The next afternoon, Brooklyn left her last lecture with her notebook hugged to her chest. She was halfway across the quad when she spotted Mani waiting by the fountain.
Her pulse jumped. She hadn't texted him since the café incident, unsure how to respond without making things worse.
"Brooklyn," he called, striding toward her with that familiar smile.
"Hey," she said carefully.
He fell into step beside her. "Haven't heard from you. Everything okay?"
"Yeah. Just… busy," she replied, her eyes on the ground.
"Busy with Bryant?" Mani's tone was light, but there was a sharpness beneath it that made her glance up.
"No," she said quickly. "It's just school, Mani. And the project."
His smile returned, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Good. I just worry, you know? I don't want to see you caught up with someone who'll break your heart."
Brooklyn slowed her steps. "Mani…"
He raised his hands as if in surrender. "Relax. I'm not trying to push. I just care about you, that's all."
She nodded, but unease prickled at her. Something about his words felt different — heavier, like he was holding back more than he said.
When they reached her dorm, Mani lingered. "Maybe we can grab dinner tomorrow? Just us. No crowds. No roses. Just… normal."
Brooklyn hesitated. Part of her wanted to say yes, to smooth things over. But another part of her, the part that remembered the way Bryant's eyes had searched hers in the gym, screamed for space.
"I'll think about it," she said softly.
Mani's jaw tightened for the briefest second before he covered it with another smile. "Fair enough. Don't keep me waiting too long."
As he walked away, Brooklyn exhaled slowly.
Amanda's words echoed in her head: This isn't about romance. It's about rivalry.
And for the first time, Brooklyn wondered just how far Mani was willing to go.