Halo Baker. A full scholarship to an HBCU should have felt like freedom. Instead, it marked my escape. After years in a home that chipped away at my self-worth, turning eighteen meant walking away and starting over just as the holidays rolled in, bringing lights, music, and the illusion of peace. I tried to believe the life I was building was enough. Still, winter has a way of stirring old questions, especially the ones you avoid... moreHalo Baker. A full scholarship to an HBCU should have felt like freedom. Instead, it marked my escape. After years in a home that chipped away at my self-worth, turning eighteen meant walking away and starting over just as the holidays rolled in, bringing lights, music, and the illusion of peace. I tried to believe the life I was building was enough. Still, winter has a way of stirring old questions, especially the ones you avoid. Some truths stay buried for a reason, and I was not sure I was ready to face mine. Then there was Luther Kinsley. Quiet. Observant. Assigned as security to the donut shop where I worked. He spoke little, but when he looked at me, it felt like he saw more than I ever said. Our conversations were brief, careful, and charged with something I could not name. While college surrounded me with distractions, Luther remained the one presence I could not ignore. As Christmas drew closer, the line between comfort and curiosity blurred. I was unraveling secrets of my own, while falling for a man who felt like a gift, wrapped with secrets of his own. less
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