(Bryan's POV)

The theater was packed.

Rows of parents, friends, and students filled the seats, the air buzzing with anticipation. The warm glow of the stage lights bathed the red curtains, setting the perfect scene for what was about to be one of Amber's biggest performances yet.

And maybe—the last one I'd ever see.

I swallowed the thought, pushing it down as I adjusted the flowers in my lap. Lily was sitting beside me, practically vibrating with excitement, her legs swinging against the seat. She had been talking about this show for weeks, ever since Amber had told her she'd be dancing in Swan Lake.

Beside her, Isabella was fixing her dress, shifting in her seat. "This is gonna be amazing," she murmured, shooting me a glance. "You nervous?"

I raised a brow. "Why would I be nervous?"

She smirked. "Because you're in love with her, and she's about to blow everyone's minds, and you're gonna get all soft about it."

I scoffed. "You're so dramatic."

Isabella laughed quietly, but her eyes studied me for a beat longer.

I knew what she was actually asking.

She didn't know about the offer. Nobody did. But she could sense something was off.

And she was right.

The meeting with both coaches had gone better than I could've imagined. The Padres wanted me. They made it clear—if I wanted this spot, it was mine. I had until the end of the semester to decide, but deep down, I already knew.

I wanted to take it.

I had dreamed of this since I was a kid, worked my ass off for years, fought for this exact opportunity.

So why did it feel like there was a weight pressing against my chest?

Because of her.

Because as much as I wanted this, I didn't want to lose Amber.

And I didn't know if I could have both.

The lights dimmed, pulling me from my thoughts, and a hush fell over the crowd as the orchestra began to play.

Showtime.

Amber was flawless.

Every movement, every turn—effortless.

She moved like she was floating, like gravity had never been a concern for her in the first place. Her costume shimmered under the lights.

I could barely breathe.

Lily was completely mesmerized, hands gripping her stuffed bunny, her eyes wide as she whispered, "She looks like a real swan."

Isabella nudged me. "You're staring."

I didn't even argue. I was.

I had seen her dance before, but this? This was something else.

Amber had always been beautiful, but on stage—she was something more. Like she had been made for this, like every piece of her existed solely to do exactly this.

She hit the turn sequence—the one she had been obsessing over, the one she had stayed late practicing over and over again.

And it was perfect.

My chest tightened, something aching in my ribs.

I was so fucking proud of her.

But at the same time...

I knew she wasn't done yet.

She had years ahead of her in this. Bigger stages, bigger performances.

She wasn't going to stop here.

And neither was I.

The realization hit me like a punch to the gut.

We were both chasing something bigger.

And as much as I wanted to pretend that didn't mean anything—it did.

After the final bow, after the applause that seemed to shake the whole damn theater, I made my way toward the backstage entrance, Lily clutching my hand excitedly.

Amber hadn't come out yet, but dancers were already filtering into the halls, congratulating each other, hugging, still buzzing with adrenaline.

Isabella walked beside me, arms crossed. "You have that look."

I shot her a glance. "What look?"

She smirked. "The I'm about to do something stupid look."

I rolled my eyes. "I brought flowers, didn't I?"

"That doesn't mean you're not an idiot," she said easily, but there was something more serious in her eyes. Like she knew.

Like she was piecing things together.

Before I could say anything, the dressing room door opened, and there she was.

Amber.

Still in her stage makeup, hair slightly messy, her eyes lighting up the second she saw us.

Lily bolted first, running into her arms.

"You were amazing!" Lily squealed, hugging her tight.

Amber laughed, lifting her off the ground slightly before setting her back down. "You think so?"

Lily nodded so hard I thought her head might fall off. "Yes! You were like a real swan !"

Amber smiled, smoothing down her hair. "That means so much coming from a princess like you."

Lily beamed.

I stepped forward then, holding out the bouquet of white roses.

Amber's eyes softened. "Bryan..."

I smirked, handing them over. "Told you—you get flowers after every show."

She took them carefully, like they were something fragile, something more than just flowers.

I could tell she was holding back emotion, her fingers brushing against mine as she whispered, "Thank you."

I wanted to say something then.

To tell her everything.

That I had been offered a spot. That I wanted to take it. That I didn't want to lose her in the process.

But I couldn't.

Not tonight.

So instead, I brushed my thumb against her cheek for just a second longer than I should have.

"You were incredible," I murmured.

Amber's breath hitched.

Then, Isabella clapped her hands dramatically. "Okay, before I throw up from all this romance, can we go eat? Because I'm starving."

Amber laughed, shaking her head as she linked her arm through mine. "Yes. Let's go."

I let her lean into me, let myself pretend for a little longer that nothing was about to change.

But deep down, I knew.

The clock was ticking.

(Amber's POV)

By the time we got back to my dorm, I was exhausted, but in the best way possible.

The show had been full of adrenaline, music, and movement, and now that I was out of my costume and curled up in sweatpants and a hoodie, the weight of the evening was finally catching up to me.

Bryan, Isabella, Lily, and I had barely made it through dinner before everyone collectively agreed that a movie night was the only logical way to end the night. Which was how I found myself sitting on my bed, surrounded by my favorite people, as we attempted to pick a movie.

"Something funny," Isabella said, stretching her legs out, stealing half of the pillows on my bed. "I refuse to cry tonight."

Lily gasped dramatically. "What about a princess movie?"

Bryan, who was sitting on the floor against the bed, legs stretched out, his arm resting over his knee, snorted. "You mean like the one we watched last time? Where the prince had a musical number every five minutes?"

Lily pouted. "It was good!"

Isabella nodded. "I support this. Princess movies are elite."

I laughed, tucking my feet under me. "Okay, but if we do a princess movie, we need snacks."

Bryan rolled his eyes. "You guys are the worst."

"You love us," Isabella said, smirking.

Bryan threw a pillow at her face.

I giggled, leaning my head against the wall, just taking everything in.

The warm lighting in my dorm, the way Lily was trying to convince Bryan to braid her hair, Isabella trying to sabotage the movie selection by scrolling through every single option, Bryan watching everything unfold with his usual mix of amusement and exasperation.

It was so normal.

And yet...

Something felt off.

Not with the night, not with the way Bryan was teasing Lily or halfheartedly arguing with Isabella about whether or not we should watch a cartoon movie.

But with him.

I didn't know what it was, but something about the way he had been acting lately nagged at me.

I had felt it before—at the Spanish presentation, in the way he had avoided my questions when I pushed.

But now, after tonight—after the way he had looked at me backstage, after the way he had hesitated just slightly before giving me those flowers—

It felt like there was something he wasn't saying.

"Amber."

I blinked, snapping out of it. Bryan was looking at me, his brow slightly raised.

"You good?"

I nodded quickly, shifting under the blankets. "Yeah. Just tired."

His gaze lingered for a second longer than necessary, like he was trying to read something on my face.

I swallowed, forcing a small smile. "So? What are we watching?"

Bryan smirked. "Apparently, some animated musical masterpiece."

Lily cheered, Isabella high-fived her, and I let myself laugh, pushing away the feeling that something was slipping just out of my reach.

For now, everything was fine.

The last few days had been draining.

Final exams were right around the corner, and between studying, ballet rehearsals, and trying to function like a normal human being, I barely had time to breathe. Bryan had been just as busy, caught between baseball practice and whatever had been occupying his thoughts lately.

He hadn't told me what it was, and for some reason, I hadn't asked.

Maybe because I was scared of the answer.

So when he texted me out of nowhere, telling me to wear something warm and meet him outside, I didn't think twice.

When I stepped outside, Bryan was leaning against his car, hands tucked into his jacket pockets, the cool night air making his dark hair look even messier than usual.

He smirked when he saw me. "Took you long enough."

I rolled my eyes, pulling my hoodie tighter around me. "You didn't even tell me where we're going."

He just shrugged, pulling open the passenger door. "You'll see."

The drive was quiet, the kind of comfortable silence that came with knowing someone too well.

Bryan's hand rested casually on my thigh as he drove, his thumb moving in slow circles against my leggings. The further we went, the fewer streetlights there were, the city glow fading into nothing but open sky.

It wasn't until he pulled off onto a gravel road, the car slowing to a stop, that I turned to him.

"Okay, seriously," I said. "Where are we?"

Bryan grabbed a blanket from the backseat, smirking as he stepped out. "Patience."

I huffed but followed him, stepping into the crisp night air. The second I looked up, my breath caught in my throat.

The sky stretched endlessly, scattered with thousands of stars. Without the city lights drowning them out, they looked closer, brighter—breathtaking.

Bryan spread the blanket over the hood of the car, then patted the space beside him.

"Thought you could use a break," he said.

I raised an eyebrow. "You, planning a peaceful, romantic night?"

He scoffed. "Shut up and get up here."

I rolled my eyes but let him help me up, settling onto the blanket as he climbed up beside me. The car was still warm beneath us, and for the first time in days, I felt myself relax.

We sat there for a while, just watching the stars, the silence easy between us.

Then Bryan shifted slightly, his shoulder brushing mine. "So... you feeling any less stressed?"

I let out a slow breath, looking up. "Maybe a little."

He smirked. "Told you."

I turned my head, watching him. His expression was relaxed, but there was something else beneath it—something he wasn't saying.

"You've been acting weird," I murmured.

He didn't look at me. "What do you mean?"

I hesitated. "I don't know. You're... distant."

Bryan was quiet for a second, then exhaled, shaking his head. "I've just had a lot on my mind."

I frowned. "Like what?"

Instead of answering, he finally turned to face me.

But he didn't say anything.

Instead, he reached out, brushing a strand of hair from my face, his fingers lingering at my jaw before tilting my chin up.

Then he kissed me.

Soft, slow, deliberate.

Like he was trying to tell me something without saying it.

I sighed into it, my hands gripping the front of his hoodie, pulling him closer. The night air was cold, but his lips were warm, his body solid against mine.

Bryan kissed me slowly at first, like he had all the time in the world. His hand slid to the back of my neck, tilting my head slightly as he deepened it, his other hand pressing against my waist.

I melted, letting him pull me closer until I was straddling his lap, knees pressing into the blanket beneath us.

His fingers moved up my back, sliding under my hoodie, the heat of his hands sending shivers up my spine.

My breath hitched as his grip on my waist tightened, his lips trailing along my jaw, down to the sensitive spot below my ear.

I gasped, my fingers curling in his hair. "Bryan—"

"Yeah?" he murmured, his voice low, teasing, like he already knew what I was going to say.

I swallowed, trying to catch my breath.

He pulled back just enough to meet my eyes, his thumb brushing against my lips. "You wanna stop?"

I hesitated. Not because I wanted to, but because something about this felt... different.

I shook my head. "No."

His lips twitched into a small smirk, but his eyes stayed on mine, watching, searching.

"Good," he whispered.

Then he kissed me again, slow and deep, like he wasn't ready to let me go.

Bryan's kisses had a way of making me forget everything else.

The stress, the exhaustion, the nagging feeling that he was keeping something from me—all of it faded the second his lips touched mine.

But then, just as my hands slid under his hoodie, just as his fingers traced the hem of mine—

He stopped.

I blinked, breathless and slightly dazed, as he pulled back, resting his forehead against mine.

Bryan exhaled a slow, uneven breath, his hands still holding my waist, his thumbs moving in lazy circles over my skin.

"Okay," he murmured, voice slightly rough. "Before I completely lose my mind, I need to feed you."

I blinked. "What?"

He grinned, lifting me off his lap as he shifted, reaching for something in the backseat of his car.

I sat there, still trying to process what just happened, watching as he pulled out a small cooler.

"You brought food?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

He smirked, opening the lid. "Of course, I did. You never eat enough."

I rolled my eyes, but when he pulled out a container of cut-up fruit, a couple of sandwiches, and—was that chocolate? My stomach betrayed me by growling.

Bryan grinned. "See? I know you better than you know yourself."

I crossed my arms, trying to keep my dignity. "I wasn't even hungry."

He popped open the fruit container, spearing a slice of mango with a fork before holding it up to my lips.

"Uh-huh," he said. "Now open up."

I stared at him. "I can feed myself."

He smirked. "I know. But this is more fun."

I narrowed my eyes but gave in, biting the mango off the fork.

It was perfectly sweet, and I hated how good it tasted—because now he was smug about it.

Bryan chuckled. "Told you."

I chewed, pointedly avoiding his gaze. "Shut up."

But he just kept grinning, passing me the container before unwrapping a sandwich for himself.

We sat there, side by side, eating under the stars in the quiet, open night.

I was halfway through my second piece of mango when Bryan leaned back against the hood of his car, chewing on his sandwich like he was thinking about something.

I glanced at him, raising an eyebrow. "What?"

Bryan smirked. "You got any plans tomorrow night?"

I frowned slightly. "I was probably going to catch up on some reading and get ahead on notes for finals."

Bryan snorted. "Yeah, that's not happening."

I narrowed my eyes. "Why not?"

He reached into the cooler, pulling out a chocolate bar and breaking off a piece, popping it into his mouth before handing me the rest.

"Because," he said, grinning as he stretched out his legs, "we're going to a party."

I blinked, pausing mid-bite. "A what?"

Bryan leaned back on his hands, looking entirely too pleased with himself. "It's the last big party before the semester ends. Baseball team's throwing it. You're coming."

I stared at him. "Bryan, you know I hate parties."

"You don't hate them," he corrected, nudging my knee with his own. "You just don't like being the center of attention. But don't worry, I'll be there to protect you from drunk idiots."

I groaned, dropping my head into my hands. "Do I have a choice?"

"Not really."

I sighed dramatically. "Can I at least wear sweatpants?"

Bryan laughed, shaking his head. "No, Ballerina, you actually have to dress up."

I huffed, already dreading it. "Fine. But if I hate it, we're leaving early."

Bryan smirked. "Deal."

I took another bite of my chocolate, eyeing him suspiciously. "You're way too excited about this."

He shrugged. "Can you blame me? I get to show up with the hottest girl there."

I rolled my eyes, but my cheeks felt warm.

Bryan just grinned, leaning in to press a slow, teasing kiss against my jaw.

"Trust me, Amber," he murmured, his lips brushing my skin, "you might actually have fun."

I highly doubted it.

But with Bryan, I never really knew.