Page 363 of Playing Dirty

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It wasn’t harsh.

It wasn’t angry.

It was warning.

I didn’t respond.

Because I didn’t trust my voice in that moment.

MASON

I left the room faster than I should’ve.

Luca was waiting outside.

“Well?” he asked.

I shook my head. “I don’t know.”

“That’s not like you.”

“Nothing about today is like me.”

That shut him up.

Coach was down the hall talking to staff.

I could feel his eyes on everything.

Rowan came out a few minutes later.

Not looking at me.

But I knew she knew I was there.

We didn’t speak.

Not immediately.

Just stood in the same hallway.

Too close for it to be nothing.

Too structured for it to be anything else.

Finally she said:

“You think I’d write something stupid?”

I looked at her.

“No,” I said.

Pause.

“I think they will if you give them too much to work with.”

That landed.

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