Page 29 of Love You Like That

“What did you want me to do?” she snapped, turning sharply to face me. “Make a scene at my parents’ house? It’s complicated!”

“Nah, it’s clear as hell,” I fired back as she gripped the steering wheel tighter. “You wanted me to change. To fittheirmold. You knew who I was from the start, but suddenly that shit ain’t enough.”

She huffed, voice trembling slightly. “It’s not about changing you. It’s about navigating two worlds. You don’t evenwantto try.”

“I showed up!” I exploded, anger and hurt flooding my chest. “I stood there and took it. Foryou.”

“And I appreciated that,” she said, eyes glistening, “but you made it obvious how miserable you were. You barely tried to hide it.”

I stared at her, the words feeling like a slap. “So this shit my fault now?”

She shook her head, voice strained. “Forget it. You don’t get it. Maybe you can’t.”

“Nah, fuck that. Say what you mean,” I demanded.

She turned to me, eyes blazing, tears threatening to fall. “I mean... maybe this isn’t gonna work, Ezra. Maybe we’re too different. Maybe… love or whatever this is isn’t enough.”

Silence filled the car, heavy and sharp. I swallowed hard with my heart hammering in my chest. “You mean that shit?”

She didn’t answer, just looked away at the red light, staring out the window as if the answer was written in the night.

The rest of the drive was quiet as hell. By the time Yaya pulled up to my apartment, my chest was hollow. I opened the door to get out and she blurted, “I need some space. I think we both do.”

I glanced back at her, narrowing my eyes, not believing what the fuck she just said. But still, I nodded and climbed out, slamming the passenger door behind me. I watched her pull away from the curb and drive off down the street and I never felt further away from her than at that moment.

F o r t y - e i g h th o u r sof silence felt like weeks. Two days of staring at my phone screen, fingers hovering over messages typed but never sent and feelings bubbling and boiling inside until I was physically drained. Ezra hadn’t reached out, and neither had I. It was like we’d both silently agreed to let the hurt simmer and stew.

I couldn’t stop replaying the argument. His face displayed hurt, frustration, and defense. My words were sharp, colder than intended, echoing harshly in my mind. The entire gathering feltlike a nightmare in hindsight, a beautiful mess dressed in linen and judgment.

On top of it all, I was stressing over my nursing exam and preparing for the huge job interview, the one that carried not only my career aspirations but my parents’ expectations right alongside it.

That morning, I’d forced myself out of the apartment, desperate to get some air, hoping some caffeine could fix the heaviness lodged in my chest. But instead of clarity, I found myself outside the café, phone tucked between my ear and shoulder, balancing a coffee cup in one hand, pastry bag in the other, pouring my heart out on a three-way call with Dianna and Erin.

“So, wait,” Erin’s voice cut through sharply, “you mean Ezra straight-up hasn’t called you in two whole days?”

“Nothing,” I said, my chest tightening. “Complete silence.”

“Okay, pause,” Dianna interjected. “Y’all didn’t technically break up though, right?”

I sighed, stepping onto the sidewalk and shifting the phone. “Not officially but after everything I said, it definitely feels like it.”

“It’s giving temporary separation,” Erin concluded dryly. “And we don’t like that.”

“I just… I don’t know what to say. Everything feels so heavy now. The way my dad looked at him, the questions, the judgment. And then Ezra’s reaction was harsh like he thought I wanted him to change. I didn’t mean it that way but maybe deep down… maybe I did?” My voice cracked slightly, and I swallowed hard.

“I mean, sis,” Dianna said gently, “Ezra knew what it was when he met you and y’all locked in. You told him how your family was.”

“But,” Erin interrupted quickly, “youalso knew whohewas. You can’t just date someone that raw, that real, and expect him to be your polished plus-one at events. It doesn’t work that way.”

“I know,” I said quietly. “I feel like shit about it but how do I balance both worlds?”

“You have to decide which world means more,” Erin said seriously. “Your parents’ or Ezra’s.”

“Or,” Dianna added gently, “which world lets you be the real you.” I stood silent for a moment, taking in the truth oftheir words, eyes stinging slightly. “Look,” she continued, firmly. “Call him. Apologize. Talk it out. You love this man, Yaya. You might not say it but we know. You gotta own that shit. And your parents? They’ll get over it.”

“Will they though?” I questioned, voice softening. “Y'all didn’t see how they looked at him.”

“They will,” Erin said confidently. “Trust us.”

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