Rocky!” in a wide berth processional to him. She looked from the team to Hassan. “If you want me to choose,” he said, “you’ll win.” Edy sighed. “Dyson house?” “Dyson house,” he said and chanced a thumb against her cheek once more. “Pradhan!” boomed the team coach. Oh boy. Hassan spotted him filling up the doorway of the team bus with his body. “Pradhan, you sonofa—! Get on this bus! I’ve got a wife and two kids at home!” Hassan looked around, blinking at the sudden absence of friends. “An hour,” he said. Hassan snatched his duffle bag and trotted for the bus. Inside, the doors swooshed closed behind him and the darkness engulfed. Hassan took a step forward, only to stop as Mason leapt to his feet. “Ohhhhh, you dog!” he hollered. “Don’t you take advantage of that girl tonight!” The bus roared in approval. ~~~ People cramped the Dyson home to fire-code capacity that night. Football players, dancers, jocks, and wannabes crushed in alongside Leahy and a dozen or so other West Roxbury players, jovial despite the loss.
