Eden (Urban)

twelve

Elijah

I nodded to the waiter, signaling him to bring me another mimosa. I was starting to get pissed off, and only God and this champagne was holding me back.

When I woke up this morning, Bree wasn't next to me. I assumed she just went out to the couch, but it was empty in there too. I sent her a message telling her to meet me at the restaurant, but she never replied.

I texted Bree for the fourth time in thirty minutes, tryna figure out where she was at and why she had me at this brunch spot sitting by myself. I planned this whole lil date for the two of us to talk and kinda get back to where we used to be before she started pulling away. But honestly, it felt like I was giving more effort than she was. Like something else-- or someone else-- was more important in her life.

If that was the case, she should have just said that shit and stopped both of us from wasting our time. I didn't wanna believe that of her, so I'd just wait and see.

Sitting there alone gave me too much time to think though, and my mind went to Sai. I thought of the kiss we shared that day, how right (and wrong) it felt to do that, and how much I wished she wasn't in pain right now. Shit went downhill so fast that I should prolly take that as my sign to back off.

That's what I was gonna do, too. Sai will always be my first love, and she got a special place in my heart. But I don't wanna do that to Bree; I don't wanna make all the insecurities she had about our relationship a reality. I don't wanna prove her right: that I'm a cheater and a no good ass nigga.

I really was tryna change my ways. I truly did want me and Bree to work, but she was making it harder than it needed to be.

"Here you are, sir," he placed my drink on the table in front of me. "Are you ready to order?"

"Yeah lemme just get the chicken and waffles to-go. And the southwest omelet."

"Okay, I'll bring that right out."

I texted Bree, letting her know that I wasn't gonna wait any longer and that I'd see her whenever she got back from what she was doing. I downed the mimosa and waited for my order to come out.

Since Bree was ghosting me, I called Ada to see what she was up to. Three rings later, her face popped up on my screen.

"Wassup boo? Where you at?"

"Mama Dee's. Me and yo friend was posed to be having brunch, but" I flipped the camera, showing the empty seat in front of me. "She ain't show. You know what's goin' on?"

"Mm m, don't put me in y'all shit."

"Bro? A, you and me post to be cool. Have you talked to her today?"

"Nah."

"Did she tell you we was supposed to be meeting?"

"Nah."

"You know where she at right now?"

"Nah."

I groaned in frustration. Shit was really blowing me AND I was hungry. "Be forreal though. Is some goin' on? Y'all wit' Sai?"

"Honestly, Eli I'onno nothin' bout what Bree's doing. We haven't linked in a minute. I miss her though, so if she decide to stop ghosting you tell her text me back!"

"And if you worried about Sai, why you don't just hit her up?" Ada pursed her lips. I kissed my teeth. She tryna be in my business.

"Who said I ain't talked to Sai? And why you makin' that face?"

"No reason."

"Yeah, okay," something was up.

"Kai over there?"