The night was thick with tension as Tari and I sat across from each other, strategizing how to face Kadeem and the shadows he cast over my life.
"I won't let him break you," Tari promised, his voice steady but fierce.
I wanted to believe him. Needed to.
Together, we decided to confront the past head-on.
The next day, with Tari by my side, I approached Kadeem near the campus courtyard.
His smirk faded when he saw us united.
"I'm done running," I said, voice shaking but firm.
Kadeem's eyes narrowed. "You think you're brave? You don't know what you're up against."
Tari stepped forward, "No, but we know we don't face it alone."
The crowd that had gathered watched silently, the power shifting with each word.
That moment marked a turning point.
---
Days later, as we walked through the campus gardens, Tari opened up about his own fears, showing me that vulnerability was not weakness but strength.
We learned to trust not only each other but ourselves.
Our journey was far from over, but the storm felt less daunting with hands intertwined and hearts aligned.
---