Her Last Plea✨

Chapter 66

Jay offered an arm to Mira, which she accepted as the two meandered their way down to Velmington, trailing behind the hoards of students eager to get there. As the cool February air swept across her face, she inhaled deeply and realized Jay was right - a bit of fresh air was probably going to do her some good. She was quiet on they way to Velmington, listening to Jay talk about some new dance film that was releasing soon, and their school's own spring musical - something she had opted out of this year.

"Lexi says she can introduce me to Rodney Groome," she added, figuring she'd speak instead of her standard 'uh huh' and 'of course' she'd been automatically replying with. "I think she'll let you come along too."

Jay grinned from ear to ear. "Awesome!"

As they approached Velmington, the pair immediately diverted into the biggest candy shop in the town, separating as they went to pick out treats for their siblings. Mira wasn't sure what to pick out at first for Ara, until she saw a pink and white licorice rope. Ara loved licorice rope. She would get yelled at for playing with it instead of eating it, but that was Ara. Grabbing a candy necklace to go with, she picked out a box of Dots for Marvin, knowing that Alexis would only let him eat one a day.

Meeting Jay at the counter, she waited for the cashier to ring up the chocolates for Karl and the barbie shaped candies he got for Layla, before paying for her stuff. Bags in hand, they left the shop, and Mira stuck close to Jay as they walked through the crowds over to Moreno's Café. Jay snagged a table for two near a window and the two sat down, waiting for one of the servers to come by to take their order. Mira suddenly spotted Jay's friends from school across the room, and ducked her head down slightly as they made their way over.

"Hey! You came!" Devon Farris exclaimed as he patted Jay on the back.

"Yeah - had to get my siblings some candy," Jay replied, motioning to the bag. "Will you be back at practice tomorrow?"

Devon, one of the leads in the winter musical, nodded. "My elbow feels fine now that I'm done with all the awful medicines."

"If you hadn't fallen off the stage like the way you did, you wouldn't have to take the awful meds, you klutz," Riley Thompson pointed out with a laugh.

Jay laughed along, and Mira swallowed a chuckle of her own as she watched Devon give Riley's arm a good punch. "He has a point, bro," Jay added for good measure.

"It's not like I fell off the stage on purpose," Devon said a bit defensively.

Mira tucked the loose strands of hair that fell from her ponytail back behind her ears when she heard Riley speak in her direction. "Uhh, Mira, I'm...you know, sorry to hear about your Mom."

She looked up at him, wide eyed. "Umm, thanks."

"Yeah," Devon chimed. "It sucks."

"Yeah," Mira said with a sigh. An awkward sort of silence fell between the four of them for a moment before she spoke again. "Would you like to...you know, join us? We haven't ordered yet."

Devon and Riley looked at Jay as if he'd grown a second head as he nodded along with Mira. "Seriously?" Devon said, looking back at Mira. "You want to sit with us."

"Well if you're going to make a gigantic-ass production of it -"

"I think," Jay said, cutting her off with a pointed look. "What she means is sure, she'd love for you two to join. There's an open table over there that we can all sit at, as a matter of fact."

As Riley and Devon headed over to he more accommodating table, Jay walked up behind Mira and whispered in her ear. "You know, if you're going to invite my friends to sit with us you can't be...well... you, five seconds later."

"Well he shouldn't have asked such a stupid question!" Mira hissed. "If I invited him to sit, then obviously I meant it."

Jay stifled a groan as he pulled a chair out of Mira before sitting down next to her. "Be nice," he mouthed to her as Riley loudly bellowed for a waiter to come take their order.

"Bite me," Mira mouthed back with a roll of her eyes, pressing her lips together so as to not let Jay see her smile.