Just a Matter of Time

Amara

Shuffling around in the morning, I cursed under my breath, already running late for work. My apartment was a disaster—clothes everywhere, my hair half done, and my bag still unpacked. I tried to multitask, doing my hair with one hand while frantically searching for my keys with the other.

Just as I thought I had a grip on things, the doorbell rang. I froze, not expecting anyone. Who would show up at this hour? With a sigh, I rushed to the door, pulling it open.

To my surprise, there was Elisha, standing there with that familiar smirk. "Late as usual, I see," he said, amusement clear in his voice.

I blinked, startled. "What are you doing here?"

"Thought I'd check if you were alive. Clearly, barely," he joked, glancing around at the mess inside. "Need a hand?"

I hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah, sure, if you don't mind."

Without waiting for more, he stepped in, picking up my jacket and handing it to me. "You really need to work on your time management."

"Don't start with me," I grumbled, trying to find my shoes now.

He chuckled, grabbing my bag and throwing in the last of my scattered things. "At this rate, you'll never make it on time."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," I muttered, slipping on my shoes. I was almost ready to bolt out the door when I noticed Elisha giving me that familiar look—the one that said, *you're a disaster, but I'm used to it.*

"Mara, your hair," he said, suppressing a laugh. "It's still all over the place."

I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror and groaned. My hair was a tangled mess, half of it falling out of the bun I had tried to throw together. Of course. Running late and still looking like a train wreck.

Before I could make another failed attempt to fix it, Elisha stepped forward with a smirk, his hands already reaching for the hair tie in my hand. "Come here. You're hopeless."

I rolled my eyes but let him take over. "You've been doing this since middle school," I grumbled, standing still as he quickly gathered my hair into a neat ponytail. He was always better at this than I was, and I hated admitting it.

"Yeah, well, some things never change," he teased, securing the ponytail and patting my head with mock pride. "There. Now you don't look like you've been struck by lightning."

I shot him a look. "Thanks, I guess."

He chuckled, grabbing my bag from the floor and slinging it over my shoulder. "Alright, let's get to work before you end up late."

I shook my head, a small smile tugging at my lips. "Is this you offering me a ride? I usually just take the bus."

Without missing a beat, Elisha jingled his keys, already heading for the door. "Yeah, I figured."

I raised an eyebrow, following him out. "You just assumed I needed a ride?"

He gave me a sideways glance, not even bothering to explain himself. "Get in the car, Mara," he said with a grin, unlocking the passenger door like this was routine.

I sighed but couldn't help the laugh that escaped. "You act like I'm helpless or something."

He smirked, opening the door for me. "Just efficient."

I rolled my eyes but slid into the seat. "Fine, but don't think this makes you some kind of hero."

"Wouldn't dream of it," he replied, shutting the door behind me.

As Elisha slid into the driver's seat, he cranked the engine and we pulled out of the parking lot. The early morning sun was already warming the streets, casting a golden hue over the city. I glanced over at him, still feeling a mix of gratitude and mild annoyance.

"Thanks for the ride," I said, trying to sound more sincere than I felt. "But you really didn't have to."

Elisha shrugged, steering us through the traffic with practiced ease. "I figured you might need it."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? And what's that supposed to mean?"

He shot me a mischievous glance. "Let's just say today has been more entertaining than my usual morning routine."

I laughed, shaking my head. "You're a piece of work, you know that?"

"Yeah, but you love it," he replied, smirking.

The drive was mostly quiet, but comfortable. I found myself relaxing, the usual morning rush replaced by this unexpected and pleasant detour. We navigated through the bustling streets, and I glanced at the passing landmarks, realizing just how much I had missed this easy camaraderie with Elisha.

After a few minutes, he turned onto a side street, slowing down as he approached my office building. He pulled up to the curb and put the car in park.

"Here we are," he said, turning to me with a grin. "Now get out."

I looked at him, grateful. "Thanks, Elisha."

He waved it off with a casual flick of his hand. "No problem. Just don't make a habit of it. I have a busy life—patients to see, lives to save, you know the drill."

I laughed softly, opening the door. "Yeah, yeah."

As I stepped out onto the sidewalk, I gave him a mock salute. "Have a good day, Dr. Hero."

I watched Elisha's car disappear into the morning traffic before turning to head into the building. As I walked through the bustling lobby of our company, I was greeted by the usual hum of busy professionals and the clatter of keyboards.

"Hey, Amara!" A familiar voice called out. I looked up to see Jason, one of my coworkers, approaching with a curious expression. "Was that your fiancé who just dropped you off?"

I paused for a moment, slightly taken aback. "Oh, no. That wasn't my fiancé. It was actually Elisha, my best friend. He just happened to be in the area and offered a ride."

Jason raised an eyebrow, looking intrigued. "Wait, the super fine one from our Christmas party two years ago?"

I rolled my eyes, recognizing Jason's tendency to remember the weirdest details. "Yes, that was Elisha. But he's not that attractive Jason," I grumbled, though I couldn't help a faint smile at the memory.

Jason chuckled, his eyes dancing with amusement. "Oh, come on. He was definitely turning heads that night."

I shrugged, trying to keep my tone nonchalant. "No he was not, he barely spoke to anyone the entire night."

Jason laughed, clearly enjoying the banter. "Alright, alright. Just saying, he's got a nice kind of charm, it's no wonder he's your go-to guy."

"Yeah, well," I said, stepping into the elevator, "I'm more interested in his reliability than his looks."

"Fair enough," Jason said, giving me a wink as the doors closed. "Just don't be surprised if someone else takes notice."

I shook my head, smiling despite myself. As the elevator ascended, I made my way to my floor, the usual morning rush taking over as I settled into my desk.

The intensity of the job hit me as soon as I started reviewing the day's schedule. But the brief, unexpected encounter with Elisha and the conversation with Jason had put a smile on my face.