Just a Matter of Time

Elisha

I could feel Amara's discomfort radiating across the table. Eric's comment about her not driving had hit harder than he realized—though, knowing Eric, maybe he didn't care to notice.

I watched Amara force a smile, her fingers tightening slightly around the edge of her napkin. That accident from college wasn't something she liked to talk about. I could still remember the night it happened, the way everything changed for her after that.

I wasn't about to let Eric keep poking at it. "Anyway," I cut in, my voice a little louder than necessary as I leaned forward, drawing the attention back to me. "Amara's got plenty of other talents besides driving."

Eric shot me a glance, a hint of surprise in his eyes, but he quickly masked it with a casual smile. "Oh, I'm sure she is."

I ignored the way his words felt more like an automatic response than a genuine compliment. "Yeah, she is," I added, locking eyes with Amara for a second, hoping she knew what I was doing—shifting the focus away from a conversation she didn't want to have.

She gave me a quick nod, a silent thank-you. Her mother took the bait. "Oh, I bet! Amara, you should tell us more about your work. We haven't heard much about what you've been up to lately."

Amara smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "There's not much to tell, really. Just trying to keep up with everything, you know how it is." The conversation thankfully veered off after that, Eric chiming in here and there, talking about his travels, his work, all the usual things that kept him out of town.

I could see the way he smoothly handled every question, dancing around the fact that he hadn't been around much for Amara. But that was Eric—charming, quick with a smile, always ready with an excuse. The rest of dinner passed in a blur. I kept my eye on Amara, watching the way she kept her emotions in check, the way her smile never quite reached her eyes.

By the time dessert was over, I could tell she was ready to leave. As everyone began to stand and gather their things, I leaned over to Amara. "You doing okay?" She gave me a quick, tired smile.

"Yeah, just ready to call it a night." Eric, of course, was right there, pulling on his jacket and flashing that easy smile. "Amara it's getting late. Ready to go?" His voice was light, as if the tension from earlier had never happened.

I watched Amara closely, noticing the subtle signs that something was off. She was quieter than usual, her eyes flicking toward Eric but never fully settling on him, like she was trying to avoid something. It wasn't like her. Amara was always direct, always sure of herself, but tonight, there was a distance between them that wasn't there before.

My jaw tightened slightly, but I forced myself to stay calm. It wasn't my place, not right now—not with everyone around. Still, I couldn't ignore the nagging feeling that something wasn't right. I could see the exhaustion in her eyes, the way she looked like she wanted to be anywhere but here.

"Yeah, let's go," she finally said, her voice softer than usual.

We all moved toward the door, and I was a step behind her, watching as Eric reached for his keys. He turned toward me with that practiced smile of his, the one I was starting to see through. "Thanks for keeping Amara company tonight, Elisha. It's good to know she has people looking out for her."

There was something in his tone—something subtle, but it hit me wrong. He hadn't expected me to be here tonight, and I could tell from the way his eyes lingered on me that he wasn't thrilled about it.

I didn't let it show. "Anytime," I said smoothly, keeping my voice even. "Always here for her."

Amara's parents were finishing their goodbyes, oblivious to the tension hanging in the air. Eric juggled his keys, turning toward Amara. "I'll drive you home," he said casually, like it was nothing. But I noticed the way her body tensed, just for a second, before she nodded and forced a smile.

"Thanks again, Elisha," she said, her eyes meeting mine briefly. There was something in her gaze—a flicker of hesitation, maybe regret—but I couldn't quite figure out what it meant.

I nodded, giving her a small smile. "Anytime."

I watched them walk toward Eric's car, my hands clenching into fists at my sides. There was an instinct, an urge to step in and stop her from going with him, but I fought it back. We were best friends. I couldn't cross that line, not now. Not when she had chosen Eric.

But it didn't sit right with me, the way Eric was acting, the way she seemed to shrink a little when he was around. It stirred something inside me—something protective that I was trying my best to ignore.

As they drove away, Mrs. Williams called out to me from the doorway. "Elisha, could you help me with the dishes?" Her warm smile was a welcome distraction, but the knot in my chest didn't go away.

"Of course," I replied, turning back to the house.

Inside, the warmth of the kitchen felt stifling compared to the cool air outside, but it was the thoughts in my head that weighed heavier. I grabbed a stack of plates and started cleaning up, my mind still lingering on Amara.

She deserved better. That was the thought that kept coming back. And it wasn't about me wanting to be the one driving her home or being anything more than her best friend—at least, that's what I told myself.

He was always smooth, always had the right thing to say.

"Thanks for helping, Elisha," Mrs. Williams said softly as she handed me a towel to dry the dishes. "It's always nice having you around again."

I smiled faintly. "It's always good to be here," I said, and I meant it. The Williams family had been like a second home to me, and Amara—well, she was my closest friend. She had been there through everything, through the highs and the lows.

But lately, something had shifted.

I couldn't deny the protectiveness that had been growing inside me, the way I found myself worrying about her more and more. I had always cared about Amara—more than I probably should—but now, those feelings were starting to get harder to push aside.

I didn't want to ruin what we had. Our friendship meant too much to both of us, and the last thing I wanted was to complicate things. But seeing her with Eric, seeing the way he seemed to drain her—it made me question whether I was doing the right thing by staying quiet.

Mrs. Williams gave me a knowing look as she wiped down the counter. "You've always been such a good friend to Amara," she said, her voice gentle. "I hope her and Eric work whatever is going on out. I just want to see her get married and be happy."

I nodded, biting back the frustration rising inside me. "Me too," I said quietly. And that was the truth. I cared about her more than I could ever put into words. But caring for her as a friend and wanting to protect her from whatever was going on with Eric... those were two different things.

As we finished cleaning up, I couldn't help but wonder what Amara was thinking right now, sitting in Eric's car.