Page 29 of Symphony for Lies

“I can’t believe this! Amelia, you actually made it!”

Instantly, I was tackled into a tight six-arm embrace.

“We missed you so much!” Their voices overlapped, a chorus of love and excitement.

I let them squeeze the life out of me, knowing full well that we were probably getting stared at by half the café, and kissed each of my friends on the cheek before sliding into the seat next to Layla.

She leaned her delicate frame against me, resting her head on my shoulder and wrapping her arm around mine. Her hijab slipped slightly, brushing my hand.

“We haven’t seen you in so long,” she murmured, her amber eyes gazing up at me. The golden café lights illuminated her warm golden skin, making her glow softly.But her face seemed a little thinner.

“I know. I’m sorry for not keeping in touch as much as I should have.”

“At least you’re here now,” Tiana’s bright voice said.

Her afro had grown longer, framing her smooth umber skin, which appeared radiant and hydrated, like she never skipped a skincare routine. She looked incredible. And so did Stacy. Her green eyes sparkled under the lights, and for once, her normally pale complexion had a healthy glow, like she had just stepped out of a luxurious spa day. Her cheeks were flushed, her freckles more visible, and her full lips had a soft, rosy tint.

“We really missed you,” Stacy added gently. But there was something else to her tone. A slight hint of sadness.

The guilt inside me deepened.“I’ll try to be on time next time,” I promised.

My friends simply waved off my apology.

Then, one by one, they started filling me in on everything I had missed.

As we chatted, a waiter came by to take our orders. We each got our favorite drinks and snacks, settling comfortably in our little corner of the café.

Layla was the first to share. She told us about her married life with Ali, a police officer. They had tied the knot the previous year, and the wedding had been a dream straight out of a fairy tale.

Then came Stacy’s update. Her ex was still trying to reach her. Still harassing her. My blood pressure spiked instantly. That bastard just wouldn’t leave her alone. But she was finally able to take action. My friend had something on him that hopefully would get him to stop.

Tiana had good news. She and her boyfriend were finally moving together.And… she had been promoted to news anchor.

With a cheer, we celebrated the announcement.

I pulled her into a tight hug, squeezing her with all the love I had.“That’s incredible! I’m so proud of you!”

She laughed, hugging me back before we all settled down again.

Then, their eyes turned to me, and I had no idea where to start.

But by the time I finished, the excitement and the warm glow had faded entirely. My friends looked stunned, shocked, and disturbed.

After a long silence, Stacy exclaimed, “What the fuck?”

“Yeah. What can I say? The last couple of weeks have been a handful.”

“Oh my God! You poor thing.” Layla wrapped her arms around me and held me tightly against her chest.

“Can’t… breathe,” I wheezed, gasping for air.

“Why didn’t you call me?” she asked. “You don’t have to carry all this alone! You always listen to me when I have problems. You’re always there for me. Let me be there for you, too.”

Her words almost brought me to tears.

“Ahem! We’re all here for you, Amelia!” Stacy and Tiana interjected in almost unison, making sure I heard them.

“Of course, I know that.” I gave them a weak smile. “I just… didn’t know how to talk about it.”