Third-Person POV
The next day, Stacey and Brent walked together through the campus, an easy camaraderie settling between them. They’d celebrated his win the night before, a small gathering with just a few friends, and he found himself surprised by how easily he’d gotten along with Stacey.
She had a way of making things feel light, easy, fun—something he hadn’t expected from her. They wandered over to a quiet area outside the gym, where Stacey sat on the edge of a planter, glancing up at him with a curious smile.
“So… tell me,”You and Marcus—what was that all about? I thought you two were closer.”
Stacey scoffed, crossing her arms as she looked away. “Please. Marcus never saw me as anything real. I was just a trophy, someone to show off, someone to keep around because it was convenient.I know I’ve been awful to Betty, but… if I’m honest, Marcus doesn’t know what he has until he loses it. And I think he’ll do the same to her.”
Brent tilted his head, studying her thoughtfully. “So… aren’t you going to try and warn her? Stop him from hurting her?”
“Are you kidding? Betty hates me. And I doubt she’d listen, even if I did try to help.”
Stacey looked at him, her gaze softening. “But you… you’ve been there for her, haven’t you? Her loyal best friend.“Aren’t you going to save her?”
Brent paused, weighing her question carefully. “I’ve been doing that my whole life. But maybe this time, she needs to figure it out on her own.She’ll tell me if she needs me.”
Stacey changed the subject, a spark of excitement in her eyes. “Hey, have you ever gone to a real carnival?”
“Of course. We always had a small one in the suburbs. Nothing fancy, but… it was fun.”
“Would you take me to one? This weekend?”
“Yeah, I’d love to.”
For the first time, he felt a connection with Stacey that went beyond surface-level friendship. It was unexpected, but it was… real.