The arena doors opened.
And I felt it before I looked.
That awareness again.
Rowan.
She stepped in like she owned the space even when she didn’t try to.
Bag over shoulder. Hair slightly messy. Expression neutral like she wasn’t aware of how much she changed the atmosphere just by being present.
But she wasn’t alone.
Caleb was beside her.
Talking.
Easy.
Too easy.
And I stopped moving without meaning to.
Just for half a second.
Not enough for anyone to notice.
Except Jace.
“Yeah,” he said quietly beside me. “There it is.”
“Shut up.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
But he was smiling.
Because I wasn’t looking away.
Not immediately.
Rowan didn’t look at me first.
That was new.
She looked at the court.
At practice.
At everything except me.
Like she’d decided something without saying it out loud.
That did something sharp in my chest.
Coach called out instructions.
Nobody noticed I’d gone still for a second too long.
