𝙃𝙀𝘼𝙍𝙏𝙇𝙀𝙎𝙎 | mattheo riddle

02 | dinner with the stokes

After her quick shower and change of clothes, Layla heads down to the kitchen to help Mrs Stokes make the dinner for tonight. Even though they're rich enough to have a personal chef, Mrs Stokes has always loved to cook, and Layla was always there to help.

She was practically a daughter to Mrs Stokes, as she was constantly at Ryle's house all the time as a child.

"Hey Mrs Stokes, Chef Layla is here to help." She says, rolling up her sleeves.

"Oh thank you darling! But this is your welcome dinner so I suggest you have a rest."

"No, no. Honestly, I wouldn't mind. I haven't anything to do."

"Please, just go watch a film with Ryle or something." She laughs.

"Okay, okay. If you insist." Layla responds before giving a peck on the kiss to her possible future mother in law.

***

The family, Mr and Mrs Stokes, Ryle and his younger brother Jack sit at the dinner table with Layla, the food laid out in front of them. "Wow Mrs Stokes! The food looks delicious!" Layla says politely.

"I'm glad you think so! Please, put some in for yourself."

Everyone helps them self to the food and Layla smiles in happiness.

Maybe this is going to be better than expected. Is this what it means to finally part of a family? Is this how it feels?

Ryle, who sits beside her notices that she's zoned out, so he places his hand on top of her thigh, trying to shake her out of her daydream.

"Oh, aha sorry. I zoned out for a minute." Layla laughs nervously, trying her hardest not to make a fool of herself. Mrs Stokes just gives her a smile and Layla proceeds to fill her plate with food.

The rest of the dinner the family just eat and chat, the atmosphere lively with a sense of warmness. But the thought of her parents at the back of her mind lingered. She'll never recover.

After the dinner, everyone helps to clean up, taking their dishes to the sink. Ryle and Layla sit together on the sofa, deciding to watch a film.

Ryle puts on a horror film, knowing that Layla hates them. "You're being serious right?" She groans.

"You're so cute when you're all scared and nervous." He laughs, and she rolls her eyes, shoving him away.

"Yeah right. Well, I'm changing it." She says, conjuring up another remote for herself with her powers.

"Hey! That isn't fair. You can't use your powers!" Ryle says.

"I can though, and I did." She says wiggling her her eyebrows before the original remote in Ryle's hands turns to dust.

"You're too powerful you are."

"Keep your voice down. We don't want your brother finding out." Layla whispers.

"Never mind him, he's always in his own world." He sighs.

The thing is, the only people who know about Layla's magic, inherited from her bloodline, is Ryle and Mr and Mrs Stokes.

Ryle's parents were best friends with Layla's parents so it was inevitable that they knew. Layla's mother also had these powers, which made her even more strong.

Everyone knew about the magic that ran through the Lopez family bloodline, but they didn't have the knowledge that Layla also possessed it, which is the only reason she's been kept safe and alive. Otherwise, she would have just been used as a weapon.

But the thing is, the fact that Layla's mother had these powers made her death even more mysterious and confusing. How did such a powerful woman die all of a sudden? Without a trace?

Suddenly, Ryle then attempts to take the remote back. It turns into a giggly fight over the remote until the both tumble and fall onto the floor.

"Owww!" Layla groans and they look up at each other before bursting out into a fit of laughter. Well I've still got the remote so I decide what we're watching." She huffs.

"Fair enough." He shrugs, as they both lay back down on the sofa together, cuddled up in a fluffy blanket.

"We're watching Mulan-"

"Noo please not a Disney film!" Ryle groans.

"I don't care Ryle, Disney is amazing, especially Mulan. Please keep your invalidated opinions locked up there." She taps his head and he sighs.

"Fine, fine. We'll watch Mulan I guess."

"That's what I thought." She says proudly, before putting the movie on.

"What did you say?" Ryle looks at her with a raised brow, before she hold her hands up in surrender and backs away. Suddenly, Ryle starts tickling her, both of them in a fit of laughter once again.

Layla loved it when it was like this between the two of them. It hasn't been a while since the energy between them was like this, like how they were together as kids. Ever since he asked her out, it's all been a bit awkward sometimes... almost as if it was a bit forced.

But Layla ignored that. She liked the way it was anywho, and the love she gets from him and his family. They're the only ones she's got.

"Tea?" Mrs Stokes asks, bringing in a tray with two hot cups of tea.

"Ooh, yes please ma." Ryle says and she places the tray on the coffee table.

Mrs Stokes hands them their cups and Layla thanks her.

"Right, you two better be behaving." She says pointing at them.

"Don't worry Mrs Stokes." Layla says.

"Keep an eye on that boy Layla, he might just do something stupid with all that excitement he has over you being here. A little boy he still is." Mrs Stokes huffs, leaving the room and making Layla laugh.

"Aw such a baby you are." Layla says, squeezing Ryle's cheeks.

"Don't even." He rolls his eyes. "I'm probably gonna be the one looking after you tomorrow."

"Yes. Please do. I'm terrified." Layla says, thinking about how horrendous her first day back at Hogwarts will go.

She doesn't know whether to expect people to be jolly that the Dark Lord is dead and gone... or grieving over the people they lost in the war.

Either way, Layla wants no reminders of the war. No one does. It was a traumatic experience that no one would ever want to relive. Maybe being at the school itself will just trigger flashbacks in Layla's mind. Either way, she doesn't know how she's going to get through this.

"Don't worry, it's normal to be nervous. Everyone is. I'll be there with you the whole time though, okay?" Ryle says, pulling her close to him.

"Okay."