Halo of Light Around the Moon | Rilaya

11: Just Like the Moon

[It has been two weeks since Lily and Ayla's first sleepover. It's Friday and there is a full moon tonight. Brandon is at his locker in between classes.]

Just as Brandon closes his locker, he turns around to go to class when he nearly runs into someone. "Oh, hey Ayla. I didn't know you were behind me," he greets.

"I need to ask you something," Ayla states.

"Anything," Brandon smiles.

"Do you like Lily?"

Brandon's smile quickly fades and he nervously responds, "of course I like her, she's my best friend."

"That's not what I meant, Brandon. I see the way you act when you're around her. It's different than the way you act around Danny and me. I need to know if you like her."

Danny purses his lips and stares at Ayla for a few seconds, as decides about whether he should tell her about his feelings for Lily or not. "She's my best friend."

Ayla raises her eyebrows up. "Nothing more?"

"Nothing more," Brandon confirms with a fake grin.

"Okay, thanks," Ayla says, as she heads off to class.

"No problem," Brandon mutters to himself, letting out a deep sigh.

Brandon quietly takes his seat in class, trying his best not to make eye contact with anyone. As he sits down, he sees Lily and Ayla laughing with each other, and smirks before looking away again.

[Later that night at the Matthews-Hart-Hunter's apartment.]

"I believe that you were born during an eclipse
And the stars named you moon child "

"So what do you want to do?" Ayla asks Lily.

"Have you ever been on the roof of this building?"

"Then you come you rise into my sky
You stepped in front of my sun and it makes the whole world dark."

"No, why?"

"We've spent New Year's up there a couple of times. The city is really pretty at night."

"And you light up the night
Just like the moon
Just like the moon you light up the night"

Ayla narrows her eyes and smiles. "What are you trying to say?"

Lily grabs Ayla's hand and smirks. "Follow me, I've got an idea," she says, not letting go of Ayla's hand until they get to the roof.

"And sometimes,
Sometimes I only get a sliver of ya "

Ayla immediately walks over to the edge of the roof, completely mesmerized by the view. "Woah, she whispers to herself, as she takes in all of the lights of the city. Suddenly she hears music start playing behind her, so she turns back around towards Lily. "What's that?" She smiles.

"A song," Lily playfully states.

"But I'm hoping
I'm hoping for a full moon tonight."

"Wow, I've never heard one of those before," Ayla sarcastically remarks back.

Lily extends an open hand towards Ayla. "Do you know how to dance?"

"Laid back and I'm restless in the daytime
And I'm chased by these shadows
Oh they're haunting me"

"No. No, I do not. Do you?" Ayla responds, by biting her lip to hide her smile.

"When I was four, my parents signed me up for a ballroom dancing class. Just follow my lead and you'll be fine," Ayla says, while glancing down at her hand, trying to hint towards Ayla to take it.