Slow Down | ✓

14. THEIR THING

14. THEIR THING

"DAMN, I'M STARVING," Aliyah plops down on the other side of the booth, across from Elijah who was watching her with bright blue eyes.

The two had been meeting at Island Vybez for the better part of a week and some change and they'd been getting closer and closer with each lunch break.

They'd been there so often that they rarely had to go up to the counter to order. The food was already waiting for them when they arrived.

Elijah furrows his eyebrows as he watches the chocolate-skinned woman in front of him fan herself with her blazer.

"You good?" He questions, taking in her flustered state.

"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm great," Aliyah forces a smile on her face.

"Wanna talk about it?" Elijah knows exactly what she's about to say ━ it's usually how their thing goes.

She shakes her head before coming back to earth, sending him a sweet smile, "No, I'm good. Let's talk about you."

He tilts his head at her and shows off his very pretty smile, guaranteed to get her talking.

She points a freshly manicured finger at him, "No, it's not gonna work this time."

"I have no clue what you're talking about," He pulls out the next stop ━ the pout.

She holds her hand in front of his face, "You're annoying."

"And you have no will-power," He teases, resting his elbows on the table as he leans forward, "Come on, talk to Eli."

Aliyah leans forward, stopping just inches away from Elijah's face, "I told you I'm fine."

He smirks as his eyes scan hers, "I don't believe you."

The stare down ensues and, in no time, Aliyah is releasing an annoyed groan and throwing her head back.

"Works everytime," Elijah tells her, playfully, "What's up?"

"So, you know how I'm planning my ex-boyfriend's magical wedding?" He nods, sipping his fruit punch flavored Tropical Rhythm, "I met with them right before I got here and his fiancée ━"

"Your best friend?"

"Ex- best friend, thank you very much," Aliyah corrects him, running her finger over the rim of her glass, "Well, I think she's pregnant."

Elijah's eyebrows shoot up in surprise, "You think she's pregnant?"

"I think she's pregnant," Aliyah repeats with a raised eyebrow, "She threw up in my flower pot."

Elijah chuckles, "And that makes you think she's pregnant?"

"She also missed a meeting because she was 'sick,'" Aliyah adds more evidence to the pot, "Come on, you're the doctor. You're supposed to know the symptoms of a pregnancy."

"I do know the symptoms of a pregnancy," Amused, Elijah raises an eyebrow, "I, however, don't know why we're talking about your ex- best friend being pregnant."

Aliyah stabs her chicken, absentmindedly, "I might be a bit bitter. Just a little. And I told myself I wasn't going to be, but she's pregnant, Eli."

"Alright," He narrows his eyes in thought, "How 'bout I take your mind off it?"

"Or you can be bitter with me?" She musters up a convincing smile only for it to fall when Elijah tilts his head, gravely, "Alright, fine, what do you have in mind?"

"Well," A small smile grows on his face, "My friend just moved into a new place and he's having a get-together. Said to invite whoever I want, and lucky for you, all my other friends that I wanted to invite, I already work with, so you're the next best thing, I guess."

Aliyah scoffs at his teasing words, flipping him off with a wide smile on her face, "Okay, well, fuck you. Just for that, I'm not going. I'll be bitter by myself."

Elijah shakes his head and releases a chuckle, "Yeah, that's not gonna work. Not when I'm your friend." He stresses the word with a raised eyebrow.

She rolls her eyes at him, "You're really milking this thing, aren't you?"

"Oh, come on, you love it."

He does the smile again ━ his eyes seeming to sparkle in the sunlight flooding through the window they're sat by. For just a second, Aliyah imagines herself floating in those blue irises, the rays of sun on her face, charging up her melanin while she soaks in the tranquility.

And before she can drown, she clears her throat and pulls herself from the water, saving herself.

"You're annoying," Aliyah laughs as she pulls away.

"You said that already," Elijah sends her a charming wink before a beep sounds from his jacket. He removes the pager from his pocket with an eye roll, "Crap, I forgot I was on-call." He pulls his wallet out and throws a twenty dollar bill on the table.

"You know, I am going to pay for lunch one day," Aliyah snickers as she watches him stand from his seat.

Elijah chuckles, pulling his jacket on, "Not with me, Lee."

The chocolate-skinned woman thanks the Lord that she's dark enough for her blush to be hidden but if he were to touch her face, it would probably burn him with how hot her skin is.

Needless to say, she likes the nickname.

"Have fun fixing bones," She tells him, staring up at him, "And text me the details for the party. I'll see if I can make it."

this chapter is kind of short but it's a cute lil scene, showing more of elijah and aliyah's newly bloomed 'friendship'

aliyah know damn well she going to that party 🤣

also it's really late and i can barely keep my eyes open