Serayah woke up to the faint sounds of traffic outside her window, the familiar drone of the city offering little comfort. She lay still for a moment, her eyes tracing the cracks in the ceiling, the weight of last night pressing heavily on her chest. Marcus had left early for work, the tension between them still palpable, though they hadn't exchanged more than a few strained words this morning.
She pushed the covers aside and sat up, her body aching from the long hours at the club and the emotional toll of the argument with Marcus. Her phone buzzed on the nightstand, drawing her out of her thoughts. Glancing at the screen, her heart skipped a beat-A'ja Wilson.
She hesitated for a second before opening the message.
"Hey, I'm in town for a few more days. Want to grab coffee? No pressure, just checking in :)"
Serayah stared at the message, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. She felt a flutter of something unfamiliar-hope. A'ja had been a complete stranger just last night, but there was something about her that made Serayah feel safe, seen. The urge to reply was strong, but so was the voice in her head telling her to be careful, to not get too close.
After a few moments of indecision, she finally typed back.
"I'd love that. When and where?"
The response came almost immediately, and they settled on a small café not far from the Strip. Serayah couldn't shake the nervous excitement as she got ready, slipping into something casual yet flattering, keeping it simple but mindful of how she might appear to someone like A'ja.
As she walked out the door, she felt a pang of guilt gnaw at her stomach. She hadn't told Marcus about this meeting, and though they weren't broken up, she knew he wouldn't understand-he never did. But this wasn't about him. It was about her.
The café was quiet, a cozy, tucked-away spot that provided a break from the usual Vegas chaos. Serayah spotted A'ja immediately, sitting at a corner table, her tall frame impossible to miss. She was dressed casually in a hoodie and jeans, her hair pulled back into a neat ponytail. Her face lit up with a warm smile as soon as she saw Serayah.
"Hey! I wasn't sure you'd actually come," A'ja said, standing up to greet her.
"Why wouldn't I?" Serayah asked, a little shy as she sat down across from her.
A'ja shrugged with a playful smile. "I don't know. Maybe I'm a little intimidating."
Serayah laughed, feeling the tension ease out of her shoulders. "Maybe just a little."
A'ja's presence was disarming, and as they began chatting, Serayah found herself relaxing in a way she hadn't in a long time. They talked about everything-life in Vegas, A'ja's WNBA career, and even the chaos of Serayah's job at the club. But A'ja never pushed too hard, never pried too deeply, allowing Serayah to reveal what she was comfortable with.
After about an hour, A'ja leaned back in her chair, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. "You know, last night, when I saw you, I could tell something was off. I don't mean with your dancing or anything, but like... I don't know. You seemed like you were somewhere else."
Serayah looked down at her hands, unsure of how to respond. She didn't want to dump her problems on A'ja, not after just meeting her. But there was something about A'ja's gaze, the sincerity in her voice, that made Serayah want to open up, even just a little.
"I'm... going through some stuff," she admitted, her voice quieter now. "It's... hard sometimes."
A'ja nodded, not pushing, just listening. "I get that. We all have things we're dealing with. You don't have to talk about it if you're not ready."
