Colton

Ain’t nothin’ in this life ever gone the way I figured. I thought I’d punch the clock, crack a cold one, and meet Brandy out in the Walmart parkin’ lot like always, same busted routine, same small-town mess.

Then she hands me that test.

One little pink line. Hits harder than a fist.

Now the future’s starin’ me down like a mean dog on a short chain. Responsibility. Consequences. All them choices I kept shovin’ under the truck seat finally crawlin’ out into the daylight.

Truth is… I ain’t never been good at stayin’. Not with family. Not with promises. Not even with myself.

But Brandy? She ain’t somethin’ a man just walks away from. She’s fire in a gasoline can. Trouble with a heartbeat. The kinda woman that’ll ruin you and make you thank her for it.

Storm’s brewin’. And this time, I reckon I gotta stand my ground.

Brandy

You ever feel like the whole damn world got a front-row seat to your mistakes? Like every bad choice you ever made is sittin’ there smirkin’, waitin’ on you to trip again?

Yeah. That’s me.

Pregnant. Tired. Still draggin’ myself into work while my life spins out like a loose tire on the interstate. And right smack in the middle of it all is Colton: loud, reckless, impossible to quit. Lovin’ him feels like smokin’ a cigarette in a gas leak. You know it’s stupid… but you keep takin’ another drag.

I tell myself I deserve better. Swear it every night.

But better don’t look at me like he does. Better don’t make my heart race like I’m runnin’ from sirens.

This town might chew me up and spit me out. But I ain’t goin’ down quiet.

Not now. Not ever.