Page 300 of Playing Dirty

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Rude.

She started passing out feedback sheets from previous drafts.

Mine came back with one line at the top:

“Stop writing like you’re trying to be accepted. Write like you already belong.”

I stared at it longer than I meant to.

Mia leaned over. “That’s good, right?”

“It’s terrifying.”

“Same thing in academia.”

I should’ve been excited.

Instead I felt like I was missing something I didn’t know how to name.

After class, I lingered in the hallway scrolling my phone without really seeing it.

Mason hadn’t texted since last night.

Which shouldn’t have mattered.

But did.

Annoyingly.

Then my phone buzzed.

Mason:

You free?

I stared at it.

Then typed:

Rowan:

Depends. Are you about to distract me again or is this educational?

Three dots appeared instantly.

Mason:

Coach is trying to kill me.

Thought you’d enjoy the update.

I actually smiled.

That was becoming a problem too.

Rowan:

I don’t enjoy your suffering.

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