A Little Jealousy
1076 Words
CHAPTER TWELVE
A Little Jealousy
Amara had always considered herself a reasonable person.
She didn't get jealous easily.
At least, that was what she told herself.
She was independent. She trusted people. She believed that everyone deserved their own friendships and personal space.
So when she walked into Daniel's office on a Tuesday afternoon and saw him laughing with another woman, she had no reason to feel anything.
Absolutely none.
The woman was beautiful.
She was dressed professionally, carrying a folder and standing beside one of the architectural models on Daniel's desk.
Daniel was smiling.
Not his polite smile.
His real smile.
The one Amara had started recognizing.
She stopped at the doorway.
Daniel looked up.
“Amara.”
The smile immediately became brighter.
“Hey.”
The woman turned.
“Hi.”
Amara smiled politely.
“Hi.”
Daniel walked toward her.
“What are you doing here?”
“I was nearby.”
It wasn't exactly a lie.
She had been nearby.
She just hadn't planned on coming in.
She had originally wanted to surprise him with coffee.
Now she suddenly wished she hadn't.
Daniel looked at the cup in her hand.
“You brought coffee?”
“Yes.”
“For me?”
“No, for the woman you're flirting with.”
The words escaped before she could stop them.
Silence.
The woman looked between them.
Daniel raised an eyebrow.
Amara immediately regretted what she had said.
“I was joking.”
The woman smiled awkwardly.
“I should probably let you two talk.”
She picked up her folder.
Daniel shook his head.
“Sarah, wait. Amara, this is Sarah. She's the client for the apartment project.”
Amara's face warmed.
“Oh.”
Sarah smiled.
“Nice to meet you.”
“You too.”
Sarah left.
Daniel watched her walk away before turning back to Amara.
“You were jealous.”
“I was not.”
“You absolutely were.”
“I wasn't.”
“You accused my client of flirting with me.”
“I said you were flirting with her.”
“You said it.”
“I was joking.”
Daniel smiled.
“Sure.”
Amara handed him the coffee.
“Take this.”
He accepted it.
“Thank you.”
She crossed her arms.
“Don't look so pleased with yourself.”
“I'm trying not to.”
“You're failing.”
He laughed.
Amara tried to remain annoyed, but she couldn't.
Daniel took a sip.
“Perfect.”
She smiled despite herself.
Then he became serious.
“Amara.”
“Hmm?”
“You know you don't have to compete with anyone.”
She looked at him.
“I know.”
“I mean it.”
She nodded.
“I know.”
He studied her expression.
“Are you okay?”
Amara sighed.
“Yeah.”
“Really?”
She looked away.
“Maybe a little jealous.”
Daniel smiled.
“A little?”
“Don't push it.”
He laughed.
She shook her head.
“It's embarrassing.”
“It's not.”
“It is.”
“Why?”
“Because we're friends.”
Daniel's smile faded slightly.
“Right.”
The word hung between them.
Friends.
It had become a complicated word.
Amara noticed.
Daniel noticed too.
Neither said anything.
Two days later, Daniel experienced exactly what Amara had experienced.
He walked into a design event where Amara was presenting some of her recent work.
He found her talking to a man.
The man was tall.
Well dressed.
And standing a little too close.
Daniel stopped.
Michael, who had arrived with him, noticed immediately.
“Oh.”
Daniel looked at him.
“What?”
Michael smiled.
“Nothing.”
“What?”
“You're jealous.”
Daniel frowned.
“I'm not.”
“You are.”
“I'm observing.”
“Observing?”
“Yes.”
Michael laughed.
“You've been staring at that man for thirty seconds.”
“I was looking at Amara.”
“Of course.”
Daniel ignored him.
Amara eventually noticed Daniel.
Her face lit up.
“Daniel!”
She walked toward him.
“Hey.”
“You came.”
“Of course.”
She introduced him to the man.
“Daniel, this is Femi. We worked together on the campaign.”
Femi shook his hand.
“Nice to meet you.”
“You too.”
Femi smiled at Amara.
“I'll see you later.”
“Sure.”
When he left, Daniel watched him disappear into the crowd.
Amara looked at Daniel.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You're doing the thing.”
“What thing?”
“The thing where you pretend nothing is wrong.”
He smiled.
“Everything is fine.”
She narrowed her eyes.
“You're jealous.”
Daniel laughed.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“I'm not.”
“You absolutely are.”
He sighed.
“Maybe a little.”
Amara smiled.
“Interesting.”
“Don't enjoy this.”
“Oh, I'm enjoying it.”
He shook his head.
“You're impossible.”
“And you're jealous.”
“I said maybe.”
She laughed.
They stood together for a moment.
Then Amara said quietly,
“You don't have to worry about Femi.”
Daniel looked at her.
“I wasn't worried.”
“You were.”
“Fine.”
She smiled.
“He's just a colleague.”
Daniel nodded.
“I know.”
“And Sarah?”
He smiled.
“Just a client.”
Amara nodded.
“Good.”
They looked at each other.
Neither needed further explanation.
They had both felt something.
Something neither was ready to name.
Later that evening, they sat outside the venue.
The city lights stretched across the distance.
Daniel leaned back.
“We're terrible at this.”
Amara laughed.
“At what?”
“Whatever this is.”
She looked at him.
“I know.”
“Friends who get jealous.”
“Very healthy.”
“Extremely.”
She laughed.
Then they became quiet.
Amara looked at him.
“Maybe jealousy isn't always about not trusting someone.”
Daniel nodded.
“Sometimes it's about being afraid of losing something.”
She looked down.
“Maybe.”
He didn't ask what she was afraid of.
He already knew.
And perhaps that was the problem.
Because the more they understood each other, the harder it became to pretend they were simply friends.
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