Silver Screens - Walker Scobell ♡

025

As we prepared to depart, Layla mentioned that she and her mom would be staying at a hotel for a couple of days. "Why don't you come help us move our stuff to our Airbnb? We're about to head there," I suggested. Layla agreed, quickly texting her mom before gathering our belongings and heading to the car.

As we packed and cleaned the room, Layla was fixing her hair.
"Can I stay longer with you guys? My mom has work and can't stay for long, but I want to stay longer," Layla asked.

"Of course, Layla, you can stay as long as you want," I replied, smiling at her. "We'd love to have you with us."
Layla beamed and continued fixing her hair as we finished packing up our things.

The moment we stepped into the Airbnb, I was greeted with an explosion of decorations and balloons in every corner of the living room. Streamers adorned the walls, and there was a big banner that read "Happy Birthday, Rory!" in colorful letters.

"Oh my gosh, this is amazing!" I exclaimed, taking in the sight.

Leanne and Layla exchanged proud glances, clearly pleased with their surprise.

"I may have had a little help from Layla," Leanne admitted sheepishly.

"It's beautiful, thank you both so much," I said, feeling touched by their thoughtfulness.

We spent the rest of the evening laughing, eating cake.

"So, how long have you known Rory?" Leanne asked, curious.

"Long enough to know she's only dated one guy," Layla teased with a smirk.

"Hey, that's not fair!" I laughed, throwing a pillow at Layla.

"Well, it's true!" Layla said, catching the pillow. "But seriously, we've known each other since elementary school. We've been through a lot together."

Leanne smiled. "That's really cool. It must be nice to have a friend who knows you so well."

"It is," I said, feeling grateful. "Layla's like a sister to me."

Layla grinned. "And now we get to spend your birthday together. Speaking of which, what should we do tomorrow?"

"How about we start with brunch?" I suggested. "Then we can explore the city and see where the day takes us."

"Sounds perfect," Leanne agreed.

We continued unpacking and chatting, excited for the adventures and celebrations ahead.

"So, how did you two meet?" Layla asked, folding some clothes and placing them in a drawer.

"Leanne and I met at school this year," I explained, arranging my toiletries on the bathroom counter. "We hit it off right away and have been hanging out ever since."

"Yeah, Rory's been amazing," Leanne added with a smile. "She's really helped me settle in."

"I'm glad you two became friends," Layla said warmly. "It's good to know Rory has someone looking out for her."

Leanne nodded. "And you? How did you and Rory become friends?"

Layla chuckled. "We met in elementary school. Rory was the new kid, and I was the only one who would talk to her during recess. We bonded over our love of drawing and have been inseparable since."

"That's so sweet," Leanne said. "I'm glad we're all here together now."

"I know, right?" I said, feeling a surge of gratitude. "Having you both here makes this birthday so special."

"So, what do you think of the Airbnb?" Layla asked, changing the subject. "Pretty nice, huh?"

"It's awesome," Leanne said, looking around. "And the decorations are amazing."

"Yeah, who did all this?" I asked, glancing at the balloons and streamers that filled the living room.

Layla grinned. "A little team effort. Leah helped us with the decorations while you were distracted."

"Well, it looks fantastic," I said, touched by their effort. "Thank you, guys."

"Anything for you," Layla said. "Now, what should we do tomorrow besides brunch?"

"How about exploring some local shops and maybe hitting the beach?" Leanne suggested.

"That sounds perfect," I agreed. "And we can end the day with a movie night here."

"Deal," Layla said, giving a thumbs up. "It's going to be an epic birthday."

We continued chatting and unpacking, the excitement for the coming days growing with each passing moment.