"El, I'm leaving! Fred will be here any minute! Just promise me you won't do anything reckless while I'm gone!"
"Seriously, Ama? You've been saying that for the last five minutes! I'm fine, okay? Just go already before I lose my mind!"
Elli stepped out of her room, brows furrowed, her irritation clear. Amaya shot back a frustrated look, her eyes wide with concern. "You think this is easy for me? Watching you sneak out at night to play basketball like it's no big deal? You're not fine, and I can't just sit back and pretend everything's okay!"
"Why do you have to be so dramatic?" Elli snapped, but Amaya's expression softened, a hint of desperation creeping into her tone. "I know you're hurting, El. I've been there too. But I can't bear the thought of losing you to this pain. You told me not to let anything or anyone overshadow our friendship, including pain. I may not know what it's like to see your dreams shattered, but I do know how it feels to lose everything."
