Andrew had warned Neil Riko would unearth his trail no matter how well he and his mother buried it. Neil feared that eventuality, but he hadn't wanted to believe it.

Neil stared back at him, trying to silently convey how little he cared about Kevin's bad mood.

The only one besides Neil who didn't have a way out was Andrew.

Neil's fingers ached with the need for a cigarette. His legs burned with the desire to run.

Matt was waiting for him outside his Spanish classroom to walk him to his next class.

Over the weekend someone had replaced all of the white ribbons with black ones. It gave the impression the campus was in mourning. Neil Josten thought it a cheap tribute, but that might have been his cynicism talking.

Neil couldn't leave until he knew Kevin would be okay. He didn't want to find out from half the world away.

"One of these days you might as well practice with us," Neil said. He wasn't surprised when Andrew didn't answer, but he refused to give up that easily.

When he finally slept, he dreamed of death and blood.

He was something solid to lean against, something violent and fierce and unmoving. Neil couldn't remember what it felt like to have someone hold him up.

That was what Andrew wanted, so Neil wouldn't give it to him.

"You laughed at Riko on Kathy's show. If you don't go, he'll say you're too afraid to face him! For shame, Neil." But Neil was afraid, and Andrew knew that.

It was about eleven miles to campus from here. The road was small enough he wouldn't likely catch a ride, but Neil was okay walking it. It'd be faster to run that far, but he wasn't feeling well enough to try it.

"Put a hand on me and you'll regret it," Neil said.

Exy wouldn't drop everything to get him from the airport or come back for him without question or call him 'friend'. Neil built his life around Exy after his mother died because he needed something to live for, but Neil wasn't alone anymore.

Kevin was sitting in the middle of the court on the fox paw logo. He wasn't dressed for practice. Neil wondered how long he'd been sitting here waiting for Neil to wake up.

"I don't believe in family." "Neither do I."

Kevin claimed he had something Andrew wanted. Neil didn't know what it was, but it had to be something big if Andrew was willing to defy the Ravens and work around all of Neil's problems.

Andrew promised he could change that, but his protection had a price tag. Andrew would protect Neil from his past if Neil helped him keep Kevin at Palmetto State.

"I survived for eight years because no one could find me," Neil said.