I don’t ask women out. Not ‘cause I can’t.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKOBhmQ0AlF
But ‘cause I don’t like giving people that kind of power.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1U8CID90yE
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqLyMzDaaeu
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDrm4nYTe0D
But Brielle?62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN2VLZO0YG3
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX2F19GLt4Q
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwSWFWFkKwF
She had me doing shit I don’t normally do.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQ2CSCz2Hq
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡswfRCcFkhs
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsd8M1ncxVr
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.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwsOacaed10
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuPx4GoJ5Qn
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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.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWKkcQMhf8N
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡheyrFDlxqQ
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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.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRpGCI0Ticg
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMbEMYVOqKd
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrSSEiqZEda
I stood by the bar and waited. She didn’t even look up.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfZ8wNSOoMC
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHffUWUaFFk
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZho7K40Y0Y
“You just gon’ stand there breathing all heavy like you tryna memorize me?”62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyR8e28emnX
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyHEw0leMOo
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1rK8MoS9hP
“Something like that.”62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJMuO8pDPN5
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0B3Gaoomyh
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEB69rUEXwr
She glanced at me, smirked, then went back to wiping.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCLKfvcy6mx
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7OmsxuI8iI
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzWA1oiI7dP
I stepped closer.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpSdXkrQaZ6
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhdS3M9kzIm
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq89SK57sfb
“Let me take you out.”62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl9ZHBkeZ61
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqPwFIufQUd
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb33jlnzC28
She froze for half a second—barely—but I caught it.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSSWc7d9ssI
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs0QATfqmVy
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt1TtXmD32S
“Out where?”62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPB4XvIZjfz
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvkh6oqS3B7
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Okc8j4Bu2
“Somewhere that don’t got dice, drinks, or dollar signs attached to it.”62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp2oVXywrwQ
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnjAzHHhTrd
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡilGjRXgcdN
“So… what? Church?”62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0lTY9KXEBm
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfGufxC4K9X
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1t7ihNTai0
I laughed. She had jokes.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3fiWwISVKs
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwe0gFSDl9g
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMzLHCMPamW
“Nah, not church. But somethin’ light. You, me, real food. Real conversation.”62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXmmCRrzuhN
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcWpUu8iAmC
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Zu9fRVgVn
She set the rag down and leaned on the table, eyes narrowed like she was trying to figure out if I was serious.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsNHUEuqmMF
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo0E0leb6D3
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZLUzyoRQfK
“You asking me out? Or tryna collect a debt?”62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgcq4OKd1Tj
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6nR2WbKXMw
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMSk6Lxv2fb
“I’m askin’.”62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLlvntcPesy
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJ1w6gqlyn
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLe9hvLFQmd
“And what if I say no?”62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyywFF3CkxD
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjoc4fouYpu
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm3F7mesDVm
“Then I’ll ask again next week. And the one after that.”62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKAFrsFSLYX
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW190TlvqBP
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhWgEz1WHGu
She tilted her head like she was trying to hide her smile, then shrugged.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6v9t6s2zgj
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwoIVYaJhh8
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC0dRWsqKHd
“I mean… I guess if I ain’t got nothin’ better to do.”62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0oJ8M4SmFR
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOYPENx3RjX
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpoLT1nHWV1
I stepped in a little closer.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz6h5h04ped
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhwCKFikgj0
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8lx0NMk1xH
“So that’s a yes?”62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7yvYLE6lmN
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOkJ2h1PSxm
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjh7fdT6TBr
“It’s a ‘maybe I’ll let you spend your money on me if I get bored.’”62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4xPfunoOdG
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtQZ9I26ocg
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD4XBd6W1wN
I just smiled.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPwvZgro572
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKXNn8Q8LF5
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYDzCLgsWlM
“Cool. I’ll send you the address. Saturday. Don’t be late.”62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu5zSXowQt5
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMpL3B4MpLb
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGhGnMciVWc
“I don’t do late. I just do entrances.”62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQFgKLJxROZ
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2lGkQnVOPo
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJt0PBVVRtc
She turned around and walked away, hips swinging like she knew damn well what she was doing to me.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡySk7x3LdPG
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGx90RWOLgM
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVilukPqPNj
And me?62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuxNdUYAgGI
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYeQNjzOK1u
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkfAvr0Nc1Q
I left grinning like a damn fool.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9C1X0daknJ
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXewzRasXVe
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhrWMZZgxJa
She said yes.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvaX3HddBZH
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5NYr5Okkdb
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfDui0Mqb4m
Even if she tried to play like she didn’t mean it, I saw it in her eyes.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0CBHbyEueq
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR1SlOkBmo6
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6SrmCKEJCQ
She was just as curious as I was.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeblyNrPEgc
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5yXGZ2ABNA
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnbHKKmgErt
And now?62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWsE5h5TkUy
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.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6VZC5KcQFN
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62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Gp30rAhOm
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.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjcFUScZcd1
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnMJKTJrTeM
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8WiJAEDAe0
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.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrysCHBGRZP
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHmSLtkz2vP
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJVU3hu9kcZ
But there was tension beneath it all.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU5i4G7Zhtq
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkhU6nB6py3
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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.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWvFmFcDzeD
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN6cKAlQt35
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Until I slipped.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvx6gr5FmEI
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5FpOCULl0f
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtgjbSZflPS
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.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0FP1ejvNtk
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu3SY34mpRj
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWal03yAiCL
“Sometimes… I feel like I gotta control everything else ‘cause the one thing I can’t control is how people see me.”62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8s8Os6gbvU
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZWcKYdFhCk
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡULDNg7PyDu
She looked at me then, not like I was Kairo the tough guy, but Kairo the man hiding cracks under the surface.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTegWmMt14F
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhJ2tGBeWXQ
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHljvbdJrgC
That silence wasn’t awkward. It was real.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf8xFdBVUuR
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRRcatSwDYn
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHcKysGsU2x
She reached across the table and brushed her fingers over mine.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeMFHdwDPY9
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfqJMUVWscg
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiegDY1a7x0
“That’s a lot to carry.”62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFqH5grOstK
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGdaYN6KqQA
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOa07gp9VNN
“Yeah… but it’s my shit.”62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg44Rf7iTQ9
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyoSQovSon8
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcC3oIz2clP
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.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ14KKF4SIrI
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDxTaNOjw3b
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡugnxahPkfP
The way every book on my shelf was perfectly aligned.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBN2lCp9QWw
How the dishes were stacked by size and color.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ59NR9Zdw4
The way I checked the locks twice before sitting down.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQOhwRVrSHw
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVXKdarNcMC
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw8fPn3tQDr
“You’re kinda… particular.”62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPa3fhNq74X
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9UNs7R1NNz
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡas3CkBATpw
I laughed it off, but she caught the edge.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8jjdvNhTz6
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqQ2Tu3FXYX
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXBtI5QdnTv
“I got OCD. It’s like a voice in my head telling me things gotta be right or I can’t breathe.”62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlPfCCBo5hV
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrYKbLt6isN
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9D7dE5IX5L
She nodded like she understood that struggle more than I’d thought.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO3MSSdMMy4
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8bqd43ycLw
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfADhERQ02u
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.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnhcv8AhEyP
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9WN0u1z4lU
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2OOXdldO86
She smiled like she was already fighting her way into our world.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJGtPbLkd7u
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXdlJDipr0C
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi4padAVPns
That night, between the neat lines and the rough edges, something shifted.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHfnMuYOMdD
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjHWJNvMWT0
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡagwEmJecWY
I wasn’t just a tough guy anymore.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrTK3XSyYfB
And she wasn’t just the girl behind the bar.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpjBlEnjtqz
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaT1puyOOY9
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxJN2FDKSkQ
We were starting to be something real.62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Gt7okEQan
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqQ6MwxVUln
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6leo2sWnmz
62Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmWbiGbypjD
