Page 261 of Playing Dirty
“Bullshit.”
There it is.
Everyone suddenly thought they were a damn therapist.
Coach pointed toward the court. “Scouts are gonna be at the New York showcase in six weeks.”
The room got quieter immediately.
Even Luca stopped screwing around.
Coach looked right at me.
“And right now? You’re playing distracted.”
That hit harder than I wanted it to.
Because he wasn’t wrong.
ROWAN
Campus felt disgusting after parties.
Too bright. Too loud. Too many people pretending they weren’t dying.
I walked into media studies ten minutes early and immediately regretted it because apparently everyone alive wanted to talk today.
“Rowan!”
I looked up.
Mia dropped into the seat beside me with coffee in one hand and chaos in the other.
“You disappeared last night,” she said.
“That was intentional.”
“You missed rooftop fight night.”
“I saw enough.”
Then her eyes narrowed.
“Oh my God.”
“What.”
“You were with Mason Reed.”
Jesus.
“Why does everyone know everything?”
“Because Luca posted a blurry video of you two staring at each other like divorced parents.”
I physically closed my eyes.
“I hate men.”
