Rude.
She started passing out feedback sheets from previous drafts.
Mine came back with one line at the top:
“Stop writing like you’re trying to be accepted. Write like you already belong.”
I stared at it longer than I meant to.
Mia leaned over. “That’s good, right?”
“It’s terrifying.”
“Same thing in academia.”
I should’ve been excited.
Instead I felt like I was missing something I didn’t know how to name.
After class, I lingered in the hallway scrolling my phone without really seeing it.
Mason hadn’t texted since last night.
Which shouldn’t have mattered.
But did.
Annoyingly.
Then my phone buzzed.
Mason:
You free?
I stared at it.
Then typed:
Rowan:
Depends. Are you about to distract me again or is this educational?
Three dots appeared instantly.
Mason:
Coach is trying to kill me.
Thought you’d enjoy the update.
I actually smiled.
That was becoming a problem too.
Rowan:
I don’t enjoy your suffering.
