Page 390 of Playing Dirty

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“I got asked about you,” she said.

I looked up immediately.

“By who?”

“Another intern.”

That wasn’t the answer I wanted.

She continued.

“They’re saying you’re getting the athlete assignment because of… proximity bias.”

I exhaled slowly.

“That’s not true.”

“I know,” she said. “But it’s circulating.”

That word again.

Circulating.

It always meant things were already out of control.

My phone buzzed.

Mason.

Mason:

Coach says I’m distracted again.

I stared at that.

Then replied:

Rowan:

So am I.

Three dots.

Stopped.

Started again.

Mason:

That’s not helping either of us.

That landed harder than it should’ve.

Because he was right.

MASON

Luca stopped me outside the gym.

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