Under the Stars

42. Then what is?

Chapter 42: Then what is?

Mia's POV

*****

I wasted no time before calling Layla, wanting to thank her and Theo for the most thoughtful gifts that I had ever gotten. I could not seem to get myself to stop admiring the ring and the bracelet, and being the emotional, sentimental person I was, tears started forming in my eyes as I thought about how wonderful they both were.

It was not difficult for me to get overwhelmed by emotions. I was never very good at controlling them, especially not when people did things like that for me.

I could not remember the last time I had been that happy. I could not remember the last time I had been that positive about life. It sounded silly, but Theo and Layla were like my drugs, and I could not get enough of them. They put me on a high, and I certainly did not want to come back down. My family and them was all I truly needed to be happy, and I was so glad that I had them.

Layla and Theo did not celebrate Christmas, and they did not need to get me anything. Their presence in my life was enough of a gift fo me.

A smile overtook my face as Layla answered the call, popping up on my screen with the usual smile on her face.

"So, did you get it?" She asked with a grin, her adorable dimples popping out.

"Sure did," I told her, lifting my arm up to show her the bracelet on my wrist as Layla shortly followed suit. "Thank you, Lays. I loved it. And now I feel bad because I didn't get you anything."

Layla sighed, shaking her head.

"I'm so disappointed in you," she said, making me look down guiltily. "I'm disappointed that you think you need to give me another gift when you've blessed me with the best friendship I have ever had."

I looked at her speechlessly. No matter how weird it sounded, I was never going to get tired of looking at my best friend. She meant everything to me, and there was nothing I could ever say or do to repay her.

"Are you crying?" She asked me, raising a judging eyebrow at me. "Aw, no, Mello, don't cry."

"I can't help it," I said as a stray tear fell down my cheek. "You're just so precious it makes me cry."

Layla chuckled, but I could see her eyes turning red and filling up with tears too.

"Stop it," She said as the sight of her tearing up made me cry even more. "You're so emotional."

I laughed as she wiped the tears away from her eyes and sniffled. We looked at each other, neither one of us saying anything. There was no reason to. We both knew exactly what we were trying to say without the need to even say anything.

"Woah, what's going on in here?" Theo said as the door to Layla's room opened, revealing a very attractive, topless Theo.

"Don't you knock?" Layla said, quickly rubbing away the tears from her eyes. "I could have been changing."

"I heard you talking to Mia. I'm pretty sure you wouldn't change in front of her," he said, raising a questioning eyebrow.

"Oh, I'd love to see that show," I winked, making Layla laugh as Theo stood there, opening and closing his mouth not knowing what to say.

"Excuse me?" He said, his voice going high an octave.

"What? Mia and I are clearly madly in love with each other and you're just her beard," Layla said.