Brooklyn shut the door to her dorm room and dropped onto her bed, her head spinning. The way Bryant and Mani had stared each other down earlier still burned in her mind. It was like being stuck between fire and thunder.
Amanda peeked over her laptop, raising a brow. "Okay, spill. You've got that look again."
Brooklyn groaned, dragging a pillow over her face. "It's nothing."
"Liar," Amanda said simply, snapping her laptop shut. "It's about Bryant, isn't it? Or… Mani?"
Brooklyn peeked out from behind the pillow. "Both, maybe."
Amanda smirked knowingly. "Mm-hmm. Let me guess: Mani's being all charming, Bryant's being all… Bryant, and you're stuck in the middle like some Nollywood heroine."
Brooklyn sat up, exasperated. "It's not funny! Mani asked me to lunch, and then Bryant showed up out of nowhere. The tension was insane. I hate being the center of attention like that."
Amanda studied her quietly for a moment, then said, "Look, I don't know Mani that well, but I do know guys like him. Smooth talkers, confident, the type who always have an angle. And Bryant…" she trailed off, shrugging. "You already know his reputation."
Brooklyn hugged the pillow tighter. "Exactly. So why do I feel… caught?"
Amanda leaned closer, her tone softer now. "Because, Brooklyn, you like him. At least a little. Don't deny it."
Brooklyn's cheeks warmed instantly. "I don't!"
Amanda raised a brow. "Then why are you blushing?"
Brooklyn sputtered, unable to come up with an answer. Amanda only laughed, flopping back onto her bed.
"All I'm saying," Amanda added, "is be careful. Both of them clearly want you. But only one deserves you."
Brooklyn lay back, staring at the ceiling, Amanda's words echoing in her mind.
Only one deserves you.
The problem was… she didn't know which one that was.