Page 99 of Playing Dirty

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“Reed,” he said. “Explain this read.”

I looked up.

Brain slightly delayed.

Then answered.

Correct.

But late.

Coach noticed.

Of course he did.

“Again,” he said.

But I wasn’t looking at the screen anymore.

I was aware of something else.

Rowan shifting slightly in her seat.

Caleb behind her leaning forward.

Something in my chest tightened without permission.

And for the first time—

it wasn’t just distraction anymore.

It was interference.

Seventeen

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

ROWAN

The room was too small for how many people were in it.

That was the first thing I noticed.

Not Mason.

Not Caleb.

Not even Coach’s voice cutting through the low hum of the film starting up.

Just space.

Or the lack of it.

Rowan Hayes, sitting front row, notebook open even though I barely knew what I was writing yet.

I told myself I wasn’t going to look back.

I didn’t.

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