Brent’s POV
It was dark when we got back to the house, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink that made everything look softer. Betty kicked off her shoes at the door, letting out a sigh that was equal parts exhaustion and relief.
“Okay,” she said, brushing her hair back from her face. “I’m officially done for the day.”
I laughed, setting my keys on the counter. “Come on, it wasn’t that bad.”
“You made me hike two days in a row,” she said, pointing an accusatory finger at me. “That’s practically a crime.”
I raised my hands in surrender. “Fine. Tomorrow, we’ll do something low-key. Ice cream and a movie?”
“Now you’re talking,” she muttered, collapsing onto the couch.
I sat down in the armchair across from her, watching as she stared up at the ceiling like it held all the answers.
There was a peace about her here, a kind of calm I hadn’t seen in her back on campus. It reminded me why I’d come back to this town in the first place—why I’d decided to stay.
“Betty,” I said, my voice quieter now.
She turned her head, raising an eyebrow. “What?”
“I need to tell you something.”
Her expression shifted, her teasing fading into something more cautious. “Okay...”
I hesitated, running a hand through my hair. “I’m not going back to campus next semester.”
The words hung in the air between us, heavier than I expected.
“What?” she said, sitting up straighter. “What do you mean you’re not going back?”
“I mean I’m staying here,” I said, meeting her gaze. “I’m finishing school here.”
Her mouth opened, then closed, like she didn’t know what to say.
“Why?” she finally asked, her voice sharper than I’d anticipated.
“Because I need a break,” I said, leaning forward. “From all of it. The city, the chaos, the drama. I just... I need this.”
“You need this,” she repeated, her tone flat.
I nodded. “Yeah.”
She stared at me, her eyes narrowing slightly. “You didn’t even tell me.”
“I’m telling you now,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.
Her jaw tightened, and I could see the wheels turning in her head, the questions forming before she even asked them.
“This is because of Megan, isn’t it?” she said, her voice sharp. “Because of everything that happened with her.”
“It’s not just Megan,” I said quickly. “It’s everything. The team, the city, the pressure—”
“You came to the city to play basketball,” she interrupted. “To get out of this town.”
“I came to the city to be with you,” I said before I could stop myself.
The words hit her like a physical blow, her eyes widening in shock.
“Brent...”
“I mean it,” I said, my voice softening. “You were the reason I went to campus in the first place. And now—”
“Now you’re leaving,” she said, cutting me off. “Because it’s easier to run away than to deal with what happened.”
“That’s not fair,” I said, my frustration bubbling up.
“Isn’t it?” she shot back, standing up and crossing her arms. “You didn’t tell me. You didn’t even give me a chance to—”
“To what?” I said, standing up too. “To talk me out of it? To tell me I should stay and keep pretending like everything’s fine? You didn’t tell me much anything that happens between you and Marcus.”
Her eyes flashed, and for a second, I thought she might yell. But instead, she shook her head, her voice quieter now. “I don’t know what to say to you, Brent.”
“You don’t have to say anything,” I said, stepping closer. “Just... understand why I’m doing this.”
She looked at me, her expression unreadable. Then, without a word, she turned and walked toward the door.
“Betty—”
“I need some air,” she said, her voice tight. “I’ll see you later.”