chapter sixteen

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I was scrolling through Instagram when I saw the post that made my stomach twist. It was a picture of Eliza, my best friend, smiling brightly next to my older sister Kayene and our cousin Kat.

They were all posing together, looking like they were having a good time at some event. I wasn't mad about Eliza taking a picture with Kayene and Kat. But something about the situation rubbed me the wrong way. Where and when had this been taken? Why hadn't Eliza told me about it?

I blinked at the photo, my thumb hovering over the screen as I tried to make sense of it. The last time I'd talked to Eliza, she hadn't mentioned anything about running into Kayene or Kat, and, frankly, I would have expected her to.

Especially given the situation with Kayene. Things had been tense between us for a while now, ever since the fight I had with our mom, Flora.

Kayene and I weren't really speaking right now, and it felt like every little thing was getting under my skin. I mean, Kayene was the one who kept telling me I should make up with our mom. And Kat—well, she was always caught in the middle, acting like she didn't know what was going on between her cousins.

But this? This felt like a betrayal. I had no idea why Eliza would spend time with them without telling me. We were supposed to be close. She knew what was going on. Why hadn't she at least called me to say, Hey, I ran into Kayene and Kat at a party? Instead, there they were, all happy in this picture, and I was left in the dark.

I kept staring at the photo, my emotions bouncing between hurt and confusion, when Phil walked into the room, India nestled in his arms, her tiny body curled up in a peaceful sleep.

She was three months old now, growing so fast, and yet she still looked so fragile, so small. Phil must have sensed my mood immediately because the look on my face was probably enough to give me away.

He walked over to the couch, lowered himself down next to me, and gave me a soft, understanding glance. "What's wrong? You've got the look of someone who's been betrayed by someone on your face."

I didn't have to explain. He could always read me. I handed him my phone without saying anything, and he stared at the picture, his expression shifting to one of understanding.

"Eliza with Kayene and Kat?" he said, his voice calm.

I nodded, my chest tight. "Yeah. And I don't even know when this was taken, or why she didn't mention it to me. I feel like she should've told me, at least. I mean, with everything going on between Kayene and me..."

Phil nodded slowly, glancing from the picture back to me. "I get it, Kayla. But before you jump to conclusions, maybe you should talk to Eliza. Call her and ask her about it. Maybe she didn't think anything of it."

I crossed my arms over my chest, biting my lip. "Maybe. But she still should've told me. I mean, we're supposed to be close. We tell each other everything. At least, I thought we did."

Phil shifted India in his arms, adjusting her position as she stirred slightly, then settled back into her nap. "Look, Kayla. Eliza's been covering your duties at work for the last few weeks, right? She's probably just been busy, and maybe it didn't seem like a big deal to her. I know you're upset, but you should talk to her before you let this stew and make it worse."

I took a deep breath. Phil had a point. Eliza had been taking on a lot for me lately, stepping up without complaint. She was loyal—probably one of the most loyal people I knew. And, maybe, I was just overthinking it, letting my frustration with Kayene spill over onto my relationship with Eliza. But still... I didn't like being left out of the loop, especially when it involved something as simple as a picture.

"Okay," I said, sighing. "You're right. I should talk to her." But still, a part of me wanted to hold onto the hurt, to let it fester for a while longer. It was easier than confronting it head-on.

Phil gave me a soft smile, the kind that made me feel like everything would be okay. "You'll figure it out, Kayla. I know you will. Just take a deep breath before you call her. Give her a chance to explain herself."

I nodded, appreciating the calm in his voice. "Thanks, Papa Phil."

He gave me a knowing look, then stood up, adjusting India once more before heading out of the room. "Call her, okay? And if you need to talk after, I'm here."

I stared at my phone for a moment, feeling the weight of the decision ahead of me. Calling Eliza wasn't going to be easy. I didn't want to make things awkward between us, but I also didn't want to let this slide without addressing how I felt. I took a deep breath, pushed my thoughts aside, and dialed her number.

It rang a couple of times before she picked up, her voice sounding cheerful but tired. "Hey, Kayla! What's up?"

I hesitated, unsure how to start. I didn't want to sound accusatory, but I also didn't want to bottle up my feelings. "Hey, Eliza. I saw the picture Kat posted on Instagram."

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line, and then Eliza responded, sounding slightly confused. "The one with Kayene and Kat?"

"Yeah," I said, feeling my stomach tighten. "I just... I didn't know you were hanging out with them. When was that taken? And why didn't you tell me about it?"

I could hear Eliza's breath shift, like she was trying to process my question. "Oh! That was at a party a few nights ago," she explained. "I ran into Kayene and Kat there, and the photographer asked us to pose for a picture. It wasn't anything major, and honestly, I just kind of took the picture and moved on. I didn't think to mention it to you, because, well, we didn't even really talk. I just didn't think it was important."

I blinked, the tension in my shoulders easing just a little. It wasn't the answer I had expected, but it made sense. "You didn't think it was important? I don't know... I guess I just felt like you should've told me, since, well... things have been so tense with Kayene and me."

There was a pause, and I could almost hear Eliza's thoughts processing. "I'm really sorry, Kayla. I should've told you. I didn't mean to make you feel left out or like I was hiding anything from you. It just didn't cross my mind at the time. I was kind of in the moment, you know?"

I sighed, the frustration I'd been holding onto draining out of me. "Yeah, I get it. I guess I've just been feeling kind of... left behind, I guess. With everything that's been going on with Zilla, India, Kayene, and Flora, I've been kind of on edge. But I shouldn't have assumed the worst."

Eliza's voice softened, full of understanding. "I totally get it. I should've been more considerate, and I'm really sorry. I didn't want to hurt your feelings. You know I've got your back, always."

I smiled, feeling the last of my tension slip away. "Thanks, Eliza. I really appreciate it. I was just... I don't know, overthinking everything. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions."

"You're my best friend, Kayla," Eliza said with a laugh. "You can always talk to me, okay?"

I let out a deep breath, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. "I will. I promise."

And just like that, the weight I'd been carrying around seemed a little lighter. Maybe it wasn't a betrayal after all. Maybe I just needed to trust Eliza and not let my worries about everything else cloud my judgment.