Just a Matter of Time

Amara

5 year ago

Dragging Elisha inside my home, I rushed him up the stairs to my room, my excitement barely contained. Kimberly was already sprawled across the floor, flipping through a magazine. She glanced up as I nudged Elisha in, practically glowing with excitement.

"Now that you're both here," I grinned, plopping down on the floor and crossing my legs, practically bouncing in place.

Elisha raised an eyebrow, his arms crossed. "What'd you do this time?" he asked.

"Nothing" I glared my eyes at him

Kimberly laughed, already picking up on my energy. "Yeah, spill it. You're grinning like you just won the lottery."

I rolled my eyes but couldn't help the giggle that slipped out. "Okay, okay. So... I met someone," I blurted out, unable to contain the rush of excitement.

Kim gasped, immediately sitting up straighter, her eyes wide. "What? No way! Who?"

Even Elisha, usually calm and cool, blinked in surprise. "Wait, you're serious?" he asked, his tone a little more serious.

I nodded, feeling a blush creep up my cheeks. "Yeah. His name's Eric."

Kim practically squealed, throwing her magazine aside. "Tell us everything! How did it happen? What's he like?"

I grinned, feeling a flutter in my stomach just thinking about him. "Okay, so it was at that little cafe. You know the one I always go to? I was just wandering around, minding my own business, when—bam—we literally bumped into each other. He spilled his coffee everywhere and was super embarrassed, but we just started talking."

Kim clutched her heart dramatically. "Oh my gosh, that's adorable."

Even Elisha was quiet, watching me carefully as I continued, clearly intrigued despite himself.

"He's... amazing," I said softly, a dreamy look settling on my face. "He's funny, he's smart, and handsome. We talked for hours, and it just felt so... easy, you know?"

Kim beamed, practically glowing with excitement for me. "And you went out with him after that?"

I nodded, my smile growing even wider. "Yeah, he asked if he could buy me a coffee to make up for the spill, and I agreed. It wasn't even like a planned date, but... it turned into one. We've been seeing each other ever since."

Kim's hands clapped together, her excitement practically bubbling over.

I could feel my heart swelling with joy just talking about him. "He makes me feel... I don't know. Special? Like, when I'm with him, nothing else really matters. It's just us."

Kim sighed happily, clearly enjoying my gushing. "This sounds lovely, honestly."

I laughed softly, feeling a little shy. "Yeah, I think you'll like him. He's... really something."

Elisha, who had been unusually quiet the whole time, finally spoke up. His voice was low, almost careful. "You really like this guy, huh?"

I looked at him, nodding slowly, my thoughts wrapped up in Eric. "Yeah, I do. He just... he makes me feel like I'm the only person in the room, you know? He listens, he cares, and... I don't know, Elisha. I've never met anyone like him before."

Elisha's expression softened slightly, but he stayed quiet, his eyes flicking between me and Kim. I barely noticed the way his gaze lingered a little too long, the slight tension in his posture.

"He's the first person to make you feel this way?" he mumbled, his voice low.

I rolled my eyes, not catching the undercurrent in his tone. "Elisha, can you ever be happy for me?" I asked with a playful sigh.

He shrugged, his shoulders stiff. "I'm just asking, you only just met him... don't jump to conclusions so fast."

I didn't dwell on his words, brushing them off as typical Elisha being overly cautious. Kim shot him a look, squeezing my hand in support. "I say take it slow, but trust your gut."

A bright smile spread across my face, feeling the warmth of her encouragement. The more I talked about Eric, the more real it all felt. "I really think... he might be the one."

Elisha muttered something under his breath, but I barely registered it, too caught up in my thoughts. Kim gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. "Wait, the one? Amara, this early?"

I nodded, feeling that flutter of excitement in my stomach. "I know it sounds crazy, but... I've been thinking about it a lot. You two just have to meet him to understand."

Kim's eyes sparkled with excitement, feeding into my own. "If he makes you feel that way, then that's all that matters."

I smiled dreamily, my mind drifting back to all the little moments with Eric. Each memory made my heart soar higher. Kim let out a squeal, hugging me tightly, and I laughed, letting her excitement fuel mine. It felt like everything was falling into place, like I was on the brink of something perfect.

As I pulled back from Kim's embrace, my eyes flicked to Elisha. He sat there, hands in his pockets, still silent. I figured he was just processing everything in his usual slow, thoughtful way. I didn't notice the stiffness in his posture, or how his expression had grown unreadable. To me, he was probably happy too—just taking a moment to let it sink in.

"You know," I continued, unaware of the growing tension, "I didn't expect to feel this way so soon, but... it just makes sense with Eric. Everything just clicks. I can actually see a future with him—like, building something together. Maybe even getting married someday."

Kim's eyes went wide with excitement. "Marriage?! Oh my God, Amara, shut up!"

I giggled, my heart soaring at the thought. "I know, I know! But it feels... right. I can already picture it."

Kim squeezed my hand again, glowing with happiness for me. "I definitely need to meet him. Like, now."

I was completely lost in the moment, basking in Kim's encouragement, too caught up in the rush of my own feelings.

To me, everything felt perfect.