“Do you have Guinness?”
He nods once, then looks back at me briefly. A check-in.
I nod.I’m good.
Or at least I’m holding it together.
“Cool. I invited Sol and Amin as well. They should be here soon.”
Za groans. “Of course you did.”
“You like them.”
“I likeAmin,” she corrects. “I tolerate Sol.”
Fairs.
“Same thing.” Jabari walks off with Nia and Za following. And I just stand there.
Sol and Amindrop by not long after, and just like that the flat fills.
Music kicks in and drinks get poured. What was supposed to be a quiet catch up with my friend turned into a game night. They raid my collection and start playing match ups onMortal Combat.
Sol talks over everyone, clearly trying to impress Nia and Amin pretends he’s above it for Za’s sake but laughs anyway. Jabari drifts between conversations, checking in, grounding the room without making it obvious.
And I don’t know where I fit anymore.
This isn’t how I planned our reunion.
Za talks about touring. About cities. About stages and rehearsals and late nights and early mornings. And Nia’s right there.
Nodding and adding details. Finishing stories halfway through.
I smile when I’m supposed to.
I laugh when I’m supposed to.
I ask questions when I’m supposed to.
But every now and then my eyes drift to the space between them. To the ease and the history I wasn’t there for. Then I measure it against the space between us.
And it hits me?—
She found a new person.
Jabari leans in beside me, his voice low enough that it stays between us.
“You good?”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not.”
“I am.”
He watches me for a second, he presses a comforting kiss to my nose like he already figured it out. “Give it time.”
I nod.
