The city’s cold had followed me all the way home. Raya and Kalina walking behind, their heels clicking. I removed my key from my pocket and slid it into the lock.
The door swung open, revealing the familiar warmth of my house, the soft glow of a lamp Aeri must’ve left on casting shadows across the living room.
I stepped inside and held the door as Raya and Kalina followed, their eyes wide, taking in the space like kids on a field trip.
"Woah, so this is Ezra’s house," Raya said, her voice bright with surprise.
"Damn, nice," Kalina added, her silver one-piece catching the light as she stepped in, her gaze darting over the furniture. The living room was simple but cozy.
A couch, lane that goes inside and the dining table with a half-empty coffee mug, a TV in the corner, A potted plant by the window, colorful throw pillows, a framed photo of us at the beach tucked on a shelf.
I sighhed, long and heavy, my breath quiet but heavy with irritation, and put my bag on the couch. They wandered in, their curiosity filling the silence, Kalina peering at a stack of old vinyl records by the stereo.
"Want water?" I asked, my voice flat, heading to the kitchen—a open space with white cabinets and a counter cluttered with Aeri’s recipe books. I grabbed two glasses from the cupboard, filling them from the tap, the water glugging softly.
"Thanks," Raya said, taking hers with a quick smile, sipping as she wandered back to the living room, her eyes scanning every detail. Kalina also said thanks, taking the glass.
Raya, the more curious one, couldn’t sit still. She opened the fridge, the light spilling out as she peered inside, spotting Aeri’s neatly packed leftovers. "Ooh, someone’s got food prepped," she said, grinning like a kid, then opened the oven, empty but gleaming, and tugged at a drawer, rattling silverware. "This place is so... homey," she said.
I leaned against the counter, arms crossed, watching her moving around the house as if she owns it.
"You live alone, Ezra?" she asked, turning to me, her glass still in hand.
"Nope, just with my mom," I said, my voice flat. Calling Aeri "mom" felt weird, bitter on my tongue, but there was no need for these girls to know anything real about her, about us.
They were leaving tomorrow morning, and that was that. I sighhed internally.
"C’mon, I’ll show you where you can sleep," I said, pushing off the counter and leading them to my room. I opened the door, revealing a plain space—a single bed which can fit two people comfortably with a dark blue comforter, a desk piled with books and papers, a guitar propped in the corner, a window with a view of the city’s lights. "You can sleep here tonight. I’ll take the couch."
"Wow, it’s so... you," Kalina said, stepping inside, her fingers tracing on my desk, her voice soft but curious. "All these books—do you actually read them?"
Raya wandered past, her eyes scanning the room, then froze at the hallway’s end, spotting another door. "Whose room is this?" she asked, her hand already reaching for the knob.
I moved fast, my hand closing over hers, stopping her cold.
"No, not this room," I said, my voice firm, my face flushing with a sudden, flustered heat. "It’s my mom’s room. Let’s respect her privacy." My grip was gentle but unyielding, my eyes locking with hers, making it clear I wasn’t budging.
Raya’s face tensed, her smile faltering as she pulled her hand back.
"Umm... okay," she said, her voice smaller, her eyes flicking to Kalina, who looked away, suddenly interested in the floor.
I let go, stepping back, my jaw tight. Aeri’s room—her books, her clothes, the little notes she left herself on the mirror—was hers, private, sacred. No way was I letting these girls, these strangers who’d already caused enough trouble, poke around in there.
I sighed, tilting my head toward them, my hands in my pockets.
"Anyways... have you guys eaten anything yet?" I asked, my eyes flicking between their faces.
"Nope, not yet," Kalina said, tilting her head side to side, her hands clasped in front of her like she was happens to be more polite than Raya.
"Come down and eat with me then," I said, turning toward the kitchen. "Aeri said she made dinner before leaving."
"Ohh, I see," Kalina said, exchanging a quick glance with Raya, who nodded.
Raya and Kalina sat at the dining table, its surface clean and polished as Aeri had always maintained it well. They looked out of place, their party dresses clashing with the homely setting, their hands folded awkwardly as they waited.
The microwave beeped, and I divided the warm lasagna, sliding plates in front of them before sitting down, my own plate untouched for a moment as I leaned back, my expression blank.
Raya took a bite, her eyes lighting up, her fork pausing mid-air. "Oh my gosh, this is amazing," she said, her voice bright, almost childlike, as she scooped another bite. "Your mom’s a genius in the kitchen, Ezra. This sauce? Perfection."
"Yeah, seriously," Kalina added, nodding as she chewed, her silver dress glinting as she leaned forward. "The cheese is so gooey, and the spices... wow. She should open a restaurant or something." She smiled, glancing at Raya, who nodded eagerly, their chatter filling the space like they were trying to make it normal.
I didn’t respond, just picked up my fork and took a bite, the familiar taste of Aeri’s cooking hitting me hard—tomato, basil, a hint of garlic, all her love in every layer.
I ate silently, my eyes on my plate, my jaw tight, the girls’ compliments floating around me like background noise. They didn’t know Aeri wasn’t my mom, didn’t know how much it hurt to hear her reduced to that, didn’t know how much I wished she was here, her laugh filling the kitchen instead of their voices.