Her whole body stiffens. “Oh my God, can everyone get off my ass about that? It was a onetime thing, and now I can’t hear the end of it.”
I pause, watching her body tense up. “I’m only asking because I’m worried about you. Is there something going on?”
I remember when Ezra asked me if I knew anything. At first, I didn’t think anything of it, but this shift in Rya has me at a loss, just like he was. She’s here physically, sitting right in front of me, but something is off. There is some sort of annoyance with the way she speaks and acts toward me now.
She lets out a heavy sigh. “I’m unhappy. Okay?”
I’m taken aback by what she said, unsure of how to respond, I glance over at her and see her jaw stiffen. “With what?”
She runs her hands through her hair. “Just life.”
I lean forward, waiting for her to say more, but silence echoes through the house. The sound of the birds chirping outside is the only sound coming in. “Rya, why don’t you talk to me? You’ve always been able to come to me about stuff?”
Is it me, or do the people I love feel like they can’t come to me? First, it was Zayn shutting me out. Now Rya is acting like she can’t talk to me about whatever is going on. I can’t help but feel like I’m losing touch with the people closest to me. And Ezra too. He seems as if he can’t talk to me either.
Oh, my hell… Am I a bad wife? A bad friend? Is there something I’m missing? Is it me?
Rya gets up from the couch. “I’m going to head out. Thanks for the cupcake.”
I stare at her, at a loss for words. Everything is crumbling around me. Has it been crumbling way before I even noticed?
I can’t help but think about the recent months until the conversation with Rya yesterday. It makes my heart sink, thinking about whether it’s me that’s been a bad wife or friend. I don’t want to be that kind of person, especially to the ones I love the most. The ones who have always been there for me. But I can’t seem to think of anything I would have done. I’ve replayed a lot over in my head and nothing came to mind. Am I not aware of how I treat people? I thought about this all night and here I am the next morning, still thinking about it.
I’m jolted out of my thoughts by the doorbell ringing.
Again?
Is it Rya?
I rush to the door, swing it open, and see Ezra standing there in his mechanic clothes. He’s also a mechanic, like Zayn. He used to work at the same shop as Zayn, but he moved on to another shop while Zayn stayed back to keep working for the same guy he’s worked for since high school.
My stomach sinks at the sight of him. Did something happen? It’s not like him to stop by in the afternoon, unannounced. “Is everything okay?”
He steps into the house, brows raised. “Yeah, why wouldn’t it be?”
“I don’t know.” I shrug. “I wasn’t expecting you.”
He sways on his feet with his hands in his pockets. “Yeah, I should have called, but I was around here and thought I would stop by.” He steps further into the house and then stops and pivots to face me. “Don’t worry, I called Zayn before I came to make sure he wasn’t going to get upset if I stopped by without him here.”
I scoff. “Oh, no.” I shake my head. “He should never have acted like that.”
Just like Rya did yesterday, Ezra takes a big sniff of the sweet smell lingering in the air.
He pulls out a chair and takes a seat in the kitchen.
“You want a chocolate chip cookie?” I ask, making my way to the kitchen.
“Duh. You know I can never turn down your sweets.”
I giggle, grabbing a glass of milk for him, too. Because I know that’s the way he likes his cookies, with a big glass of milk, to dunk them in.
“So, what’s up?” I take a seat across from him and lay out the cookies and his cup of milk for him. This is a good time for him to stop by. I get a chance to ask him what’s been running through my mind all morning.
“I know I’ve kept you hanging when it comes to Rya,” he says and sets his glass down after taking a sip. “She finally told me what’s been going on.”
I lean forward a little, brows raised. “What’s going on?”
“She lost her job.” He dunks his cookie into the milk.
