𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐋 𝐅𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐃

37

Song:
birds of a feather- billie eilish
slowed + reverb

ANGEL

Of fucking course she was the woman my dad had been going on and on about for the past few weeks.

He'd mentioned her so many times, in fact, that I'd begun to wonder who she was. His enthusiasm and the way his eyes lit up when he spoke of her left me curious.

To say that I'm happy that he's even able to move on is a fucking understatement.

Now, standing in front of her, I could finally put a face to all those conversations.

I settle into the seat directly across from Lilith, who's enthusiastically piling food onto her plate like she hadn't eaten in days.

Her eyes glimmer with excitement as she carefully maneuvers large spoonfuls of mashed potatoes and generous portions of roasted vegetables. I can't help but watch her, a soft chuckle escaping my lips at her childlike eagerness.

The amusement bubbling inside me must be obvious because, in the next moment, her mother notices as well. With a playful sigh and a knowing smile, she reaches over and lightly slaps Lilith's hand away from the serving bowl.

"Patience, Lily," her mother chides gently, shaking her head. "We're not running out of food anytime soon."

Lilith pouts, glancing from her hand to her overflowing plate. "But it looks so good," she mutters, earning a laugh from both my dad and I.

Shaking her head with a light smile, Lilith's mom settles into the chair across from my father, her eyes shifting between the two of us. Her curiosity shines through as her gaze lingers. "So, you know my daughter?" she asks, her voice kind and inviting, a warm smile spreading across her face.

I nod, reaching forward to fill my plate with the delicious assortment of food spread across the table. "Yes, ma'am," I begin, offering her a polite smile. "Lilith and I go to the same school. We've been friends for a while now." I pause for a moment, glancing over at Lilith as she stuffs a forkful of food into her mouth, her eyes lighting up with delight at the taste.

"She's a friend of mine," I add with sincerity, my tone warm as I continue placing food on my plate.

Although we didn't talk as much as I did with some of the others, I still considered her a friend. How could I not? She had always been kind to me, thoughtful in her own way, and full of good intentions.

Truthfully, my entire friend group was like that-each of them had a heart in the right place, even if we all had our moments of distance. I didn't expect them to be so understanding when I finally worked up the courage to tell them the truth.

I had been afraid for so long, worried they might get angry or feel betrayed that I had kept such a significant part of my life hidden from them. But instead of judgment or resentment, they gave me exactly what I hadn't realized I needed: empathy, compassion, and the warmth of genuine support.

The weight that had been crushing my chest lifted, and I felt a wave of relief wash over me.

As my father and her mother fall easily into a conversation, their words fading into the background like a distant hum, I focus on the plate in front of me, my fork pushing bits of food back and forth as my appetite wanes.

The aroma of the meal, warm and savory, should have been enough to pull me into the moment, but my mind was elsewhere. It wasn't on the delicious spread or the soft glow of the dining room light-it was on her. Leena.

Her name echoed in my head like a haunting melody I couldn't shake. Every thought I had seemed to lead back to her-the way her eyes lit up when she smiled, how her laughter had a way of making everything else in the world seem trivial. I missed her.