ᴇᴄʜᴏᴇꜱ ᴏꜰ ᴜꜱ

Chapter 12: The Calm Before the Fire

Izu's POV

I lay sprawled out on the floor of my room, a blanket tangled around my legs and the faint hum of a movie playing in the background. Avy had suggested a sleepover to get our mind off things and by things l mean Sarah but it was not even working. Avy was beside me, head propped up on a pillow, half-asleep but still clutching her phone. Nya was already knocked out, curled up in the corner of my bed with her face buried in a pillow. It was supposed to be a fun sleepover—just us girls hanging out like old times—but I couldn't shake the heaviness that had settled over me since the fight with Sarah.

"Izu, you good?" Avy mumbled, her voice barely louder than a whisper. Her eyes were closed, but I could tell she wasn't as asleep as she pretended to be.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said, my voice thick with exhaustion. But I wasn't fine, and I knew Avy could tell. She always could.

Nya stirred on the bed, muttering something unintelligible before rolling over. I glanced over at her, then at Avy, who finally opened one eye to look at me.

"Is it about Sarah?" she asked, her tone soft but laced with curiosity. She didn't need to elaborate. She knew exactly what I was dealing with—how tense things had been between Sarah and me lately.

I sighed, rubbing my face with my hands. "I don't know, maybe. We haven't talked since the argument, and now it's just... weird."

Avy let out a small groan as she stretched, shifting into a more comfortable position. "You should just talk to her, Izu. You're both being stubborn about this, and it's dragging everyone else into it."

"I can't," I said, staring up at the ceiling. "It's not that easy."

"Why not?" Nya chimed in groggily from the bed, her voice muffled by the pillow. "You two act like you're best friends, but one little argument and it's like you're mortal enemies."

"We're not best friends," I muttered under my breath, though the words felt bitter on my tongue. "We're just friends."

Avy snorted, clearly not buying it. "Sure, keep telling yourself that."

I rolled my eyes, trying to brush off the tension that hung in the air, but the truth was, they weren't wrong. Sarah and I had always been close, but after the fight, everything shifted. And now, I couldn't even think of her without this tight knot forming in my chest.

"Look," Avy said, sitting up and turning to face me, her expression more serious now. "Whatever's going on with you and Sarah, you need to figure it out. Otherwise, it's just going to get worse."

"I know," I whispered, feeling a pang of guilt as I thought back to the argument. It had been over something so stupid, but now it felt like we were worlds apart, and I didn't know how to bridge that gap.

Timeskip to College

The next morning, we all shuffled into the kitchen, still groggy from the late night but feeling more like ourselves again. Avy was making fun of Nya for her bedhead, while I was half-listening, distracted by the thought of seeing Sarah at school.

After breakfast, we got ready, throwing on casual outfits and packing our bags. Nya, of course, cranked up the music as we drove to college, and Avy leaned back in her seat, swaying along to the beat.

When we finally pulled up in front of the building, I spotted Sarah with her group—Aysh, Riy, and Jenna. They were laughing about something, and I felt a pang in my chest. I wanted to join them, to be part of the group again, but things still felt off.

Jenna waved us over, but as we approached, I felt the tension between me and Sarah intensify. She gave me a brief nod, but it was distant, like we were strangers rather than friends.

"So, what's the plan for today?" Nya asked, breaking the awkward silence. "We've got a free period, right?"

Riy shrugged, glancing at Aysh. "Yeah, we were thinking of hanging out in the garden."

As we made our way to the garden, the conversation flowed easily among the group—except between me and Sarah. Every time our eyes met, there was this unspoken tension, like we were both waiting for the other to say something, but neither of us knew where to start.

And then, of course, Sarah just had to stir the pot.

"So, Izu," she said, her tone playful but with an edge, "you've been avoiding me."

The others quieted down instantly, their attention snapping to us. I could feel their eyes on me, waiting for my response.

"I haven't been avoiding you," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "We've just been... busy."

Sarah raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. "Busy, huh? Or are you just mad because I called you out?"

The tension between us thickened, and I could feel the others shifting uncomfortably. This wasn't just playful teasing anymore. There was something heavier behind Sarah's words.

"I'm not mad," I shot back, but my voice was sharper than I intended. "But you always have something to say, don't you?"

"Maybe because you never say anything," Sarah retorted, her eyes narrowing. "You just shut down and act like nothing matters."

That hit a nerve, and I felt my face flush with anger. "I'm not the one who acts like nothing's wrong."

The silence that followed was deafening. Everyone was watching us now, their expressions a mix of concern and awkwardness. I wanted to say more, to defend myself, but I couldn't find the words.

Before I could even process what was happening, Sarah stood up, grabbing her bag. "I'm done with this," she said, her voice cold and final. "You can keep pretending everything's fine, Izu, but I'm not."

Without another word, she walked away, leaving the rest of us in stunned silence.

Later that Day

The rest of the day felt like a blur. I barely paid attention in class, my mind replaying the argument with Sarah over and over. I couldn't believe how badly it had escalated—and now, she wasn't even talking to me.

When the day finally ended, Nya, Avy, and I walked to the car in silence. Avy glanced at me, her eyes filled with concern.

"You okay?" she asked softly.

I shrugged, not trusting my voice. But the truth was, I wasn't okay. I didn't know if things between Sarah and me could ever go back to the way they were. 

That's when it hit me, it felt like the same arguments we had a year before, that separated us and it felt wrong...