Page 94 of Caught in the Current

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“Good.” He turned and walked away without another word.

I stood there, chest tight, hands shaking slightly.

He’d given me a chance. Not forgiveness. Not friendship. Just a transactional opportunity to do something useful because he was desperate enough to accept help from someone who’d hurt him.

It was more than I deserved and it would never be enough to make up for what I’d done.

My phone buzzed in my pocket.

I pulled it out.

Liam

We should talk.

He probably just got the news about joint training too.

Alex

Yeah. We should.

Liam

Saturday. We need to talk before Monday.

My heart was racing. Pounding so hard I could feel it in my temples. Saturday. I’d see Liam on Saturday.

Two days to prepare. Two days to figure out what I was going to say. Two days until everything might change.

Or maybe nothing would, but at least I’d know.

At least I’d stop wondering what he was thinking, what he wanted, whether the closet had meant anything or if it was justadrenaline and proximity and a moment that couldn’t survive in daylight.

At least I’d finally be honest about what I wanted.

I typed back:Okay.

I shoved my phone in my pocket and sat on an erg. Strapped my feet in. Gripped the handle.

Set the monitor for twenty minutes at rate 20. Started pulling. Drive. Recovery. Drive. The flywheel spun up with that satisfying whir. The chain clicked on the return. My seat slid smooth on the rail.

Legs. Back. Arms. Arms. Back. Legs.

The rhythm was automatic. Ingrained. My body knew what to do even when my mind was somewhere else entirely. And my mind was definitely somewhere else.

Something felt different.

I felt different.

Lighter, maybe. Or just... less afraid. Because Saturday, I’d see Liam, we’d talk, and maybe I’d finally be brave enough to tell him the truth.

I pulled harder. Let the burn consume everything else. Let the motion quiet the noise in my head.

Saturday.

I just had to make it until Saturday.

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