Brent’s POV
My phone buzzed on the table, jolting me out of my thoughts. I glanced at the screen, half-hoping it would be Betty, but it was Stacey.
Hey, want to grab coffee after practice?
I stared at the message, feeling a flicker of guilt. The time we’d spent together had been good, easy. But my heart felt unsettled. I missed Betty, missed the way she understood me without needing explanations. I missed the friend who’d always been there.
I typed out a quick reply. Sure.
As Stacey and I sat in the small coffee shop on campus, I watched her laugh at something the barista said, her face lighting up. She was different than I’d expected. Funny, sharp, thoughtful. She had shown me a side of herself that she usually kept hidden—genuine, vulnerable. But as much as I wanted to feel something deeper, I couldn’t shake the empty feeling gnawing at me.
“So, what’s next?” she asked, snapping me out of my thoughts. “You’re finally on the basketball team, co-captain no less. Pretty impressive.”
I shrugged. “Yeah, it’s good. I’m excited.”
Stacey studied me, her smile fading. “But something’s bothering you, isn’t it? You can talk to me, you know. You don’t have to pretend.”
For a moment, I considered telling her the truth—that being here, with her, felt like a distraction from something bigger, something I couldn’t ignore. But the words stuck in my throat.
“Just… adjusting,” I said finally, forcing a smile. “Everything’s different now.”
Stacey nodded, her gaze thoughtful. “Change is hard. But maybe it’s worth it. Sometimes, you have to let go of the past to make room for what’s next.”
Her words struck a chord, and I felt a pang of guilt. Was I holding onto something that no longer fit? Or was I just scared of moving forward?