Page 61 of Playing Dirty

---

I ignored it.

Buzz again.

Ignored again.

Jace leaned over the bench behind me, already half dressed.

“You gonna answer that or keep pretending it’s not real life?”

“It can wait.”

“That’s new.”

I shot him a look.

He held up his hands. “Relax, I’m observing.”

I stood up, grabbed my bag.

“Rowan coming tomorrow?” Niko asked from somewhere near the showers.

“I don’t know.”

“You checked,” Jace said immediately.

“I didn’t check anything.”

“You know her schedule.”

“I don’t.”

“You do,” Eli added calmly, walking past.

I stared at both of them.

Traitors.

—

That night I didn’t sleep much.

Not because of basketball.

Not because of my dad.

Not even because of scouts or pressure or anything normal.

Because every time I closed my eyes I kept replaying stupid small things:

her knee touching mine at the café

her saying “you’re here” like it mattered

her leaving without her coffee

me remembering it

Ridiculous.

---