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The night settled quietly over Liverpool, with the city still buzzing from the excitement of Trent's big game. He had played his heart out, scoring the winning goal and sealing the match for Liverpool. But as he stepped into his apartment, his thoughts weren't on the victory or the roaring crowd. Instead, they were on Imani, the way she had looked at him after the game, both proud and a little unsure.
Imani was on the couch, wrapped up in one of Trent's old hoodies, looking cozy but a bit lost in thought. When she saw him, she smiled, but there was something in her eyes that told him not everything was okay.
"Hey, hero," she said softly, opening her arms to him.
Trent didn't hesitate. He crossed the room and wrapped her up in a hug, burying his face in her hair. Her presence was comforting, but he could feel the tension in her body.
"Hey," he replied, his voice gentle. "What's going on? You seem a little off."
Imani sighed, her fingers playing with the edge of his shirt. "The game was incredible, Trent, and I'm so proud of you. But after today, I've been feeling...weird. People had a lot to say about me being at the game, and it wasn't all good. Some of the comments—they were pretty harsh."
Trent felt a stab of anger. He had seen some of the things people were saying online, and it made his blood boil. But seeing how it affected Imani—someone he cared about so deeply—made it even worse.
"I'm sorry you had to deal with that," he said, pulling back slightly to look her in the eyes. "You don't deserve any of it. Those people don't know you, or us."
She shook her head, looking down at her hands. "I thought I could handle it, but it's tough, you know? I wasn't prepared for how much it would hurt. And with everything that happened today, I've been thinking a lot about Jobe. It's making me question if I'm moving on too fast, or if I'm being unfair to his memory by being with you."
Trent's heart sank at the mention of Jobe. He knew how much Jobe had meant to Imani, and he had tried to give her space to grieve. But hearing her doubts now, he realized they needed to talk about it.
"Imani," he started, keeping his voice calm and steady, "you're not betraying Jobe by being with me. I know how much you loved him, and that losing him wasn't easy. But you deserve to be happy, too. Jobe would want that for you. He wouldn't want you to be stuck in the past."
She looked up at him, tears welling in her eyes. "Do you really believe that?"
Trent nodded, gently wiping away a tear that had escaped down her cheek. "I do. And I think if Jobe were here, he'd tell you to live your life, to find happiness again. And I want to help you do that. I want to be here for you, if you'll let me."
Imani took a deep breath, the sincerity in his voice bringing a sense of comfort she hadn't felt in a long time. "Okay," she whispered, her voice shaky but determined. "I'll try."
Trent smiled, relieved that she was willing to give them a chance. "That's all I ask."
They sat together in silence, holding each other close. The world outside kept moving, but in that moment, all that mattered was the two of them, trying to find a way forward together.
But deep down, Trent couldn't shake the feeling that they were still standing on shaky ground. The past, with all its memories and pain, was still there, waiting. And he knew that sooner or later, they'd have to face it, together.
A/N: I have so many chapters in my drafts. Should I just post them?
