Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Roseanne sighed, "Habits can change."

"For others, maybe, but for you, I don't want them to."

Silence hung in the air.

After leaving the diner, Roseanne and her friends all headed in the same direction.

Mamie pulled out her phone, ready to hail a ride.

That's when a sleek Mercedes business van pulled up in front of them.

The window rolled down, and Corley said, "Hop in, I'll give you a lift home."

Mamie's questioning gaze shifted towards Roseanne.

Corley chuckled, "It's hard to catch a cab here. Without a ride from me, you might be home two hours late."

Scales remained silent, evidently aware of the situation.

Mamie glanced at her phone screen, which showed a queue of 216 people ahead.

Two hours seemed like an optimistic guess...

Roseanne conceded, "Let's get in. Thanks, Mr. Sullivan."

Corley's lips curled into a smile, "No problem, Anne."

Awkward silence.

According to the GPS, Roseanne was supposed to be the first to be dropped off, followed by Mamie, then Scales.

However, at an intersection where they should have turned right, Corley ended up in the wrong lane and had to go straight instead.

The GPS recalculated, making Mamie the first to get off, then Scales, and Roseanne last.

the

got out, walked around to the other side, and opened the door for her, "Mind your

as she got out, looking up

the door, or

"Both."

going to invite me

Roseanne hesitated.

kidding, don't take me for a

any humor

wish I could be, yet I'm afraid to

"I don't follow."

don't. Some things aren't

no reason. Hence,

like he couldn't understand why he was so fixated on Roseanne. Yes,

At theod wasn't the

of Kingswell University

Murrayten with Roseanne a

one

was also

Oh, and Aaron Lincoln.

first move,

decided to wait. By the time he heard from her again,

expected Murray to be

did he expect him

was when Corley realized,

after calming down, he always believed in a second

he knew Murray too well, including his

left was to

apart, for Roseanne to give

a simple 'goodnight'