“Wow, Seiji. You need me. I’m your rival,” Nicholas muttered.
“You’re not my rival,” Seiji muttered back. “You’re very bad.”
“Let’s not insult our teammates, guys,” said Harvard.
Seiji blinked, finally breaking his intense gaze. “I didn’t mean to be insulting, Nicholas. What I meant was, your fencing is very bad.”
“Really?” said Nicholas. “Really?”
He started to shove Seiji, who turned and walked away down the corridor. Nicholas followed Seiji so he could continue shoving him.
Normally, Harvard would’ve sent two boys who fought as much as Nicholas and Seiji to their dorm, but since Nicholas and Seiji shared a room, that seemed like telling them to go kill each other in private.
Harvard realized Eugene had his ear pressed up against the door of Coach’s office, and intervened hastily to pull him away.
“Whoa, bro,” said Eugene. “Captain, bro. Do you wanna know what Coach just said to Aiden?”
“No, I don’t,” Harvard told him sternly, “because eavesdropping is wrong.”
Whatever Eugene had overheard, it would be all over the school by nightfall. Harvard opened his mouth to order Eugene not to gossip about Aiden’s business.
The door to Coach’s office swung wide. Harvard pushed Eugene immediately out of the way.
Aiden didn’t glance at Harvard, or anyone else, as he stormed, white-faced, out of Coach’s office—and not, Harvard noticed, in the direction of one of his usual make-out spots. He would’ve chased after Aiden if he didn’t have to meet with Coach next. Harvard had responsibilities. He couldn’t just run off and do whatever he wanted.
That was Aiden’s job.
Still, the glimpse he’d got of Aiden’s green eyes set in a face gone salt-white stayed with him, even after the echo of Aiden’s steps down the hall had faded away. Maybe Harvard could quickly go check on him.
Coach rapped on her desk. “Captain! Come inside.”
Harvard hesitated a moment.
“When I get impatient, I have this irresistible urge to order captains to do five hundred suicides,” threatened Coach.
Harvard did as he was told, and closed the door of the office behind him.
Coach studied him as he sat.
“What are you looking so thoughtful about, Harvard?”
“Aiden,” said Harvard honestly.
“You’re thinking about Aiden?” said Coach.
“Well, I’m thinking about all my teammates, really,” said Harvard. “The team is in some, uh, disarray. Seiji and Nicholas were fighting about Seiji not wanting to do team bonding, and Aiden seemed… upset.”
“You shock me,” said Coach. “On all counts.”
Harvard decided there was nothing to worry about, because he and Coach would put their heads together and work this out. Coach Williams was the best coach Harvard had ever had, and Harvard thought they made a pretty good pair. His mom thought she was awesome, too. Coach wore her hair in a natural cloud like Mom’s youngest and coolest sister, Harvard’s favorite aunt, though Harvard’s auntie wore gold beads woven through her curls. Harvard couldn’t imagine Coach doing that. Coach was too no-nonsense for beads.
“I’m really glad we’re doing these bonding exercises, Coach. It’s a great idea, and I’m behind you one hundred and ten percent. Nicholas seems excited about team bonding, too. I know he doesn’t seem like a people person, but I think he’s what my Meemee would call a rough diamond.”
“His technique is certainly rough,” said Coach, but she said it with a forgiving smile.
Harvard suspected Coach had a soft spot for the new kid. Harvard liked Nicholas, too.
“Oh, but Seiji’s technique is very smooth; they can learn from each other,” Harvard said eagerly. “Maybe Meemee would call Seiji an overly polished diamond? You know how diamonds are created by coal under immense pressure? Maybe that’s Seiji’s problem. He’s a diamond who puts himself under too much pressure, like he believes he’s still coal.”
He checked to see what Coach thought about this theory. Coach was frowning, kicked back in her chair, the way she did when she was mentally working her way through a new strategy.
“Diamonds aren’t actually created from coal. Some diamonds are created by asteroid strikes,” said Coach.
“Really?”
Coach winked. “Trust me, I’m a teacher. Sometimes you have to take drastic action to get shining results.”
Harvard was silent. He saw what Coach meant, but he was slightly worried about what the equivalent of an asteroid strike would do to his team.
“What are your thoughts about Aiden?” Coach asked.
Harvard said it simply: “Aiden’s the best.”
Coach didn’t look convinced, but she would see. Harvard had faith.
Eager to help, Harvard proposed, “I was thinking—maybe we could start by drawing up a points system.”
Coach shook her head.
“You think we should play it looser and more relaxed? You could be right. Okay, let’s lay out the beginning stages of the plan. You know, loosely.”
Another head shake.
“Maybe a graph?” said Harvard, questing.
“Sometimes I worry…,” Coach started.
“About Aiden? I’ll talk to him.”
“Don’t you get tired of talking to Aiden?” asked Coach.
“No, never.”
“I suppose you’re used to it.” Coach suppressed a shudder. “Friends for ten years and all that.”
“Twelve.” They hadn’t gone a day without talking since they’d first met.
More recently, this meant Aiden would text Harvard messages at random hours, such as In Swiss chalet, kidnapped by heir to Swiss banking fortune. Harvard would wake in a panic at the notification, and then grin, texting back Should I alert the authorities? When Aiden replied In the morning, Harvard could go back to sleep, knowing Aiden was safe somewhere in the world.
It was nicer during the semester, when Aiden was always nearby. Then it was how they’d planned, ever since they were kids. They’d looked into other schools, but Harvard liked the idea of this small, lovely place where he could learn everybody’s name. He’d been able to picture their future here ever since their first day walking around Kings Row, discussing how they would be roommates, teammates, and go to the fair in town every year. Aiden had swung around the stone pillars standing on each end of the quad and laughed. The sound was as bright as the spill of sunlight through the oak leaves, and Harvard had known they would be happy at Kings Row.
During the semester, it all went exactly according to plan.
Well. Almost.
“One day we’ll hire a bunch of nuns to sing ‘How Do You Solve a Problem Like Aiden?’ and maybe we’ll receive an answer,” said Coach. “Besides him, don’t you get tired of running around after the team, solving their problems?”
“Um,” said Harvard. “No? I’m the captain.”
“You did it before you were captain, though.”
Coach seemed to be in a funny mood.
“I was happy to help,” said Harvard. “And I was hoping to be chosen as captain. Which I was. Thanks, Coach! So, it’s all good. Except I’m not really following you here.… If you’re not worried about Aiden, is it Seiji or Nicholas?”