Across the Hall (girlxgirl)

eight

• E m b e r •

Making friends was strange, Naomi was the only one I'd ever had and even that didn't count, she practically forced me into being her friend- whether I wanted to be or not. So when I found myself becoming friends with Naya all on my own I was quite surprised, our quiet car rides had turned into concerts, sharing our favourite songs before and after campus and our conversations lasted longer than a few seconds. We'd also started watching shows and movies together, it had become our thing. Sometimes we would spend hours sitting in the lounge, Omar and Z joining when they could, and sometimes it would only be an episode or two before Naya disappeared.

Naya helped me a lot and even though I was grateful, I couldn't shake the feeling she knew too much, she was getting too close for my liking. It was a cycle: when people got too close they realised that my problems weren't normal, realised I had a lot to deal with, then they'd leave me and I'd be all alone and that was a feeling I couldn't go through again. I could deal with Amara, Harry, Omar and Ziyaad, I could keep them at a distance easily enough, and I didn't have to worry about them, but Naya was different- if she got any closer I'd start to unravel.

"Please play it again Ember," Ziyaad begged, pulling me out of my thoughts as he spun in circles while I finished playing the last notes of Beethoven's Fur Elise on the White's white baby grand piano and I smiled.

Over the past few weeks Ziyaad, my new best friend, and I had established a routine. What started with a tantrum and an attempt to distract him with music had ended with a daily half-hour session dubbed "piano time" where I'd practise and he'd spin around until he was dizzy and giggling. Recently he'd become obsessed with Fur Elise so for the last two days that's all I played.

"Again? Are you sure you don't want me to play something else?" I asked and he shook his head, shaking his whole body in the process as black curls bounced on his forehead.

"Ziyaad! Please give Ember a break, already." Aunty Amara called out lovingly as she walked into the sitting room, looking stunning in an emerald green dress as she put on her earrings. She and Harry were attending a fancy dinner with some of Harry's business partners so it was up to Naya and me to keep an eye on Omar and Ziyaad, not that I minded.

"Mum! Mum!" Omar yelled as he ran in from the backyard, grinning excitedly as he almost ran into a smartly dressed Uncle Harry. "I scored against Naya! I was so fast, she didn't even see me." He exclaimed, playing out the one-on-one game before Naya walked in, leaning against the doorway as her eyes found mine, I quickly dropped my gaze.

Dressed in a black sports bra and basketball shorts I couldn't help but admire her toned and tanned body as her wavy hair was pulled back in a ponytail, highlighting her beautiful face.

"Looks like we have a new superstar athlete on our hands." Uncle Harry grinned as he high-fived Omar who was on cloud nine.

"Okay my babies, we need to get going but there's pasta on the stove and I expect you two to be bathed and in bed by eight." Aunty Amara smiled as she went around kissing Z, Omar and Naya on the forehead before blowing me a kiss, aware and respectful of my boundaries.

Uncle Harry waved goodbye before they disappeared out the door and I was left with a girl who made me uneasy and her two brothers.

"You heard the mum, boys!" Naya exclaimed grabbing Z as she tickled him, his childish giggles filling the room. "Let's get you guys cleaned up before we eat, huh?"

"Do we have to?" Omar groaned as Naya roughed up his hair.

"Yes little man, you're kinda stinky." Naya teased.