Kiara didn't realize how heavy paper could be until it was stacked in front of her.
Application forms.
Financial statements.
Business permits.
Enrollment guidelines.
They lay spread across the counter of Torres Brew long after closing time, illuminated only by the warm glow of a single desk lamp. Outside, the city had settled into its nighttime rhythm—cars passing, voices fading, lights flickering on and off like distant stars.
Inside, Kiara sat hunched over the counter, pen in hand, staring at a question she had been avoiding for over an hour.
SOURCE OF SPONSORSHIP (IF ANY):
Her pen hovered.
She set it down.
She rubbed her face with both hands and exhaled shakily.
"Why is this so hard?" she whispered to no one.
Because writing Shane Benson would make it real.
Because it would mean accepting help she'd spent years convincing herself she didn't need.
Her phone buzzed.
She glanced at the screen.
Unknown Number
Her heart skipped before she could stop it.
"Hello?" she answered cautiously.
"Kiara," Shane's voice said softly. "I didn't mean to call this late."
"It's fine," she replied. "I'm still at the shop."
There was a pause. "Still working?"
"Yes."
Another pause—longer this time. "You shouldn't be alone this late."
"I usually am."
That landed heavier than she expected.
"I won't keep you," Shane said gently. "I just wanted to remind you… whatever you decide, I'll respect it."
Her grip tightened around the phone.
"What if I make the wrong choice?" she asked quietly.
"You won't," he replied. "You'll make the bravest one you can with what you know now."
After the call ended, Kiara sat in silence, the words echoing in her chest.
She picked up the pen again.
Before she could write anything, the door rattled.
Her head snapped up.
"Open up!" a voice barked from outside.
Her pulse spiked.
She moved cautiously and unlocked the door just enough to see the landlord standing there, irritation etched into his face.
"I've been patient," he said sharply. "But patience doesn't pay bills."
"I have seven days," Kiara said, keeping her voice steady.
"You have six now," he replied coldly. "I suggest you find a solution."
He turned and left without another word.
The door clicked shut.
Kiara sank back against it, her chest tight, vision blurring.
Six days.
The papers on the counter suddenly felt meaningless. Dreams didn't matter if she lost the shop. University didn't matter if she had nowhere left to stand.
She slid down onto the floor, hugging her knees to her chest.
This was the part no one talked about—the loneliness of trying to be strong when no one was watching.
The next morning, exhaustion clung to her like a second skin.
Shane walked into the shop mid-morning and immediately sensed something was wrong.
"You didn't sleep," he said quietly.
She shook her head. "I'm fine."
He glanced at the stack of papers behind the counter. "You've been working all night."
"So have you," she countered, noticing the faint weariness in his eyes.
For a moment, they simply stood there—two tired people carrying different kinds of weight.
Then Clara walked in.
Again.
Her gaze swept over the shop before settling on Kiara. "You look exhausted," she said lightly. "This kind of pressure isn't for everyone."
Kiara said nothing.
Clara turned to Shane. "The board is concerned. You're distracted. Emotionally involved."
Kiara's chest tightened.
"I'm not," Shane said calmly.
Clara laughed softly. "You're here, aren't you?"
That was enough.
"I think you should leave," Kiara said quietly.
Clara raised a brow. "Excuse me?"
"This is my shop," Kiara continued, her voice steady despite the tremor inside her. "And whatever this is—it doesn't belong here."
Silence fell.
Clara studied her for a moment, then smiled thinly. "Be careful," she said. "People like him don't wait forever."
After she left, the shop felt smaller.
Shane turned to Kiara. "I never meant for this to—"
"I know," she interrupted.
She took a breath, then reached into her bag and pulled out the application form.
She placed it on the counter between them.
"I haven't filled it in yet," she said. "But I'm thinking about it."
Shane didn't touch the paper.
He just looked at her.
And for the first time, Kiara didn't feel like she was falling.
She felt like she was choosing.
Not him.
Not yet.
But herself.
😚
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