Just a Matter of Time

Amara

I grabbed my phone from the counter, balancing it between my ear and shoulder as Kim's voice rambled on the other end.

"Can't I just send flowers, Kim? I groaned, shutting my work laptop. "I've got a ton to do, and I'm not really in the mood for a party."

"It's my mom's birthday, Amara. You know you're family at this point. You have to be there," Kim replied, her tone leaving no room for negotiation.

I sighed, not because I didn't want to go, but because the thought of facing my mother today filled me with dread. The questions about Eric were inevitable. Nobody knew we had called off the engagement—not even Kim, who had been my closest friend for years. How could I even begin to explain? I wasn't ready to talk about it, especially not with my mom, who still believed wedding plans were full speed ahead.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it," I muttered, more to myself than Kim. "I'll be there."

"Good!" Kim chirped. "I'll save you a seat. And don't be late, or my mom will hold it against you for the rest of eternity."

As I hung up, I grabbed my keys and bag, mentally bracing myself for the evening. Outside, I spotted Elisha waiting, casually leaning over the steering wheel, his eyes scanning the street. I forced a smile and hurried over, the nervousness already creeping in. Elisha could always tell when something was wrong, and I wasn't sure if I could keep up the act around him.

Sliding into the passenger seat, I buckled my seatbelt and gave him a small nod. "Thanks for the ride."

Elisha glanced over, his eyes soft but searching. "How was work?"

I bit my lip and shrugged, forcing nonchalance into my voice. "Same old stuff. Kim's mom is excited for her birthday, so no skipping today."

His gaze lingered on me for a second longer, like he was trying to read me, but he didn't push anything. "Right. Kim's mom would track you down if you skipped."

I laughed, a bit more tense than usual. "Yeah, no escaping her wrath."

As Elisha parked the car in front of Mrs. Adams house, I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. The backyard was already filled with people—family, friends, and neighbors we'd known our whole lives.

Elisha turned off the engine, his gaze lingering on me. "You okay?"

"Yeah, peachy" I said, forcing a smile.

He gave me a small nod. I could feel him watching me, though—he knew something was up. Elisha always knew.

We made our way around the house to the backyard, where the familiar sound of laughter and conversation greeted us. There were balloons tied to the fence, and a long table was set up with all sorts of food. My dad was the first to spot us, standing by the grill with a spatula in hand.

"Amara! Elisha!" He called out, waving us over with a bright smile. "Come on, don't be shy! Everyone's here already."

Elisha gave a polite wave, his face neutral as always when he was in a crowd. I gave my dad a big hug as he was cooking on the grill.

We both had grown up in this neighborhood, practically raised by each other's families. Skipping out on this party wasn't an option.

We reached Mrs. Adams, and she immediately pulled me into a warm hug. "So glad you could make it, sweetie."

Elisha's mom spotted him the moment we stepped into the backyard, her face lighting up with genuine excitement. "Elisha!" she called, rushing over with her arms open wide.

Elisha tensed beside me, the way he always did around his family. His smile was small, almost too tight, but he leaned in for the obligatory hug. "Hey, Mom."