Like I was just air.
And I hated how much I noticed that.
Practice ended an hour later.
Players scattered.
Noise rose.
Everything loosened.
Except me.
I stayed near the baseline pretending to check my notes while Serena wandered off to talk to someone from the paper.
I should’ve left.
I didn’t.
Because Mason still hadn’t come over.
Which was ridiculous.
Because he always—
“Hayes.”
His voice hit from behind me.
Not loud.
Close.
I turned.
He was standing there now, towel over his shoulder, hair damp, breathing slightly heavy.
Up close again.
Too close again.
Except this time, something was different.
Less ease.
More contained.
“You didn’t say anything during practice,” I said before I could stopmyself.
His eyes flicked over my face.
Then paused.
Like he was deciding something.
“I noticed,” he said.
That shouldn’t have mattered.
