Brooklyn slammed her dorm room door shut and collapsed against it, her chest heaving. The silence of the room pressed in, broken only by the pounding of her heart.
Her phone buzzed relentlessly in her bag—notifications exploding from social media, from friends, from strangers who had seen the spectacle. But she couldn't look. She couldn't bear it.
Amanda shot up from her desk, eyes wide. "Brooklyn, what happened? I heard music and people screaming your name—"
Brooklyn sank to the floor, covering her face with trembling hands. Her voice broke on the words. "He did it. He actually did it. Mani put my name on a banner, lights, everything. The whole campus saw."
Amanda's jaw dropped. "You're kidding. He didn't—oh my God." She rushed over, crouching beside Brooklyn. "Are you okay? Did Bryant—?"
Brooklyn let out a shaky laugh that turned into a sob. "Bryant tried to stop him. He defended me. But it doesn't matter—everyone was watching. They were all staring at me like I was… like I was some prize they were fighting over."
Tears slipped hot and fast down her cheeks. "I'm so tired, Amanda. I'm tired of being in the middle. I didn't ask for any of this. I just wanted… I just wanted to belong here. To have a normal campus life. And now everyone's whispering my name like I'm some story."
Amanda's arms wrapped around her, pulling her into a hug. "Hey, hey. Don't you dare blame yourself for this. Mani crossed a line. He made a fool of himself, not you. And Bryant—" she hesitated, then added gently, "Bryant only did what any real friend would do. He stood up for you."
Brooklyn sniffled against her shoulder. "But it doesn't matter. It feels like whatever I do, it just makes things worse. If I push Mani away, he gets louder. If I lean on Bryant, Mani lashes out. And now… the whole campus knows."
Amanda pulled back, gripping her shoulders. Her eyes were sharp, unyielding. "Listen to me. You're not responsible for Mani's behavior. You said no. You told him you needed space. That's clear. If he won't respect that, that's on him. Not you."
Brooklyn nodded weakly, though guilt still gnawed at her.
Her phone buzzed again, louder this time, vibrating across the desk. She finally pulled it out, her hands shaking.
Two unread messages.
From Bryant: "I'm sorry you had to go through that. I'll handle him if you want me to."
From Mani: "Please don't be mad. I just wanted you to see how serious I am."
Her chest tightened. Two boys, two worlds. One making her feel suffocated, the other offering to take the weight off her shoulders.
Amanda noticed her hesitation. "You already know which one makes you feel safe," she said softly.
Brooklyn's throat closed. She did know. And that terrified her. Because choosing safety meant choosing Bryant. And choosing Bryant meant finally, truly shutting Mani out.
Would he let her?
The thought chilled her to the bone.
Amanda squeezed her hand. "You don't have to answer anyone tonight. Just… rest. Cry if you need to. Tomorrow, we'll figure out the next step."
Brooklyn curled onto the bed, clutching the pillow like a lifeline. The tears came harder now, shaking her whole body.
Somewhere deep inside, she knew Amanda was right. She couldn't live in the middle anymore.
But what scared her most wasn't the decision—it was the storm Mani would unleash when she finally made it.