Shadow Under the Starlight

20. What a surprise

Isla stared at the tea stain on her shirt darkening the black fabric, before diverting her gaze at the ghost that startle her in the first place—the cause of the mess. She could feel the spilled tea tickling her as the droplets rolled down her chin, arm and underneath her t-shirt.

The t-shirt that clinged to her tummy as it was now drenched in cinnamon tea—the tea she couldn't wait to have all day— her frown deepened, she didn't find it amusing.

But the slight smirk Eda held, said she, Eda, found it hilarious and she was definitely fighting back her laughter.

That bit of information evoked a glare from Isla on her, watching her like a hawk.

Eda didn't turn or acknowledge any of it. Pretending like she hadn't magically teleported beside her out of nowhere, and it had to be when she happened to be enjoying a cup of tea.

The doorbell rang, cutting Isla off before she got to curse.

Just as she came, quick and leaving a near heart attack. Eda stood—jumped—off the couch running towards the door as the doorbell continued to ring.

Frustrated, Isla stood—and most definitely her t-shirt was soaked in tea that she wanted to drink! The whole lower part clinged to her stomach—it was such a waste of tea.

She sighed.

"What a surprise!"

Eda gasped. That drew Isla's attention away from her t-shirt to the door, she immediately frowned—not at the visitor but the horrible, terrible, acting Eda was putting on.

The 'surprise' didn't feel like much of a surprise as Layla stood there a bit embarrassed, to have actually agreed to this. Her lips were pursed, the gaze she had on Eda was partially a glare—telling her to stop.

So it was her idea, Isla mused taking her gaze to Eda now. She had a wide smile behind that hand she used as a shield to hide it, her eyes were practically twinkling in mischief—she thought she was slick, huh?

That did explain the sudden appearance then two seconds later the doorbell ringing, and no other than Eda ran towards it to answer in a heartbeat.

If she had be thinking at all, she would have noted and made sure to let Isla get the door and for her, Eda, to pretend not to care—like Isla said, terrible acting skills.

And poor planning.

"Please come in!"

Isla watched as Eda took a step aside giving Layla room. Right after the girl stepped away from the door, an inch enough away, Eda slammed it shut.

Isla quickly glared at her. She was rather regretting giving her the privilege to touch anything and everything in her—their—house. Whenever Eda was slamming doors, hitting pans and everything she can't touch nor do outside Isla's house—Eda always had a wide smile on not minding the glares.

She could only feel with the help of the crystal bracelet, but to move and grab stuff from the living only came when given—offered—as such and Eda begged Isla to do exactly that on everything in this house.

Isla regretted it, she regretted it —she should have been as smart as Sage, the only thing the girl could touch or move were the chairs—no doors, drinks and definitely weaponry.

When Eda ignored her glare, rushing over to the couch leaving Layla by the door—the plan fell quite short—Isla took her gaze back on her.

A smile fell on Isla's face as she saw exactly what Layla wore—she didn't want to be here, she wasn't planning on it—Eda practically dragged her out of bed.

Literally it seemed.

Layla wasn't in her work clothes, that mostly consisted of one of the following; dress pants, loosely fitted jeans, asymmetrical or wrap skirts, shirts and floral dresses—none of that—she was in a blush crepe coloured sweatpant and a black t-shirt.

Black fuzzy bunny ear slippers accompanied her feet—so much different from scandals or sneakers she wore—it was cute, Isla had to admit.

Her curly hair was in a bun and her glasses rested on the bridge of her nose lower than she usually wore them. And of course, she was holding a book in hand while the other clinged onto her forearm.

She hadn't agreed to this, Isla came to the conclusion — Eda didn't even give her a moment to decide as she had already brought her here, why?

Was something she was dying to know.

"Met a hurricane too?"

At Isla's words Layla tore her gaze away from her slippers—why would these be the shoes Eda found her in—she would have given her a chance to say no at least, or better yet find other slippers!

Layla glanced at Isla puzzled by her not so great appearance then again, she did happen to see her with a sliced shirt and blood covering her tore shirt—it wasn't that bad.

Just a stain this time.

The empty tea cup and a drenched shirt clinging onto your skin, wasn't something she would have seen from Isla.

But she supposed today would be a day she'd see the unexpected.

Ah—Eda.

Hurricane! she meant Eda was the hurricane that they both got caught in, damage on both ends.

Fantastic.

"Yeah. Sorry for just showing up." Layla finally spoke looking Isla in the eyes. Her free hand waved around as these words left her lips. "I didn't get the chance to decide! I was practically kidnapped" Layla glared at the back of Eda's head.

"You're 28." she shrugged not even sparing a glance.

"Eda, what is this for?"

Isla asked now holding Eda by her t-shirt, as they both stood in front of Layla—well at least now she was staring at her and she had a lot of explaining to do.

"Girls Friday Night Out! GFNO!" Eda spoke enthusiastically clapping her hands. Was the approach poor, yes—but did it work better than planning, hell yeah!

"You could—"

"You wouldn't have agreed, I know you." Eda immediately shot Isla's words down, before she could even complete the sentence and start an argument.

"And me?" Layla spoke breaking up the glaring games and earning their attention. "Couldn't you have asked me first?" She asked glaring to her side as Eda freed herself from Isla and walked towards her an arm over her shoulder.

"As for you, my lovely psychic." Eda rubbed her arm up then down and then gave her a little squeeze, as a smile rested on her face. "I am very sorry, kind of but I'm glad you're here!"

"You mean that?" Layla skeptically stare at Eda, her cunning smile was definitely getting to her head—how had she not punched Eda already for disrupting her Friday night reading session.

Eda hummed as she nodded, she was sorry but not sorry she regretted just sorry for abrupt interruption—because she was definitely going to do it again.

"Where are you going?"

Layla followed Eda's gaze, stuck on Isla about to go up the stairs. The tea cup no longer in hand, Layla assumed she left it in the kitchen sink sometime when Eda was apologising just for the sake of it.

Of course she knew the girl was far from being apologetic about it, or sincere—she still liked to entertain it.

Isla turned facing the two, her gaze was focused on Eda. "To shower because I got tea spilled on me!" she spoke with a bit of hostility in her tone, after her shower she would have to make another cup of tea.

Thanks a lot, Eda.

"Hurry back, we'll be waiting!" Eda waved at her as she turned Layla around and pulled her towards the couch. She dismissed Isla like a f*****g fly!

Isla groaned as she went up the stairs. Annoyed, yes but she was happy as well—a Friday that was different from the rest she spent alone then with Eda, and now Layla.

A smile fell on her lips—a change in the cosmos.