( 𝐫 𝐨 𝐜 𝐤 𝐬 𝐭 𝐚 𝐫 ! ) 𝑵𝑨𝑵𝑨

𝐄𝐏𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐃𝐄 𝟒.

Not a lot, just forever intertwined sewn together...

Kaiyah decides to hold off on the text to Yasu she decides to take a break from everything she was most focused on the visit of her cousin 𝐙𝐚𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐚

Kaiyah ran her hand over the back of the couch one last time, smoothing out an invisible wrinkle in the fabric. The living room looked good—clean, cozy, just the way she wanted it for Zahria's arrival. A few throw pillows were arranged neatly, a soft glow from the floor lamp cast warm light across the room, and the faint scent of vanilla lingered in the air from the candle she'd lit earlier. She paused for a moment, glancing around the space with a small smile of satisfaction. It wasn't perfect, but it was enough. Zahria never cared much about perfection anyway.

The clock on the wall ticked quietly, and Kaiyah checked it again. She still had a little time before she needed to leave, but excitement bubbled up in her chest, making it hard to stay still. It had been a whole year since she'd last seen her cousin—a year of life moving forward, sometimes too fast, and sometimes painfully slow. Zahria was the one person who always made everything feel lighter, like they were just two kids again, laughing over nothing and talking about everything.

Kaiyah brushed a strand of hair from her face, catching sight of herself in the mirror as she did. Her hair, a sleek 20-inch side bang, was pulled back into a low bun. It wasn't her best look definetly wasnt her best look her tracks were showing but it wasnt that noticeable, but it would have to do. She sighed, already thinking about how badly she needed to get it done properly. Still, her casual black Ed Hardy set felt comfortable, familiar, like an armor against the stress she'd been feeling lately. It was just one of those days—where the simple things were enough to hold her together.

As she grabbed her keys from the small dish by the door, a wave of anticipation hit her. The airport was only a short drive away, but the journey felt symbolic somehow, like a bridge between everything that had been weighing her down and the sense of freedom Zahria always brought with her.

Kaiyah could already imagine the tight hug they'd share, Zahria's voice bubbling with excitement, filling the car with wild stories from her life in New York. They'd laugh—Gosh, how she missed laughing like that. But more than anything, Kaiyah knew Zahria would give her the clarity she'd been craving, the advice that always seemed to cut through all the noise in her mind.

She closed the door behind her and stepped out into the evening air, a sense of calm washing over her for the first time in days. Whatever happened with the band, with Yasu, with all the uncertainties that had been hanging over her—it could wait. Right now, the only thing that mattered was Zahria, and the fun, wild, laughter-filled weekend they were about to have.

𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐒𝐊𝐈𝐏

Kaiyah sat in her car, her fingers tapping the steering wheel as she scanned the crowd for Zahria. The airport lights reflected off the glass windows, casting a soft glow on the sea of people coming and going. Then, suddenly, there she was—Zahria, strutting confidently in a blue Juicy Couture tracksuit, her Uggs making her steps look effortless. Her hair, a stunning mix of honey blonde and brown, flowed in sleek layers down her back, catching the light as she moved.

Kaiyah's heart leapt. Without a second thought, she threw open the car door and rushed toward her cousin, excitement bubbling over. "Zahria!" she called out, her voice a mix of joy and relief.

Zahria's face lit up as they locked eyes, and in a split second, they were wrapped in each other's arms, the kind of hug that only a year of distance could bring. Kaiyah squeezed her tightly, feeling that familiar energy, the one she'd missed so much, radiating from Zahria. Everything else—the band, the uncertainty—faded away in that moment. All that mattered was right there in front of her.