I don’t ask women out. Not ‘cause I can’t.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvczLhSaLqq
But ‘cause I don’t like giving people that kind of power.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaN352X05Li
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKFRm2T8np9
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZxaVJ0WUXn
But Brielle?37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEZqlJCkLtV
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7THSqIbh0g
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ51vSkpKYU0
She had me doing shit I don’t normally do.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdZDMBuQurO
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoE0AYHN0fc
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnx0Po2FiGn
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.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Ro1Tc621K
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPRlaB4PhMx
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUqZiEgYmQl
So I pulled up to No Chill ATL around closing time. Waited ‘til the last drunk couple stumbled out and the lights dimmed.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8XaxsuBP6H
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeH1ANOdtXB
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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.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQgZOKG6ld
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcsiABCues7
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7FJh3OQqTL
I stood by the bar and waited. She didn’t even look up.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrEInGltlgH
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuBDlAFL7He
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡruqtbEY3zW
“You just gon’ stand there breathing all heavy like you tryna memorize me?”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWQJovPBy5R
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfvdGQ9sltq
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGWC0Md1iKC
“Something like that.”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIBXeFA52bP
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd3e8ckeNra
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She glanced at me, smirked, then went back to wiping.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7b8mMesS0v
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwaYfia87YL
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡObJxg5LDv1
I stepped closer.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL48ANYRVgp
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvMaBmQPIM9
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzDFeoFjTO7
“Let me take you out.”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡod6vQPJytb
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ99fSLwD0l2
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8seij1pCdm
She froze for half a second—barely—but I caught it.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYJOqZxKMBZ
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnuiTXCCRXM
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMWfwsrxTz9
“Out where?”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPJDzaIA7FN
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaDVRfv1J39
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtld8H7JZxi
“Somewhere that don’t got dice, drinks, or dollar signs attached to it.”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvNcNYO8yXO
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIP8uSmSDLd
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK5HP4N0RaQ
“So… what? Church?”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzVPLzJe0c7
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtQr5uKnav7
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw3N12mCFbb
I laughed. She had jokes.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOfvNOAAvCi
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ17yjPNeKTn
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8mdwGjvyWw
“Nah, not church. But somethin’ light. You, me, real food. Real conversation.”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFMCiT31Ag1
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSGRNvBTWvT
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdou3J4Un8M
She set the rag down and leaned on the table, eyes narrowed like she was trying to figure out if I was serious.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnrv1ZAsTWt
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYmGyC4XilC
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9NpYZh6Dwi
“You asking me out? Or tryna collect a debt?”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ2IolOWUVb
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQbfuAarvNl
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡExRE3DCDJj
“I’m askin’.”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjnTsSSShBB
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡecOVKjZr5g
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Z7bdB7W4z
“And what if I say no?”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUM5uNgVaru
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡucAIO4czpD
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVZb2UOnUjR
“Then I’ll ask again next week. And the one after that.”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrhBmIm7C2c
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVkKnavHvsW
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsbBljXbbXp
She tilted her head like she was trying to hide her smile, then shrugged.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQdZxYZ0iCT
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwuPoiEyFku
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPSa3zY3IOG
“I mean… I guess if I ain’t got nothin’ better to do.”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3RBchXRsFu
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0NP5t0ZWTZ
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I stepped in a little closer.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWNE9cn4q1f
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcUmkcIbjUK
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9aqvRB8XYQ
“So that’s a yes?”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡffAGxVYFrD
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8kwiDnYtqy
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwFjnPrvQQD
“It’s a ‘maybe I’ll let you spend your money on me if I get bored.’”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRPDsDNesdx
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1G8rF1X2sd
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4RW4ExCKAM
I just smiled.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRaCHtatTLR
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ017MuCSqNY
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYBLRTTFl3s
“Cool. I’ll send you the address. Saturday. Don’t be late.”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBRjIrjCSVJ
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4tgxHAp2Z1
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡisb3gUV4gN
“I don’t do late. I just do entrances.”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQSfE3FSgBj
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡldCjVRc54V
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFlekjE2auz
She turned around and walked away, hips swinging like she knew damn well what she was doing to me.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXmzLgC9LWF
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO73coUINnn
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6U7GpwL8TC
And me?37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqNjGlY3SYK
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL5HHAgFcJO
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ35zruUgNug
I left grinning like a damn fool.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKsRgvV9paF
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIFjSNgoHXZ
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdaE4tfEoM9
She said yes.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ23HZRA3RGH
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37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZhMWFiM2Tm
Even if she tried to play like she didn’t mean it, I saw it in her eyes.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkSK2IEVhW9
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNf5QtjZrHI
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She was just as curious as I was.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGliM1lgg3P
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuz4xUUL4c4
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYOMddRyYM4
And now?37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGe8HIuGHlN
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.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrplRI5487t
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx8vRE0w4Fj
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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.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8mRJCYlAT0
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡterLO2LQ6N
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeTcz5mS2vf
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.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAOc8jiXkjL
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPrQQWhnQ0W
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But there was tension beneath it all.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiHrpJUkl6i
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSbZaC9u4Mi
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0UEFgufzRS
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.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl8stKkS4Wj
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg0CJ06ri2a
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ68iUnRFaod
Until I slipped.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLuY6ZZYcY9
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOV9foKsT89
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK2Kgb5XlaS
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.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHzP6AHdznw
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKUj9pMjtoC
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3NSSyaHTkW
“Sometimes… I feel like I gotta control everything else ‘cause the one thing I can’t control is how people see me.”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKW4L1plVb8
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsUSZVIBGyR
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPkvbnqUFqA
She looked at me then, not like I was Kairo the tough guy, but Kairo the man hiding cracks under the surface.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEMWoLZre8d
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa0A6tgU2Ud
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTUNvwmr9rM
That silence wasn’t awkward. It was real.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaIoK8nUyo3
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3GXzksNFBv
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwPvxty9dEi
She reached across the table and brushed her fingers over mine.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOXZYYmOjUw
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvlRpU8RrxL
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbSgirJetFT
“That’s a lot to carry.”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLTFg7kDFH8
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqcJCpQ4T7E
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOkknc1hC6a
“Yeah… but it’s my shit.”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyFgj5TL9m8
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu17zrWi1SV
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJbHuxTs9ZK
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.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbjrhUX9wbR
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeUVVv074rI
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The way every book on my shelf was perfectly aligned.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUaXuPaclKc
How the dishes were stacked by size and color.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYvKaX8tpFM
The way I checked the locks twice before sitting down.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp51s9Wl5Ku
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWdbuhM7lvB
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq4In3rB4C4
“You’re kinda… particular.”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGUb7SIk9IN
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMFrf0Pn4NF
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvW23oz0Xqj
I laughed it off, but she caught the edge.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPowZmGuVXq
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw5c2hchrWs
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMH3V63jbdy
“I got OCD. It’s like a voice in my head telling me things gotta be right or I can’t breathe.”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlTmCIqeAVy
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbEJb4ypHzf
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTuSDjVq949
She nodded like she understood that struggle more than I’d thought.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLJ3ERlNejS
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdGyR04l2Lz
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbULN49xmpj
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.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjvqN46fty6
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcczCwQEEq1
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdTe1umolm6
She smiled like she was already fighting her way into our world.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyBBpE66Jpp
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXF2Z6gdGj2
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsoZd7YL45P
That night, between the neat lines and the rough edges, something shifted.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuIRjAsRKzm
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHboYVb7fTv
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFzxVOV0KCk
I wasn’t just a tough guy anymore.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk3aF17w3dg
And she wasn’t just the girl behind the bar.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvlJK7teVya
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0dCDO56Ek6
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlPqv9UEfMs
We were starting to be something real.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡifodk2xGjF
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡueHJ64chwG
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD3WH9Rl2vO
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGh8dJhNBt2
