Page 69 of Playing Dirty

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“I’m not good at… that,” I gestured vaguely. “Feelings.”

A faint exhale from him.

Almost a laugh again.

“Yeah,” he said. “I noticed.”

That should’ve been a dig.

It wasn’t said like one.

It was… observation.

Same category I used.

Same problem.

A student walked past us, brushing Mason’s shoulder accidentally.

He didn’t react.

But I noticed he moved slightly closer to me after.

Not conscious.

Just instinct.

That did something irritating to my focus.

I stepped back first.

Bad decision.

Instantly, the space between us felt louder.

Mason watched it happen.

Of course he did.

“Rowan,” he said.

I looked up.

He hesitated.

Actually hesitated.

Then:

“You still coming to practice tomorrow?”

It wasn’t casual.

Not really.

I shrugged. “If I have time.”

That was a lie.

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