sabrina took a step closer, reaching out to touch his arm gently. “dallas, you’re more than enough. if she can’t see that, it’s her loss.”
he looked at her, really looked at her, for the first time that night. there was something in his gaze, a mix of surprise and gratitude. 
“thanks, sabrina. i appreciate that.” she smiled, her heart pounding. “anytime. you know i’m always here for you, right?” dallas nodded, taking another swig of his beer.
“yeah, i know. uh thanks.” they stood in comfortable silence for a moment, the unspoken understanding between them palpable. 
sabrina’s mind was racing, her emotions in turmoil. being this close to him, seeing him so vulnerable, made her realize just how deep her feelings for him ran. she had tried to move on, to bury her feelings, but they had never really gone away.
she took a deep breath, gathering her courage. “dallas, i... i care about you, a lot. and it hurts me to see you like this.” dallas was silent for a long moment, his gaze intense. 
finally, he set his beer down and took a step closer to her. “sabrina, i... i don’t know what to say.” she smiled sadly. 
“you don’t have to say anything. I just wanted you to know.” he reached out, gently cupping her face with his hand. “you’re a good person, sabrina. better than i deserve.”
the quiet moments shared between sabrina and dallas were abruptly interrupted as the door swung open.
evie, with her usual bright energy, stepped in, but her smile faltered when she saw the serious expressions on their faces. 
dallas, sensing the shift in the atmosphere, quickly picked up his beer and muttered, "i'll be in the living room," before making a hasty exit.
evie watched him leave, a concerned look on her face. she turned to sabrina, who was still staring at the door through which dallas had just walked out. "sabrina, what’s going on? you looked really deep in conversation."
sabrina shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. "nothing much, just... catching up." evie raised an eyebrow. "didn't look like 'just catching up' to me. you looked upset, and he looked... well, dallas always looks a bit broody, but more so than usual."
sabrina sighed, leaning against the counter. "it's complicated, evie."
evie stepped closer, her voice softening. "look, sabrina, i know you’ve had a thing for dallas for ages. but he’s got so much baggage, and he’s not exactly the most reliable guy. i just don’t want to see you get hurt."
sabrina finally tore her gaze from the door and looked at evie. "i know. believe me, i know. but it’s not that simple. i can’t just turn off my feelings for him."
evie placed a comforting hand on sabrina’s shoulder. "i get it, i really do. but you have to think about yourself too. you deserve someone who’s going to treat you right, someone who’s not going to make you second-guess everything."
sabrina nodded, but her eyes drifted back toward the living room, where she knew dallas was. "i just can’t help it, evie. he needs me. and i care about him so much." evie sighed, following sabrina’s gaze.
"he’s always needed someone, sabrina. but you can’t be the one to save him. he has to save himself first. you have to think about your own happiness too."
sabrina knew evie was right, but the pull she felt toward dallas was almost magnetic. she turned back to her friend, trying to explain. "i know you’re right. i do. but when i see him like that, so lost and hurting, it breaks my heart. i can’t just walk away."
evie gave her a sympathetic smile. "you don’t have to walk away. just... don’t lose yourself in trying to fix him. promise me you’ll look out for yourself too."
sabrina smiled back, grateful for evie’s concern. "i promise. thanks, evie." evie hugged her tightly. "anytime. now, let’s go back out there and join the game. you need a distraction."
sabrina nodded, allowing evie to lead her back into the living room. but even as she laughed and joked with the rest of the gang, her thoughts kept drifting back to dallas, wondering how he was doing, if he was okay. 
she tried to push those thoughts aside, focusing on the here and now, but it was easier said than done.
the rest of the evening passed in a blur of laughter and camaraderie. they played games, told stories, and for a while, sabrina managed to lose herself in the warmth of her friends' company. 
but every now and then, her eyes would find dallas, who remained somewhat withdrawn, a cloud of melancholy hanging over him.
as the night wound down, people started to leave. evie gave sabrina a reassuring smile before she left, reminding her of their earlier conversation.
sabrina nodded, appreciating the support but still feeling conflicted. eventually, it was just sabrina, dallas, and a few others lingering in the living room. dallas seemed to sense her lingering presence, glancing over at her a few times, but they didn’t speak again.
when the last of their friends had left, sabrina found herself standing in the empty kitchen once more, her thoughts a whirlwind of emotions. 
she knew she needed to move on, to protect herself, but the thought of leaving dallas to fend for himself tore at her heart.
as she stood there, lost in thought, dallas walked back in. he hesitated at the doorway, watching her with an unreadable expression. 
"hey," he said quietly. "hey," she replied, her voice just as soft. he took a step closer, his eyes searching hers. "i’m sorry about earlier. didn’t mean to drag you into my mess."
she shook her head. "you didn’t. i just... i care about you, dallas. i hate seeing you like this." he sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"i know. and i appreciate it, i really do. but maybe evie’s right. maybe you should keep your distance."