Tell Me Lies

Unspoken Tension

I woke up to an empty bed. The sheets were still warm on my side, but the other half was already cold, which meant Omari had gotten up before me. I blinked a few times, trying to shake off the lingering haze of sleep. The light from the morning sun streamed through the curtains, casting a soft glow across the room. I stretched, feeling the gentle pull of my muscles as I slowly got out of bed.

The bathroom called my name, so I moved toward the shower, letting the hot water wash over me. I closed my eyes and let the steam fill the small bathroom, trying to center myself before facing the day. I hadn't had time to think much this morning, but now, as the water trickled down my skin, my thoughts began to swirl around.

Omari and Zaire. Their energy had been off lately—too much tension hanging between them, thick enough to cut through with a knife. I wasn't sure what had changed, but something had. Maybe it was because they'd been spending more time together lately, or maybe it was something else entirely.

When I finished in the shower, I wrapped myself in a towel and made my way into the kitchen, feeling the dampness of my hair against my back. The scent of coffee hit me first, and I smiled, appreciating its warmth. But as I rounded the corner, my smile faded.

Zaire and Omari were standing at the kitchen island, facing each other, their voices sharp but low. I couldn't catch all the words, but their body language said enough. Omari's jaw was clenched, and Zaire's arms were crossed tightly over her chest. Something was definitely going on, and it wasn't just about breakfast.

As I entered, their conversation stopped immediately. It was as if they both froze like they'd been caught doing something they shouldn't have. The sudden silence felt heavy, and I raised an eyebrow, giving them both a pointed look.

"What's going on?" I asked, crossing my arms in a way that mirrored Zaire's stance. "What were you two arguing about?"

Both of them looked at each other for a split second, then back at me. Omari shifted, rubbing the back of his neck, while Zaire let out a light laugh, trying to ease the tension.

"It's nothing, really," Zaire said, her tone casual, though there was still a hint of something unspoken in her voice. "Just... basketball stuff."

Omari nodded, offering a tight smile. "Yeah, Celtics versus Cavs. You know how it gets when two fans of rival teams start going at it."

I looked between them, studying their faces. They were both trying to play it cool, but I could sense the undercurrent of something else—something neither of them were willing to admit. Still, basketball made sense. I couldn't imagine them getting heated over anything else.

"Well," I said, stepping further into the room, "since I love basketball too, I'll leave you guys to it. But don't get too loud; some of us still want to sleep peacefully."

Zaire chuckled, and Omari gave a small grin, and just like that, the awkwardness seemed to dissipate. They both turned away from me, resuming their 'debate,' but I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more going on beneath the surface.

As I poured myself a cup of coffee, I tried to brush off the uneasy sensation in my chest. It wasn't the first time I'd walked in on them like this, and it probably wouldn't be the last. But the way they'd acted today—something felt off.

I decided to let it go for now. If it was basketball, then it was basketball, but I'd keep an eye on both of them—I always did.

I took a sip of my coffee, the warmth spreading through me as I leaned against the counter, watching Zaire and Omari in their own world. They were still going at it, their voices rising with each passing minute, but now, it felt almost playful—like two friends debating their favorite teams rather than something more intense. I guess that's what basketball did to people.

Zaire, ever the Celtics fanatic, was leaning in with her fiery passion, arguing some point about the last game. Omari was all relaxed and confident, teasing her with a casual smile as he retorted with his points in favor of the Cavs. I smiled despite myself. It was cute how they could get so animated over something so trivial—yet it wasn't just about basketball, was it?

There was an unspoken tension between them, something more than just rivalry. I couldn't place it, but I felt it deep in my gut. Maybe it was just me overthinking things, but lately, there had been a distance I hadn't noticed before. And even though they were talking, laughing, even teasing each other now, I wondered if that gap was still there, lurking beneath their words.

"So, when's the next game?" I asked, trying to steer the conversation back to safe territory. I needed to know if they were still going to meet up or if this was the end of their basketball banter for the day.

"Tomorrow night," Zaire answered quickly, her face lighting up as she spoke about the match. "I'm totally going to win this one."

"Not if the Cavs have anything to say about it," Omari grinned. He was clearly enjoying the back-and-forth.

"Please," Zaire laughed, "You know the Celtics are going to crush the Cavs. It's not even close."

I couldn't help but chuckle at their competitive banter. It was a refreshing distraction from whatever tension had been hanging over us all morning. But the longer I stood there, the more I realized that even though they were joking, there was something different in the way they looked at each other. It wasn't just friendly teasing anymore.

My mind wandered back to last night. I had caught them at the corner of my eye, the two standing a little too close. I'd brushed it off at the time, figuring they were just getting comfortable with each other again after so much time apart. But now... I wasn't so sure.

"Are you two going to watch the game together, or are you just going to argue about it all night?" I asked, trying to keep the tone light, even though a knot was forming in my stomach.

Zaire glanced at Omari, and for a brief moment, there was a shift in the air—something subtle but enough for me to notice.

"Yeah," Omari said, his voice softer now, "we're gonna watch it together. It'll be fun."

The way he said it, though—like he was convincing himself as much as he was telling me—didn't sit right with me. I wanted to press, to ask if everything was okay, but I held back. It wasn't like me to pry, not with everything else going on. Still, I couldn't ignore the nagging feeling that something was off.

"Alright, well, you two have fun," I said, trying to shake off the unease. "I'm gonna go change then make some breakfast."

They both nodded, resuming their heated yet playful back-and-forth, but my thoughts stayed elsewhere. I wanted to believe them. I wanted to believe that everything between us was okay, that the weird energy between Omari and Zaire was just a phase. But deep down, I wasn't so sure.

As I started making pancakes, I could hear their voices behind me, laughing now, the tension from earlier dissolving into something lighter. And for a moment, I let myself believe it—maybe things were fine after all. But I couldn't shake the feeling that the cracks were starting to show.

I just didn't know how deep they went yet.

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My first chapter from Aiyana pov. How is it? Should I include her and Omari pov more?

I wrote this when I was so tired like I am now so make sure to correct me on any grammar mistakes.

Make sure to vote and comment

With love,

A