Page 198 of Glitched Play

Except, what if it could?

My brain wants evidence. My heart already knows the answer.

I pick up a letter from three years ago, when I was telling her I failed.

Could this be the one?

The front door opens.

"I swear Annika is trying to kill Parker." Maci laughs to herself as she walks inside. "Her rehearsal dinner dress is ridiculously sexy. That girl has enough cleavage to distract an entire football stadium."

Her shoes click across the hardwood. She rounds the corner into the bedroom.

Stops.

I can feel her presence without looking up.

"Witt..."

Her eyes travel across the bed.

Across the floor.

Across the dozens, possibly hundreds, of papers surrounding me.

"What are you doing?"

I slowly stand. One letter remains in my hand. My pulse pounding against my ribs.

Not from fear—from possibility.

My eyes meet hers.

"Rune."

Everything stops.

She doesn't move.

She doesn't respond.

The name hangs between us.

I've never spoken it aloud before.

Not once.

Neither of us ever have.

Voice changers.

Encrypted messages.

Anonymous usernames.

Ten years.

And now I use the one word I’ve kept in my heart until Maci came into my life.