I don’t ask women out. Not ‘cause I can’t.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHsY9dNiIzX
But ‘cause I don’t like giving people that kind of power.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtiywPdWwDe
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhCEnX8X0eV
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCImbsyEOmI
But Brielle?43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqx4IwAKyCe
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwIbiIhaieo
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPIlzeeQ6hG
She had me doing shit I don’t normally do.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiKgwKHhG20
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr30AnlhgZu
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZhQoxPH6FF
I’d seen her twice since that rooftop night. Both times, the vibe was there—undeniable. She’d look at me with those eyes like she knew I was dangerous but didn’t care. And I’d look at her like I already made peace with the fact that if this went bad, it’d be my fault for getting too close.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQv4u77AMjs
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMXqKYfKynv
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So I pulled up to No Chill ATL around closing time. Waited ‘til the last drunk couple stumbled out and the lights dimmed.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp6SV6LIDp2
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrLtpTbpzeC
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She was wiping down tables, music low in the background, hair tied up, lip gloss shining like she was trying to distract me.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQTOdUDxz6e
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaHJMS93cLp
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGTsEteEL89
I stood by the bar and waited. She didn’t even look up.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaZVh8Smrx7
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt3SFvKYLbR
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOJikSg1mWZ
“You just gon’ stand there breathing all heavy like you tryna memorize me?”43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaSPNCk4aeN
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOYZMDYjjF4
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWnmc6ZpqOI
“Something like that.”43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvZpDIqNLkQ
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoB8LNy0L5S
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAiPouAC69Q
She glanced at me, smirked, then went back to wiping.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNXjMSovmZQ
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3cOtGkTkNg
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ83MHhEu026
I stepped closer.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO5YxyYg4sd
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeO9ZD4G8qU
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgs6QWEhyVt
“Let me take you out.”43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTo5d7GKbHt
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0AvozwsjMn
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLpNLIaPDiR
She froze for half a second—barely—but I caught it.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYBzx5M1YE
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7VuDMhjpi5
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTAWglTQCRO
“Out where?”43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy8p7u2vSqO
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnKPqO9RERR
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlhgqW3oEQU
“Somewhere that don’t got dice, drinks, or dollar signs attached to it.”43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxFt7otQFVn
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk9dcDUag28
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXwn7T6k81h
“So… what? Church?”43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡazraJgTGVd
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLctCLHcgfM
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4bkQe01VN9
I laughed. She had jokes.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMyCrDK8FJG
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGgPzxUybJd
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXFfdDd6DXh
“Nah, not church. But somethin’ light. You, me, real food. Real conversation.”43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡItxUIS6xhU
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkhFweqIhNM
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrDvlhHlcBx
She set the rag down and leaned on the table, eyes narrowed like she was trying to figure out if I was serious.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe7EckpVHkP
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvAG1QoPyqc
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq7VRTXeU2q
“You asking me out? Or tryna collect a debt?”43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4UyZgtxhTy
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJG7DS2PYNW
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQeoxOG9o6d
“I’m askin’.”43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRvjXAxuhJn
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb6GZCetUpX
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQYCah4cFRU
“And what if I say no?”43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTgIsbJqTYA
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVaJKft6GoD
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8xsfmKguxX
“Then I’ll ask again next week. And the one after that.”43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ03WEvFDLJM
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2mPvRAgDlv
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwdnWh7o8lV
She tilted her head like she was trying to hide her smile, then shrugged.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRehcue4OEH
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwkOuBvFZQg
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDgh6ziqud3
“I mean… I guess if I ain’t got nothin’ better to do.”43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHpt0DtCc7j
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2FNJmBo0ss
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkp5gVz6yMl
I stepped in a little closer.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5toHDYMrEe
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxoUbgljyoc
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVXt1FeKUan
“So that’s a yes?”43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAhyX3rGx1V
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi0geFY8zDK
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwKMLHQmbYg
“It’s a ‘maybe I’ll let you spend your money on me if I get bored.’”43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzohFfrzpGy
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO4X94vQdoC
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpATyuW3RWG
I just smiled.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDovCy3oA1e
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtmogPgBE3O
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2VXxwGpUR8
“Cool. I’ll send you the address. Saturday. Don’t be late.”43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL3WGTK5c69
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfaZMrXM6Tm
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm6NRrVK1IE
“I don’t do late. I just do entrances.”43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzw5Mvywjvl
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl9Gdg1bpo8
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7TTzPYdXyg
She turned around and walked away, hips swinging like she knew damn well what she was doing to me.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKRBdGN1YoF
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1sQ6K2OXIw
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdEQWumeV5q
And me?43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJY6s2l3vfw
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGfYEpxJxtA
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeM0JYEGX5Y
I left grinning like a damn fool.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCcGnbBEV9b
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMtyGayQVRD
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJH1clSATze
She said yes.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuygM0Oge45
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8LW4dRGbyZ
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpHiIOdE2tS
Even if she tried to play like she didn’t mean it, I saw it in her eyes.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMR7AfK67xT
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk7EBjpUvcd
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrH5TVHkukR
She was just as curious as I was.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXsy8il7OyY
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOJyoNyVglH
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzSlG88fxqF
And now?43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5AyaDQmM5q
We were about to find out exactly what that curiosity could turn into.
The restaurant wasn’t fancy—just a little spot tucked away with flickering candles and vinyl records playing low in the background. But to me, it was perfect.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡci8kdaSoRo
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nNe1RKmc7
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo32RxUY6Ps
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She showed up looking like she owned every room she walked into, lips curved like she was daring me to mess up. I couldn’t help but smile.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjNhNWgVW3w
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyAceeaqj8Z
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKoynR5JErK
We ordered food, talked about everything and nothing. Music. Childhood. The kind of shit that makes the world feel small enough to hold in your hands.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7KObKKvIki
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvvD2tANSl7
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfrX3uz2dja
But there was tension beneath it all.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVAUjaAf4hJ
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvYEN5BaPD8
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsw9E7JyTbl
She kept glancing at her phone, like she was waiting on a message or trying to stay ready for a text from a past I didn’t belong in. I wanted to ask what was wrong, but I didn’t.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxxf1N1dJtN
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT7LUq28IXY
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡigkl4IJehf
Until I slipped.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCkjrC42XAn
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvyecwEjTie
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmv9Mf5zNFC
I was telling her about growing up in a house with seven brothers—loud, chaotic, rough around the edges. Then I said something I hadn’t meant to say out loud.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfhcYRYs8sZ
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVvVJd9EGBF
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRA7xAgA67z
“Sometimes… I feel like I gotta control everything else ‘cause the one thing I can’t control is how people see me.”43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiYbM2QVnrH
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRe17KR0IF3
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ipBZ1LfRf
She looked at me then, not like I was Kairo the tough guy, but Kairo the man hiding cracks under the surface.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0j0FtBKMct
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmVeV63M5KU
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqmuivHVFb2
That silence wasn’t awkward. It was real.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgO8vLSVzEv
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqPx6aH354t
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXAjyg2Raxg
She reached across the table and brushed her fingers over mine.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXHzdnh3bTS
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfqyj4hOZzz
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡApAyiOsRnT
“That’s a lot to carry.”43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ62sQN0WAI4
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx4qVJ6pfVC
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOKj5g4vq0u
“Yeah… but it’s my shit.”43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrFgAeWuUYz
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoHBGEmh82o
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBsTY4CYrQ2
After dinner, I took her back to my place—a small, clean apartment with just enough space to feel like home. That’s where she saw it.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq4ras4Tpnu
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡON9EoMZPrI
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The way every book on my shelf was perfectly aligned.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡavrdFTxNGZ
How the dishes were stacked by size and color.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPYm7fkzCuC
The way I checked the locks twice before sitting down.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOnX8nhXAuE
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1iraQNIYKS
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ01jNtd0UKy
“You’re kinda… particular.”43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb8bpRaguku
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOXThgHqOCR
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWnlARyIL33
I laughed it off, but she caught the edge.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlUdpLzam3n
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQfTmsrXGKo
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfS7EC9z6ZO
“I got OCD. It’s like a voice in my head telling me things gotta be right or I can’t breathe.”43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp0UUYFvKCy
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3w6Wyj5PaE
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjVNxvVBE9s
She nodded like she understood that struggle more than I’d thought.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxpUAReu9R1
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkn4gBswPUF
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzUFBPnKaA1
Just then, my brothers showed up—three of them—each one a little different, but all loud and protective. They joked around with Brielle, throwing playful jabs but making sure she felt included.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGF2v5IO4dL
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIICzdTqUr1
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡva3BiaUsjJ
She smiled like she was already fighting her way into our world.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLbzhpPRlWD
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzEGXjCNKe6
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpXQTAa8hZW
That night, between the neat lines and the rough edges, something shifted.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7X7JfpE634
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe55ErA0fWL
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJBkSOdP7ib
I wasn’t just a tough guy anymore.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡThvysqxr8W
And she wasn’t just the girl behind the bar.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZJjiuCB9j3
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpQ7YNoRWgI
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCq2euvYNFI
We were starting to be something real.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN9VdiNDeG3
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOlwloYUX54
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡilTzR3vIv1
43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5B0yTMQ8Q7
