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He goes back to his phone, and Juno’s foot finds mine under the table again. I ignore it again. I know what she’s going to do, she’s going to make me ask Miles out or something, but from the small amount of time he’s been here, one thing I can say is, he likes to be in his own world.

Mason and Juno start talking about something I don’t understand, but then again, all my focus is on the man sitting next to me.

Miles says very little, but I’m aware of him the entire time.

For being twins, they are the complete opposite, Mason is very talkative, charming, but under all that you can see he has some crazy thoughts going on in that head. While Miles, he just exists at the table. He doesn’t say anything, but I see him with his brother and friends laughing and having fun. But now he looks like he’s forcing himself to sit with us.

Mason sits back. “Harte’s thing Friday. You lot should come.”

“Who’s Harte?” Juno asks.

“Third year. Business school. Good parties, better playlist than whatever you went to before, bigger house, and an actual pool table.”

Juno turns to look at me. “Pool table?”

“Full size,” Mason confirms. “And a pool, just imagine the fun you can have.” Mason winks toward me, then looks at Miles.

“We’re going,” Juno says to me, as if I’m the one who needs convincing.

“I was already going to say yes,” I tell her.

“I know. I just wanted to say it first.” She turns back to Mason. “We’ll be there.”

Miles’s phone buzzes, he picks it up, and reads whatever it says in three seconds. He leans toward Mason, close enough so no one can hear what he’s saying.

Mason nods once.

Miles stands up, and looks at me for a moment, and then he’s leaving. No goodbye, so rude.

“Got the address for the party and bring swimsuits. Pool party.” Mason continues to type on his phone.

“What time does it start?” I ask.

“No party has a start time, people will be there after classes are finished.” He laughs

Mason grabs his coffee, stands up and before he leaves, he looks down at me and smiles.

“You know, talking to him won’t be a bad idea, he doesn’t bite. I mean unless you like that stuff.” He winks with a smile. “He has a lot on his mind at the moment, make the first move.” He nods, then leaves, and I get ready for the girls to give me their opinion.

“Yes, make your move. At this party, you are going to get some from Miles Crawford.” I'm not even surprised Juno is the first one to say anything. “You’re going to wear one sexy bikini, so he has to make a move, and if not then you’re going to just kiss him.”

“You know you’re crazy.” I sip my coffee, thinking about what his lips would feel like on mine. “But I suppose we could have some fun.” I smile, and the girls get excited.

“We’re all going to be kissing someone at that party, and at least one of us is getting some action,” Cara tells us, and I agree. This might be the party we all get to have fun at.

***

Practice finishes at seven, and my body knows it. I pushed myself, maybe too much. But I need my routine to be the best I can make it.

The tiredness is killing me today. I can feel it in my joints, my back, and my neck. God, I need a massage or a hot bath. Coach Pearce found every weakness I have and pressed on each one individually for two hours. There’s only three weeks to regionals, and she's not being subtle about what that means.

The walk back to my dorm usually takes twelve minutes, but it feels longer than that tonight.

I close my apartment door behind me and stand in the hallway for a moment with my bag still on my shoulder, my eyes are closed and I let the silence press in around me like something physical. The flowers are on the counter, and the scent lingers in my room. I don't look at them. Walking to my bedroom, I drop my bag on the bed, kick my shoes off, and go straight to the bathroom.

The shower runs hot, hotter than it needs to be. I stand under it until the ache in my shoulders starts to soften and the tension in my neck unknots. The day dissolves into steam and drain water. No thinking. That's the rule I have for showers after hard practice, no thinking, just the heat and the pressure and the gradual return of a body that feels like mine again.

I need to feel like the tiredness is leaving my body, but then I realize I still have to make dinner for myself, or I guess I can be a college student and just order something. I don’t want to do anything but sit on my bed and watch a TV show.