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The Cousins' Freshman Year Through Renee's eyes (Part 1)

SON NEFES was a story written for fun, a take on the cousins' first year from Renee's POV. The original version was written back in 2009 when the story had some significant plot differences. I thought I could just tweak lines here and there to make the story work with the current timeline. Instead this is a quasi-rewrite. It took 5300 words to keep 2800, and this is just the first scene.

The entire thing will likely read a bit disjointed, as Son Nefes was intended to be a collection of scenes instead of an actual Beginning-Middle-End story. I guess we'll find out the hard way? Will try to post the rest of it at regular intervals. Apologies in advance for all the typos and profanity.

Timeline: One year before the events of The Foxhole Court.

The month leading up to Andrew's first day was the shortest summer vacation Renee could remember, probably because she spent half of it soothing Dan's fraying nerves. Allison had taken it upon herself to collect every scrap of gossip she could find regarding their new defense line and, although she hadn't been out of high school long enough to forget how malicious and imaginative teenagers could be with their rumors, she was quick to spread everything she found to the rest of her line-up. Renee's numerous attempts to deter her met deaf ears.

They knew what they were getting into—had known since Wymack made them vote on Andrew's contract—but the closer her teammates got to June the easier it was to forget why they'd agreed to this. Wymack and Abby's sudden reticence on the matter did little to help things. Andrew, Aaron, and Nicky had moved into Abby's house for a few weeks following the twins' graduation from high school. Abby refused to spread ill-will to the rest of the team by offering her honest opinion on the lot, and Wymack neatly rebuffed Dan's best attempts to pry. Renee was sure Dan hadn't had a full night's sleep in weeks.

By the time Wymack recalled his team to Palmetto State University for summer practices, the Foxes were an anxious, angry mess. Waiting for the cousins to arrive only worsened their attitude. Wymack said he wanted all of his Foxes accounted for before he brought the freshmen by, but the last of them had checked almost an hour ago and the cousins were still missing. Renee was too caught up in her reading to mind the wait, but she couldn't miss the growing tension in the room. Dan had checked her watch ten times in the last fifteen minutes. At the eleventh quick peek, Renee finally reached out and clasped Dan's hand. She didn't lift her gaze from her page but gave Dan's hand a small squeeze.

"Relax, Dan," Renee murmured. "They'll be here."

"They're late," Juan said. "We don't have all day for this bullshit."

"They've got two more minutes, and then I'm out of here," Dwayne said.

There was no way he'd really defy Wymack by dipping out early, but Dan still shot him an angry look and snapped, "You're not going anywhere. Sit still and shut up."

Renee glanced up from her book and considered her grumbling teammates. Seth, Dwayne, and Damien were slouched on the far couch. Reggie and Juan had two of the chairs. Renee and Dan had two cushions on the other couch, and Matt sat on the arm of the couch at Dan's side. Renee's stomach knotted a bit as her gaze passed over the team's only sophomore. Matt was the second-tallest of the Foxes, trailing Seth by a spare half-inch, but he'd looked so small last year. A month and change with his mother had straightened his shoulders and fixed his posture, but Renee wondered how long he could last before his teammates broke him down again. She didn't know if she could stand another year with Matt sleeping on their bedroom floor.

The click of stiletto heels heralded Allison's return from the restroom. Six pairs of eyes followed the hem of her impossibly short skirt as Allison crossed the room to the couch. Allison reclaimed her spot on the empty cushion at Renee's side and flicked a cursory, contemptuous look across the open pages of Renee's book.