I don’t ask women out. Not ‘cause I can’t.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO2PQOxK3Ny
But ‘cause I don’t like giving people that kind of power.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSjWVzRx0Sn
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiPaNg1uHul
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3chcgcjZPA
But Brielle?49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkEAdwGDg4E
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAQb3boY9Zg
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡftMEanDdG5
She had me doing shit I don’t normally do.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNkIlTIIPbz
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJgoqa1CYIm
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1PFooWWuJ2
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.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4595gqW7EQ
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡScSFNnkSy8
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡilTck7W91L
So I pulled up to No Chill ATL around closing time. Waited ‘til the last drunk couple stumbled out and the lights dimmed.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡitrD9EHZit
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhrzPLbBsNt
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEi45wMrqIL
She was wiping down tables, music low in the background, hair tied up, lip gloss shining like she was trying to distract me.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS4yGjndKpB
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ZTJpuoLlf
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2U8eH0GQnY
I stood by the bar and waited. She didn’t even look up.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡByWZh3PQZV
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmxKTSjcCNK
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj5Q7hrgrmW
“You just gon’ stand there breathing all heavy like you tryna memorize me?”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3eof6IKZSh
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvaPrbzCFfP
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfJTxaM6WQe
“Something like that.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡheOzmtvOOo
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfXhWs0VEMi
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnsLko0wUtP
She glanced at me, smirked, then went back to wiping.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlplc6nAkck
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0lLZnuadOk
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlERJasERx5
I stepped closer.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBimDf16MYf
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUvF2hNpZ7j
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy9yUmPxsbM
“Let me take you out.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkCVwbcDbSg
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMF65bM8UnK
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdGRxG3X6lp
She froze for half a second—barely—but I caught it.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5LVnTkhr0f
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdt0TCGigZ
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ13OlhQL1YJ
“Out where?”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUdX1mD0tNW
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuxaRNXjWGo
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCHFtJbA0Hp
“Somewhere that don’t got dice, drinks, or dollar signs attached to it.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ24jLwMpGvM
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn1p7PYfucX
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYKfftPMt2c
“So… what? Church?”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Ix0sagysq
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnmH9O1cr3t
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWwyIMBJBma
I laughed. She had jokes.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8kPrF3GF6V
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlqi3vxjbVJ
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3xCxidSjue
“Nah, not church. But somethin’ light. You, me, real food. Real conversation.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwpaccybuaL
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOLvLx3scSV
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2hVbi3AR7
She set the rag down and leaned on the table, eyes narrowed like she was trying to figure out if I was serious.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3uQQJ6B6H4
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHXchZBqeIK
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0pEXqhV3Tc
“You asking me out? Or tryna collect a debt?”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6IBxwIKnCT
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyuM6yqhIKQ
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNdkLvoZjPj
“I’m askin’.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXtaWXJpIWM
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwxYHgTWSoE
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqZMuveV6dG
“And what if I say no?”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBjMDIH1DiA
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡehuEKVhB3K
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmRwrYaBsa2
“Then I’ll ask again next week. And the one after that.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRpKFLBpTFR
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVfVHDqfcTv
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1IxJVVeY59
She tilted her head like she was trying to hide her smile, then shrugged.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ikVpAkEn8
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3S6uPgSxp0
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpbFxdYBaEJ
“I mean… I guess if I ain’t got nothin’ better to do.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlv6ifGgzZ4
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQFZLl5Kq3q
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3PPgasAZh8
I stepped in a little closer.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0o9UKedu1s
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhp9Woj6jtr
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwqUjBoFb0S
“So that’s a yes?”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡASFem3lVhC
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCxCtgJV0BS
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBAyqQML38q
“It’s a ‘maybe I’ll let you spend your money on me if I get bored.’”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ84WSNPtxBO
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmHbApEaKad
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZkz7fOSxRf
I just smiled.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS7f7Z2f1dY
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEXb0xKv82T
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhQ8B3R2C8C
“Cool. I’ll send you the address. Saturday. Don’t be late.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbK3WQHHV6w
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBIDkSnpk1i
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡezhM15Bfg4
“I don’t do late. I just do entrances.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ159M1TNxkA
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK3CjYN99eA
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuGVjzoYAjG
She turned around and walked away, hips swinging like she knew damn well what she was doing to me.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA2A08jyXGT
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRsZ2NOuXmo
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYOMRlsIq2X
And me?49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjgz11r68Av
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3tFp46qAbd
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzk7mlEjfHE
I left grinning like a damn fool.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrAzEwV6z8J
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfQOdQ3mXZM
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoIJxWw9OtI
She said yes.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNTXmGtxuKc
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqMkxsktWrN
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlStQFOF9Rr
Even if she tried to play like she didn’t mean it, I saw it in her eyes.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzRol9zOmtx
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYMjOGwAsCB
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡULuTKjogEl
She was just as curious as I was.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7qEiD5aaJx
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNTRWLOEs2C
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLykYWnPoMD
And now?49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf1GMXbHsqR
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.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIQETVlpzI0
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW8DwsjtmIA
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Tc5VqU4g7
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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.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIQ5gqnb37C
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVYyMdZf7sq
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnrTiNxQDdv
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.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhmu7QNfanB
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLadn2bKUDj
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4qbHdPgnCC
But there was tension beneath it all.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPotVJPIXeg
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwcaqWIujL6
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKBofrJ44yu
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.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6rOFvuz4nK
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRRofi0ucVY
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Until I slipped.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhMa87SIwOh
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmrLtf6bjLc
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8VE9hO0AGk
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.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCyqXKF3saQ
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrH9BqjSsDW
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6N5Ri1SHFY
“Sometimes… I feel like I gotta control everything else ‘cause the one thing I can’t control is how people see me.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkvN0NCiLxx
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNlT5iPvKqF
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFhew6SLWnU
She looked at me then, not like I was Kairo the tough guy, but Kairo the man hiding cracks under the surface.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9bHLf8DvnK
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5QuwXLfIrU
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Ex1mPmamk
That silence wasn’t awkward. It was real.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX3LlT9UCgY
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYrG9YnJKGY
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKxafavt1S
She reached across the table and brushed her fingers over mine.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHBsyd3lOuo
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBMItJnyh7v
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnZSE3cDj9X
“That’s a lot to carry.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyk3v0CVx3M
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoPnPa3Dhvi
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfwr3dARHAN
“Yeah… but it’s my shit.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdLOqhHzWR1
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡipb7P0QhBL
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVni8yROPRr
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.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡedQjjFUk2a
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCYvWyluTjW
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ66mRas6T9M
The way every book on my shelf was perfectly aligned.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmZp1qaud3u
How the dishes were stacked by size and color.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpu9KvlGfTX
The way I checked the locks twice before sitting down.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNNNEdWeASm
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwYmxfbHB70
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzd9yhjZmE5
“You’re kinda… particular.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4naqNNU7Tp
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHDRizXS4HA
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1HcA5NoeLi
I laughed it off, but she caught the edge.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpVGqvMo1t5
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0xD8fyyl8e
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡehr0MMB6hi
“I got OCD. It’s like a voice in my head telling me things gotta be right or I can’t breathe.”49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYPC6fAo34R
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcZE3iPO2kI
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwcB4h7r0bi
She nodded like she understood that struggle more than I’d thought.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Upffvcycn
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgrCOtGvnwH
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ9G5NI4lNV
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.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjp2Bb3OcwG
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡngKtYm3Boz
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuNSzmnoMUw
She smiled like she was already fighting her way into our world.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgGetFX4lFP
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3rXXFk4zay
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHBxllbTaYU
That night, between the neat lines and the rough edges, something shifted.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0cDAGRMtXu
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJTw0lz8SkB
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuW8aj8AswE
I wasn’t just a tough guy anymore.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoEYllWsAdO
And she wasn’t just the girl behind the bar.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJdZcdZoPGv
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa80d8RC3Pl
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3diWHjhrCZ
We were starting to be something real.49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQQQAuE6akF
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkCcANOb2OD
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzkUrcSglol
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkhOSd4XSqo
