𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐄 𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐓

Chapter Six : Broken Promises

Ｑｕｅｎｔｉｎ 

The tunnel felt eerily quiet after the adrenaline of the game. The cheering fans, the roaring crowd—it was all just noise now, fading into the background as I stood there, face-to-face with Kiara for the first time in years.

Her presence hit me harder than any post-game interview or celebration ever could. She had always been the girl who slipped through my fingers, the one I let get away. And now, here she was, standing in front of me, looking both familiar and like a stranger all at once.

I cleared my throat, trying to break the tension. "You're back," I said, though it sounded more like a question than a statement. "In L.A."

Kiara's lips curled into a soft smile, but there was hesitation in her eyes. "Yeah, for now at least." She shifted, her hand fiddling with the strap of her purse. "I heard you were doing big things. Primetime , huh? I always knew you'd make it."

I couldn't help but laugh at that, shaking my head. "You were the only one who believed that back then."

Her smile widened, the awkwardness between us lightening a bit. "Nah, I wasn't the only one. You were always gonna make it, Q. It was just a matter of time."

We stood there for a moment, the weight of the years between us heavy in the air. There was so much I wanted to say—so much I needed to ask—but the words weren't coming. Not yet. So instead, I kept it simple.

"I'm glad you came."

Kiara looked down for a second, almost like she was weighing her next words. "Yeah, well... it's been a long time. And I figured if I didn't show up tonight, I might never see you again. This is your world now."

She gestured around the emptying stadium, and I could see the mixture of pride and... something else in her eyes. Was it regret? Nostalgia? I couldn't tell, but it made my chest tighten.

"You're still part of it," I said, stepping closer, my voice soft. "You don't have to feel like you're on the outside."

Kiara looked up, her eyes meeting mine, and for a second, it felt like we were right back where we started—two kids with big dreams, too stubborn to admit how much we needed each other or even liked eachother.

"I don't know, Q. You're out here living your dream, and I'm just... I'm just trying to figure out what's next."

I could hear the uncertainty in her voice, the vulnerability she rarely let show. And I wanted to fix it, to tell her that everything would be okay, that we could pick up where we left off. But I wasn't sure if that was what she wanted—or if it was even possible.

Before I could respond, she shifted, glancing at her Apple watch. "I should probably get going. I just wanted to come and watch you play. Support from the sidelines, like I used to."

She turned slightly, like she was ready to walk away again. My heart pounded in my chest, and I knew I couldn't let her leave like that. Not again.

"Kiara, wait."

She stopped but didn't turn around. I took a deep breath, the words tumbling out before I could overthink them.

"You should come by tomorrow. To my place. We could catch up, have dinner. I mean, if you're free."

She turned then, her expression a mix of surprise and something else I couldn't place. "Dinner?"

"Yeah. You know, talk. It's been a long time, Kiara. There's... there's a lot we haven't said."

Kiara hesitated, biting her lip as she considered it. I could see the indecision in her eyes, the way she was trying to protect herself. But then, slowly, she nodded.