Zaire has waited three long years to reunite with her best friend, Aiyana. Their joy is unmistakable, but her excitement quickly shifts when she meets Aiyana's boyfriend-Omari, the man Zaire once loved deeply.
Unbeknownst to Aiyana, Zaire and Omari...
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The moment my feet hit the familiar ground of DC, I thought everything would finally feel right again. The weight of the past few months—the whirlwind of shoots, the travels, the endless faces—felt like it might drift away, like all the chaos would fade once I returned to my own space.
I've never been one to carry things with me for too long. I pack light, both literally and emotionally. But seeing him again... I didn't expect that. I didn't expect how his presence would reignite everything I had buried so deep. I thought I was over it, over him. But I can't shake the feeling that keeps creeping into my mind.
Omari.
It's been months, yet I feel him in everything. In the quiet spaces of my apartment, in the rush of people I see on the streets, in the silence of my hotel rooms when I have no one to talk to but myself.
I sink into my couch, letting the familiar cushions welcome me back. I close my eyes for a moment, letting the noise of the city outside fade into the background. But there it is. That feeling. His face, his voice, his smile. It's like it all happened just yesterday.
The dream I had last night is still fresh in my mind. I can't even remember exactly what happened in it, only the feeling. The warmth of his embrace, the way his hand would touch mine like he was afraid I might disappear if he let go. The way he looked at me, like everything he wanted was right there in front of him.
It all feels like a lifetime ago, and yet it's only been a few months.
I exhale slowly, frustrated with myself. I'm trying to let go of the stress from the past, to move on from the things that keep pulling me back. But it's hard when he's all I think about, when he lingers in my thoughts without invitation. Even when I try to bury it, the dream replays, his words echo in my ears.
The last time I saw him...
A rush of heat floods my chest, and I bite my lip, pushing the memory away. I shouldn't let it affect me. I should be stronger than this.
But I can't deny the truth. I miss him. More than I thought was possible.
Every night, I dream about him. Sometimes it's just his voice, other times his presence is so real, I almost reach out and touch him. In those moments, I feel like I'm being pulled back into something I can't escape. A force I have no control over.
I stand up, shaking the thought away. I need to focus, get back to work. I have a shoot scheduled tomorrow, and it's just another project to add to my list. But every time I look through the lens, I feel the weight of what's missing. The lingering thoughts of Omari, his touch, the way he made me feel when everything was simple and real.
It's been months. I thought I could handle this. I thought I could keep moving forward without looking back.
But I can't.
And maybe, just maybe, I don't want to.
I walk over to the window, pushing the blinds aside and looking out at the city. The skyline of DC is quiet tonight, the streetlights casting a soft glow on the pavement below. It's peaceful, but the stillness only amplifies the noise in my head. My thoughts keep circling back to Omari, like the repetition of a song stuck on loop.
