The Price ࿊f Peace

☮️: 028

Somewhere in Oakland
Wednesday May 23rd, 2024

"Wassup, fat ma?" Elijah's voice came through the speaker of Syara's phone.

It was the second time she had called him that day and it was only 2, but he didn't seem annoyed at all.

The last time she'd called him was around 4 in the morning while she was half asleep. He picked up, going back to sleep as soon as he heard her breathing even back out, signaling her sleep.

Now, she was calling just because.

She hoped that he wasn't still working on his client as their session started at 9 in the morning.

Syara ignored his greeting, blowing out a grudging breath. "I miss you."

"I'm almost done over here." He told her, focused on his craft. "Ima come see you, mami."

Syara nodded her head, biting her lip. She didn't want to wait, to be honest. She understood he that he had a job and that he had to work, but she still wished that she could be near him at the moment.

She didn't really have anything to say to that statement. Impatience overtook her. She hadn't seen him in the flesh since Monday and it was like he didn't want to live in her skin, too.

She tried to give him the benefit of the doubt and say that maybe he's just better adjusted than she is, that's why he's able to go about his day in a way that she doesn't think she can.

Syara looked down at the phone, hearing the buzzing of Elijah's machine.

"Sya—"

She hung up without a real thought to it, grabbing a long quilt from where it lay atop her other couch, and pulling it over her body.

He could do whatever he wanted, she reasoned. As could she. If he wanted to come see her, then he would. Her calling wouldn't do anything but annoy him.

She didn't care whether she did or not, but it just wasn't in her nature to be this clingy, anyway. She refused to call more than once and she had already done that.

She'd done her part by calling and asking the question. Now, she could either wait for an excruciating, unknown amount of time for him to show up, or she could sleep to pass the time.

Unsurprisingly, she went with sleep. She wasn't even tired, she just didn't want to stay up and be waiting on a man.

__________________

Syara was woken up to a tapping on her thigh and the smell of fresh, piping hot food.

She felt a sharper pop on her thigh, causing her to bow her back off of the couch she was lying on, turning onto her side with a low moan. The spot was rubbed over to soothe the sting, but Syara still felt it.

"Lijah?" She groaned, trying to go back to sleep, but was stopped before she could. Her body was being maneuvered to lay flat on her back. "Elijah."

He didn't respond, but she felt him lay his head on her clothed chest, silently holding her to him.

Syara tapped his arm. "Let me up, baby."

He smacked his lips reluctantly, lifting off of her to stand and stretch his long arms above his head. His eyes followed her as she stood to walk past him, but she was stopped by a hand on her waist, spinning her around.

She came face to face with his chest smashed into her cheek, he was cradling her head and swaying slightly back and forth.

"I missed you." He told her genuinely, his voice vibrating against her cheek. He pulled her closer, slipping a hand under her shirt to rub over her back.