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Neil was running again.
He didn’t know where he’d run too, didn’t care really. He just needed out— needed to run. And if he couldn’t run away, then he’d simply run around. Everything that had happened in the past few weeks flew through his mind like a storm.
God— how could he be so stupid. Neil Josten was fake, he knew that. Neil Josten was 19, neglectful or abusive parents, and he played for the Palmetto Foxes. He wasn't Neil— he was on the run, 18 and alone. No parents, no people, nothing but the clothes on his back and a binder full of information.
Neil Josten was supposed to be temporary. He should have never picked up an exy racket— why had he been so fucking stupid.
He’d been so fucking stupid to sign those papers. Sure— he could run at any time and no one would be able to stop him, but for as long as he did stay he would be in the public eye. Kevin could recognise him, or Riko could, or his fathers men—
He continued running, feet pounding on the hard ground. He didn’t know how long he had been running. He knew he left at around 6 am but how long it had been since then was a mystery. The sun had risen however and shone bright and hot on his back.
He was sweating through his shirt— but he couldn’t find it in himself to care. He just had to run. Run past the houses, past the people walking or biking or commuting to work, past— everything was hazy, consumed by the feeling of running and his tumultuous thoughts.
Kevin fucking Day, he’d signed up to play with Kevin “Could recognise him at any moment and reveal him to the Moriyamas” Day.
Neil was absolutely fucked. Not to mention Andrew “I stab people with a smile and need to know everything about you” Minyard or the fact that he’d be playing against fucking Riko of all people—
And— and Andrew had gone through his stuff and was intrigued by him now… And if not for the clothes tags he might not have even known. He mentally thanked his mother for instilling paranoia into his very soul.
His legs shook as he kept running— how long had it been? Neil didn’t know. The sun had risen high in the sky at this point, it had to be at least mid-day… Neil didn’t care though, he had to— had to keep running. His mother told him to never stop. So he didn’t. He ran and ran and ran, mind growing more crowded the father he went.
Eventually, he just couldn’t run anymore, so he switched to walking. Anything to keep moving— (”If you can’t run, then walk— if you can’t walk, then crawl… and if you cannot do that— pray that you won’t be found” His mothers voice rang in his ears.)
somewhere in the evening, Neil finally collapsed in the middle of a park. His legs gave out and he laid there on his back, breathing heavily, eyes swimming. He couldn’t— he couldn’t run anymore, couldn’t walk, couldn’t crawl. So pray he did. He closed his eyes, and just laid there, unmoving, trying to get over the nausea that threatened to consume him.
Rolling to his side, he dry heaved into the grass. Fuck.
A car door slammed somewhere close to him, and he weakly looked up, only to see Andrew approaching his limp body together with Wymack. “Jezus Christ Josten…” Wymack muttered, “You ran all this way? 125 kilometers Josten. Can you even stand.”
Neil didn’t answer, wasn’t able to— his tongue felt like lead in his throat. Coach moved forwards to pick him up, but Neil tensed, and Wymack paused. “Andrew, pick up Neil and carry him to the car.” he ordered the other. And before Neil knew it he was unceremoniously picked up and shoved into the back seat of the car by Andrew.
Neil didn’t complain, didn’t have the energy to.
He didn’t know when he had fallen asleep, he assumed it was during the car ride back to the dorms— but he woke up in his bed. with a note set on his nightstand. It read:
Josten,
You are dismissed from classes and practice today. You are not allowed to go walking or running. You are to stay in the dorms and have an appointment with Bee after dinner. Don’t try and get out from under it.
-Wymack
Neil just— stared at the note for a while, not sure what to make of it. In the end, he decided to take it at face value and tried to get out of bed, his legs were killing him— he’d gone far past his limit the last day.
He resigned himself to suffering for the next few days, and not being able to walk for this one. Thank god for the protein bars he’d hidden in the room. He wouldn’t make it to the kitchen alive.