Page 86 of Dream On, Liar

Her face fell. “Rihaan…”

I looked away again.

Because I couldn’t look at her and see anything else than the hurt I’d made her feel. Again.

She was quiet for a long moment.

“I’m sorry,” she said, softly. There was something different than when she’d said it yesterday.

Sincerity.

It didn’t fix anything.

It didn’t undo anything.

It just sat there between us, fragile and incomplete.

“Me too,” I finally said. And I meant that in a way I didn’t want to unpack.

As though she shared that mutual feeling, she gently grabbed my shoulder again and started working on it again.

When she was done ten minutes later, I stood before she could say anything else.

My shoulder flared instantly in a slow protest, but I ignored it. “Thanks for the help.”

“Rihaan—”

I was already moving. Because if I stayed, I didn’t trust what I’d say next. Or what I might hear in return.

The corridor outside felt colder than it should have. The noise of the stadium was distant now, muffled like it belonged to another version of the day.

And as I walked, I realised something I didn’t want to admit.

It hadn’t been the pain that made me leave.

It had been her silence after I spoke.

Maeve was always noise.

And now that she wasn’t—

I didn’t know what to do with the quiet she left behind.

THE SUN HAD COMPLETELY disappeared as I pulled into the driveway of our rental.

The house was warm, lights glowing through the windows, and for a brief second, I stood outside with my hand still on the door handle, wondering whether I had the energy to deal with anyone.

I didn't.

Unfortunately, the moment I stepped inside, I heard laughter from the sitting room. Raina and Ollie were sprawled across the couch, some rubbish television show playing in the background.

Ollie looked up first.

“How's the shoulder?”

I shrugged. “Fine. I need to take it easy if I want to play next week.”

Raina's eyes immediately lifted from her phone. “She’s considering benching you?”