogs over the years. Ohtori was the one who did all the work so his family always agreed and let him foster them when he had time with school, music, and tennis. His cat at home in fact was an abandoned one he had fostered and rescued several years ago. Under Ohtori's care and attention the shy feral beast now was an adoring lap cat. Many times Ohtori thought that if he didn't become a lawyer like his father, or go into music, he might like to become a veterinarian. It would be nice helping animals all day. Because of this love, he had always thought about the people he knew and pictured them in his head as their animal. The one they seemed to be like. Takeo had often laughed about it but later would agree with Ohtori on how right his observations were when he "animalized" people.

Ohtori had always thought Takeo was a dog in the way he saw life and responded to each new thing with excitement and anticipation as if each new day and adventure was the best thing yet. Takeo was loyal and loving and often very silly like a dog. Also like a dog, Takeo had a need to have everyone like him and would go out of his way to make someone laugh just to get them to think he was funny.

Ohtori thought when Atobe-san came to watch him play that Atobe-san certainly was a lion. The king of the beasts. As they unpacked Ohtori was again reminded of what animal Taki-san was. He at first thought he was a cat but now he realized that he really was a fox. Ohtori had seen several rescued over the years when someone would try to adopt them as pets. They were not good as pets but were beautiful animals although they could be shy and dangerous especially if they felt threatened. They had fierce survival instincts and Ohtori always thought them a cross between a dog and a cat. He watched Taki-san make jokes and saw his delicate movements as he helped. He was still trying to win Ohtori over and Ohtori had a sudden sense that perhaps Taki-san might like him as a little more than a friend. Ohtori didn't think he was ready for dealing with any of that yet so he decided to watch the situation.

Ohtori really hadn't figured out what exactly it was he wanted or would do. While he was best friends and so close with Takeo, Ohtori had developed crushes on two different girls over the years. In time, he felt he had to tell Takeo although he was nervous both times he told him. Both times, Takeo became incredibly jealous and basically demanded that Ohtori choose the girl or him even though nothing had happened. He had to choose. Ohtori had never even confessed to the girls that he liked them. There was really no choice for him to decide on because he never wanted to lose Takeo but it had really bothered Ohtori. Especially when later the one girl he had really liked started dating another guy they played tennis with. Awhile later at a party, another girl Ohtori thought was pretty had kissed Ohtori and Takeo left and locked himself in his room crying for hours while Ohtori pounded on his door until he finally let him in. Takeo only let him in because Ohtori kept reminding him over and over again that she kissed Ohtori, not the other way around. Yet, as Takeo cried and kissed him and forgave him, Ohtori wondered at how the girl had kissed him. He felt bad but he had liked it.

Ohtori was grateful for Takeo yes, but he often had wondered before Takeo was sick that maybe if they went to different schools or if maybe they didn't spend all their time together if they each wouldn't maybe have been a little happier. Ohtori had always had a sense of something missing. He never felt for Takeo like he had for the girls he had crushes on but apparently Takeo felt that way about him. Ohtori would meet a new girl and wonder what kissing her was like and sometimes he fantasized about it in his head. Sometimes he would meet a beautiful guy and wonder the same thing. Takeo though never did and Ohtori could never tell him. One day before Takeo was sick even they saw a movie and the leading man said to the leading lady, "I love you but I'm not in love with you."

Ohtori found himself nodding in agreement. That was it. That was it exactly.

Takeo had turned to him and said, "What a crap line! Bet she hits him!" The leading lady did hit the guy in the movie, but Ohtori never forgot that phrase because there was a difference. A big difference. It had worried Ohtori that as they got older and as he maybe tried to grow a little apart that Takeo would never let him. Ohtori loved him but he never felt weak from kissing him. He never felt passionate about being with him. It was always Ohtori who said they should wait longer until they had sex or even did other things. He never wanted to hold Takeo's hand or thought about sexy things involving him. But then Takeo got sick and after that, nothing else mattered anymore.

Ohtori then always held his hand because he thought he could hold onto him. He touched him all the time because he didn't want to let him go. No matter how much he touched him and held him and loved him,Takeo still left. Ohtori sometimes wondered if he just never appreciated what he had enough so he was punished. If maybe it was all his fault.

So now Ohtori didn't know what he wanted to do about dating. Not that it had come up but he knew that eventually it probably would. He didn't think he was completely gay but at the same time, he knew he had no problem dating another guy. For him it was more about the person than what sex they were though he realized that his life would be much easier if he dated girls instead of guys. He had never really dated anyone before and the entire thing seemed overwhelming to him. He also felt like in a way he was betraying Takeo still. He didn't know how long that would go on for either. The one thing he did know is girl or guy, he had a type that he often was interested in and it was a type that was very hard to find.

He liked someone who had long hair, was well built for a girl or guy, strong, and someone who tended to be quiet. He tended to go for people who expressed themselves in actions rather than words. Ohtori was often shy and he loved that with animals and people that knew him, he could show them how he cared by doing things for them rather than telling them how much he felt. He liked people who were like that with him. That would talk in actions and not so much in words. Ohtori usually liked people who were described as beautiful and who also had a mischievous streak. Beautiful bad girls and bad boys. Probably because everyone thought he was so innocent that the lure of someone who was bad was appealing. The one thing though was that no matter how bad the person seemed, they had to be a really good person with a really strong sense of right and wrong. Someone with strong morals who lived by them. He loved best and fantasized about the characters in the movies that were like that. He thought the sexier ones were the wicked pirate who turned out to really be the hero and the bad guys who turned out to be loyal and good. Someone as beautiful on the inside as they were on the outside but who only showed that to the person they trusted and loved. Ohtori sincerely didn't think he would find anyone like that at Hyoutei.

He knew in a way he was innocent. He would always remember that dream night with Takeo but he knew he was a virgin. There was way more sexually that he had never done than what he had and the logistics of what went where during sex still intimidated him. He saw at Hyoutei that the girls and guys there had been dating and sexually active for what looked like years and he was far behind. He would have to find a nice way to tell Taki-san nicely that he wasn't interested if it came up. Ohtori thought he was nice but he was not attracted to him. He was an attractive guy, but not at all Ohtori's type. While it might be nice to have someone show him everything, it wasn't Ohtori's style to use someone to do it. It had to be right and it had to be with a person he had feelings for. Someone who had feelings for him too. If Takeo was there they both would have explored maybe but now Ohtori was alone and would have to find his own way.

He was thinking about all this as Taki-san helped him unpack and showed him around his new place. With so many freshmen to move everyone's things the night before there wasn't much to be put away except personal effects. They had even unpacked for Ohtori. Ohtori was really worried they may have touched or seen things of his and Takeo's that he wanted no one to ever see or find out about. He saw all those things were safely in their hidden places though and relaxed. He unpacked as much as he could with Taki-san and then Taki-san suggested they dress and get breakfast.

Ohtori was trying to be calm because when he came out of their bedroom he saw Shishido-san's door was open. His heart was pounding. Taki-san said Shishido-san must be in the shower and went to make them both tea. Ohtori blamed his nerves and stomach on the sleeping pill and told Taki-san he didn't feel up to eating much or going to eat. Taki-san then got them both cold cereal and insisted Ohtori eat something because he would feel better. Ohtori gave as silent prayer to Takeo that he not pass out when and if he sees Shishido-san again. It would be embarrassing and inconvenient if he did it every time they met.

You should at least say sorry old man... The Takeo in his head said. Ohtori silently agreed with him. If he got the chance, he would.

The washroom door opened and Shishido-san walked out not looking at either of them. Ohtori had to fight to keep his jaw closed. Shishido-san wore a pair of black silk boxer shorts, a towel around his neck which he kept rubbing through his very long drying hair, and nothing else. He was simply the most attractive person, guy or girl Ohtori had ever seen. More than beautiful because he was so strong and cut at the same time. A cat. Ohtori thought at first but it wasn't quite right. Shishido-san was maybe a feral cat or something along the lines of a tiger or a panther he thought as he watched his sleek muscles move beneath his perfect skin. He was graceful even when doing ordinary things like making coffee.

Taki-san handed him a bowl of cereal and a mug of tea, both of which Ohtori put immediately down or he would have dropped them. He was sitting on the couch. Taki-san sat next to him and turned on the television to the news on a sports channel. "Hey." he said to Shishido-san.

Shishido-san turned, "Hey." Ohtori had to fight to keep breathing and act normal. He begged Takeo in his head for help and for his face for once not to go completely red. Shishido-san walked over to the couch staring at the television as the baseball scores were announced. "Shift over?" He asked Ohtori without looking at him. Ohtori complied and tried not to be shocked as he said the same thing Takeo used to when he wanted to lay together. It was nothing, a coincidence, Ohtori swore to himself in his head. There was a commercial break and Shishido-san to Ohtori's horror turned to him. "You settled in?" he asked.

Ohtori's mind went blank a second. Shishido-san was going to think he was an idiot. "Y...yes Shishido-san. Thank you very much." Shishido-san's expression flashed across his face like Takeo's used to. Shishido-san was confused as to what Ohtori was thanking him for and then his face went back to normal. Ohtori could clearly read it and wondered if anyone else could. He shrugged at Ohtori gracefully and turned back to the screen. "Sh...Shishido-san?" He turned back with a waiting expression but he didn't flash annoyed. "I am so very sorry for yesterday. It will not happen ever again!" Shishido-san's face showed a flash of surprise and something else as he went to reply but Taki-san interrupted him.

"He hadn't eaten or slept in days. He's fine now." Taki-san reassured Shishido-san.

Shishido-san said, "You'd better be. This isn't like anywhere else. You lose and you get dropped. You get dropped and you end up back where you were or worse. Understand? You have to take care of yourself now. We'll help you in the beginning but then you're on your own."

Taki-san went to say something but this time Ohtori interrupted him. "I understand. Thank you again Shishido-san," Ohtori turned to Taki-san just so he didn't feel left out or slighted at being interrupted he included him in the thank you, "Taki-san."

Shishido-san looked at the screen and must have seen what he wanted to, "Good." he said to Ohtori standing up with a mug of coffee in his hand. He gave Ohtori a look over. He pointed at the cereal on the table. "Eat. Your face looks too thin like you've lost weight recently. You can't afford to lose muscle mass. You're going to have to work very hard from now on to get on top and stay there."

"I will Shishido-san." Ohtori promised. Even with his stomach churning from nerves he picked up the bowl and started eating. Shishido-san watched him for a moment and then walked to his room. Taki-san showered, then Ohtori, and then he had his first full morning practice as someone looking to break into the sub-regulars with the others that were already there and fighting to stay there.

He tried not to watch Shishido-san all the time but it was so hard. The entire practice his eyes kept drifting over and he wondered if he still had on the black silk boxers. Surely not to practice in. Ohtori looked at the ground to clear his head for a moment. He tried to focus and pay attention. He tried to lose himself in the workout but it was so difficult.

He kept constantly comparing Takeo and Shishido-san in his mind. Takeo he remembered had longer hair and it was blue-black and poker straight. Takeo always wore it back in a braid when he played like Ohtori did. He liked how their long braids looked when they were a doubles pair. Their coach called them yin and yang and the name stuck until that was all they were known as. Long black and long almost white. But now his was short and gray. He noticed Shishido-san's curled just a little at the ends although it was straight. He wore it back in a ponytail to keep it out of his eyes and it was a red-black color in the sunlight. Takeo was a little taller and more gangly than Shishido-san who was more graceful and agile.Ohtori thought again of a cat and it almost fit but not quite. Something in Shishido-san's eyes that was not cold, distant, and catlike but Ohtori could not think of what animal it was. To distract himself from staring obviously constantly at Shishido-san he tried to name the other Hyoutei player's animals.

Ohtori tried to concentrate on the players that Atobe-san seemed to give the most time and attention to. Oshitari-san reminded him a little of a monkey. A snow macaque, but then he moved and his predatory look as he battled in a practice drill suddenly reminded Ohtori of a snow leopard. It was almost as if he was two people, one when playing and another when not. Maybe the one when he was playing was his true self and the other one was his polite social mask. Ohtori had seen people like that before but never someone who could so completely change into a different animal. Someone called Oshitari-san tensai or genius and Ohtori thought that might be how he could do it.

Mukahi-san reminded him a little of a flying squirrel as he flipped over people's heads and landed on the ground effortlessly. He looked deceptively sweet until he spoke. Kabaji-san the mountain reminded him of an ox but was very gentle and talkative once you got to know him. Several people warned Ohtori to not get Kabaji-san started talking, especially about his family, because once he started, he never stopped. Akutagawa-san reminded him of something cute and nocturnal he had read about in a book. An opossum. He was not awake during most of practice so Ohtori missed seeing him playing. He was supposed to be very good. Chikabayashi-san reminded him of a raccoon. Kaida-san looked in a way a little like a rat especially when he laughed. Kashiwa-san seemed very birdlike in the way he made small movements at each noise around him and how high and graceful he could fly when he smashed.

They were an interesting and very talented group of players and Ohtori noticed that they all seemed as determined to win as Shishido-san. Ohtori tried not to stare at Shishido-san a hundred times or more in morning practice and found he failed miserably. He also noticed that one other person seemed to watch him as much as Ohtori did.

Atobe-san also constantly had his eyes on Shishido-san and his usual cool appraisal while he watched someone was absent. Atobe-san looked at Shishido-san in that way, as if he liked and wanted him. Ohtori also noticed that no one spoke of Sato-san who was dropped the day before and had to move out. It was as if he never existed. Ohtori now had his bed and it was like the guy had never been there. Ohtori shuddered slightly to think it could be him forgotten like that. That Shishido-san, Taki-san, and everyone else would be laughing and playing as if nothing happened and as if Ohtori had never been there.

Ohtori realized right then that he wanted to be there. It mattered to him. It was important that he make it and stay. Ohtori hadn't felt like he wanted to be anywhere for a long time and it was a good feeling. He refused to let himself be intimidated even by these talented players and vowed to himself that he would make it and would stay.

He went to class feeling a little better about everything for the first time in a very long time.

On to Chapter 25!!