The envelope feels heavier than it should. My fingers hover over it, but George does not let go. His eyes are locked on mine, and the silence between us stretches long enough to make my stomach twist.
“You have been carrying this around,” I say.
“Waiting,” he answers.
“For what?”
“For you to stop running.”
The words land hard. My instinct is to throw them back at him, but before I can, the door creaks open. I flinch, shoving the envelope behind my back like it is something dangerous.
Two voices drift in from the hallway, laughing, low and close. It is Tyler and Mason from the team. They do not step inside, but I hear one of them say, “Told you they were in here together.”
The laughter sharpens into something knowing.
George’s jaw tightens. He does not move until their footsteps fad
