Betty’s POV
The farmhouse had felt like a safe harbor, the kind of place where the world couldn’t touch you. Leaving it to return to campus felt harder than I expected, but I knew it was time.
Brent had been his usual calm self that morning, pouring me coffee in one of his chipped mugs and chatting about the morning chores like it was just another day. I admired how he made everything feel normal, even as I struggled with the weight of leaving him behind.
“I’ll call you when I get there,” I’d said, giving him a small smile as I loaded my bag into the car.
He’d leaned against the doorframe, his arms crossed. “You better. I need updates on everything—the team, the magazine, all of it.”
I’d laughed, the sound a little shaky. “Deal.”
Now, back on campus, it felt like I’d stepped into another life. The quad was alive with students laughing and rushing to their next classes. The crisp autumn air carried the familiar scent of pine and freshly fallen leaves, but it didn’t quite shake the heaviness in my chest.
I unpacked slowly, letting my thoughts wander. Everything felt… okay. Stacey and I were allies now, and it felt good to have her in my corner. We’d gone through so much together, and for once, I didn’t feel like I had to watch my back around her.
Marcus hadn’t crossed my mind much—not since the incident with Brent at the farmhouse. Stacey had never brought him up, and I’d never asked. Whatever was going on between them, it wasn’t my place to pry. I was done letting Marcus and his chaos overshadow the things that mattered.
Still, a faint curiosity lingered in the back of my mind. Where had Marcus gone after everything? Did Stacey ever speak to him? I shook the thoughts away. It didn’t matter.
Brent’s face came to mind instead—his quiet smile as he’d held my hand, the way he’d said, “You’ve got this.” He always believed in me, even when I wasn’t sure I believed in myself.
I glanced at my phone, tempted to send him a message, but stopped myself. I didn’t want to pull him away from the life he loved, even for a moment.
For now, I’d focus on what was in front of me: the team, the magazine, and the life I was trying to build.