The evening air was crisp as Brooklyn sat on the steps outside the campus fountain, hugging her knees to her chest. The water shimmered under the soft glow of the lampposts, ripples catching bits of moonlight.
For the first time all day, she'd managed to slip away—no Mani waiting outside classrooms, no Amanda's constant prodding, no buzzing phone demanding a response. Just quiet.
"Thought I'd find you here."
She looked up, startled, only to see Bryant strolling toward her with his hands in his hoodie pockets, his hair still damp from practice.
Brooklyn let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. "Do you make a habit of tracking me down?"
Bryant grinned as he dropped onto the step beside her. "Only when you disappear after class. You looked… I don't know. Like you needed space."
Her lips curved slightly. "You're the first person who actually listened when I said that."
Bryant shrugged. "Kinda hard not to. You don't exactly hide your feelings well."
Brooklyn playfully nudged him with her shoulder, but the smile faded as her thoughts drifted back. She picked at the hem of her sleeve, her voice softer now. "Mani won't stop. He says one thing but does another. I told him I needed space, and he's still… everywhere."
Bryant's jaw flexed, his gaze darkening. "That's because he doesn't respect you, Brooklyn. He respects the idea of you. The chase. The win. Not you."
Her chest ached. "You sound so sure."
"That's because I've seen it," he said firmly. "He's not protecting you. He's protecting his ego. And you don't deserve that."
Brooklyn's throat tightened. She wanted to say thank you, wanted to tell him how much lighter she felt sitting here beside him. But the words tangled in her chest.
Bryant must have sensed her struggle, because his tone softened. "You know what I like about you?"
Her head tilted. "What?"
"You're real. You don't play games. You don't pretend to be someone you're not just to impress people. You're… Brooklyn. And that's enough."
Her breath caught, warmth flooding her chest. No one had ever said something so simple yet so heavy to her.
"Bryant…" she whispered, her voice trembling.
He turned, their eyes locking under the lamplight. For a moment, the whole world felt suspended—the sound of the fountain, the chatter of passing students, the chaos of campus life—all fading until it was just them.
Brooklyn's heart pounded. She wanted to close the distance, to confess everything building inside her, but fear held her back. Fear of what Mani would do. Fear of making it all too real.
Instead, she whispered, "You make it easy to breathe."
Bryant's expression softened, his lips curving into the faintest smile. He didn't push, didn't move closer, didn't demand anything from her. He just sat there, steady and warm, letting the silence wrap around them like a shield.
For the first time in weeks, Brooklyn felt safe.
But deep down, she knew this peace couldn't last. Because somewhere out there, Mani was planning his next move. And peace was the one thing he'd never let her keep.