Page 8 of Boards & Betrayal

"It's complicated," I said, my voice trembling. "Thomas... he’s…"

Kara nodded slowly, her gaze unwavering. "Yeah. I know you have a history. But why don't you tell me what's really going on?"

I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of my secrets pressing down on me. The memories of that night with Thomas—the brief escape from my heartache over Nick, the unexpected pregnancy, and the devastation after that—flooded back.

Kara reached across the table and squeezed my hand gently. "I do understand more than you think," she said softly. "But maybe this could be a step forward? Maybe it could help?"

I pulled my hand back and wrapped my arms around myself, feeling the tears prick at the corners of my eyes. "It’s too much," I whispered. "Seeing him... it brings everything back."

Kara sighed and leaned back in her chair. "I’m sorry, Ally. I didn’t mean to push you."

The cafe’s noise seemed to swell around us as if mocking the silence that fell between us. My mind raced with images—Thomas’s intense gaze, the way he’d looked at me that night, the brief glimmer of something real before everything shattered.

"I just thought it might be a good opportunity," Kara added softly.

"I know," I replied, wiping at an errant tear before it could fall. "But right now, I need to focus on getting through each day without falling apart."

Kara nodded slowly. "Okay. But if you change your mind..."

I forced a small smile for her sake. "Thanks for understanding."

She squeezed my hand once more before letting go completely. The conversation shifted then, moving to safer topics—the latest assignments for our classes and Kara's newest journalism project—but a part of me remained stuck on what could have been.

As we talked, I felt a mix of relief and regret swirl within me like an unpredictable storm.

Kara's phone rang, its sharp tone cutting through our conversation. She frowned, quickly clicking it off.

"What's that?" I asked, curiosity piqued.

"Oh, it's nothing," she said, her tone dismissive.

I pursed my lips, not convinced. "Kara..."

She sighed, setting her phone down. "Look, don't worry about it. The Detroit Serpents want me to send over a portfolio. They're looking for a new blogger or sports journalist or whatever."

My heart sank. I knew how much this meant to her. She’d been dreaming of an opportunity like this for years.

"I was actually going to use this spread on Morgan as the main point of the portfolio," she continued, her voice tinged with frustration. "I remember what happened that night at the Masquerade. How both Nick and Morgan lost their shit. How you got in the middle..." She shuddered, her eyes clouding with the memory. "Morgan lost it even more. I didn't think that was possible."

I sucked in a breath, guilt clutching my chest like a vise. The memory of that chaotic night flashed through my mind—Nick's anger, Thomas's outburst, and my desperate attempt to keep things from spiraling further.

"But don't worry about it," Kara said quickly, sensing my distress. "I don't want to put you in any situation you don't want to be in."

I looked at her, seeing the hope and anxiety flickering in her eyes. She was graduating soon, just like me. This was her shot at something big, something she’d worked so hard for.

"Kara," I started, my voice wavering. "I... I know how important this is for you."

She shook her head. "It's okay, Ally. Really."

But it wasn’t okay. Not to me. I couldn’t stand the thought of letting her down, especially when she’d always been there for me.

"I'll do it," I said suddenly, surprising myself as much as her.

Her eyes widened in disbelief. "Are you sure?"

I nodded, though my heart pounded fiercely in my chest. "Yeah... I'll do it."

Kara’s face lit up with relief and gratitude. "Thank you so much, Ally! You don’t know how much this means to me."

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