Fate

Chapter Two

"Ari," I carry on the 'e' sound. She turns around to face me, leaving the straightener on her dresser. I keep applying my mascara, the two of getting ready for the day.

"Yes Lau?" She asks.

"What can we do today? I want to do something fun since it's our last day here."

"Do you want to go to Maya's?" I nod vigorously, eager to see my favorite cousin. We haven't been able to hang out in awhile ever since Ari and I started university and she became a senior, we've all been busy."I'll text her now." She pulls her phone out from her back pocket and types quicky before setting it back down. Placing the lid on my mascara tube, I put it back in my makeup bag, then zip it up."We're good to go," she says, reading a message from her screen. She places her own makeup away, then grabs both of our jackets from the closet.  I pull on my boots, then head out of the house, Ari right behind me.

We walk down our short street to Maya's house, and enter without knocking. She's seated on her couch, feet up on the coffee table, and a controller in hand. Ari and I leave our boots at the door and hang our coats in the closet. I take a seat in the chair close to the couch, the one I've claimed as my own, while Ari sits close to Maya, picking up her own controller.

"Why aren't you at school today?" Ari asks.

"I'm sick." She fake coughs to prove it, causing us to laugh.

"High school is stupid this time of year anyway," I say, ignoring Ari's disapproving look.

"Yes, yes, yes!" Maya shouts, standing from her seat. Ari throws her controller at the couch dramatically."You want to play again? Or are you tired of losing," she challenges.

"Whatever Maya. Let's do something else. Laura what do you want to do?" Ari asks me.

"Can we just hang out here today? I'm kind of tired and just want to relax."

"Yeah sure, how about you do my nails?" Maya asks, holding up her hand and pointing the chipping nail polish. I nod my head, I've always enjoyed painting nails. Ari always makes me do hers since her nails need to match everything, I have no idea why she feels the need to look nice and wear makeup all the time. I'm perfectly happy wearing sweatpants and a hoodie, whereas she likes to wear skirts and jeans.

Maya disappears on the staircase, running to get her nail polish. Ari and I clear off the coffee table and place paper towel over the surface so we won't dirty it. Maya strolls into the room, carrying a full case of different colors. She puts down the box and begins searching for one she likes. When she finally finds it, she hands me it, along with nail polish remover and cotton balls, allowing me to get to work.

***

We spend our day doing each others nails, cooking meals, then just catching up. When we finally leave, its near 7 o'clock, and is already dark. Ari and I reluctantly walk home, needing to pack for our early morning flight. We give Maya plenty of hugs and promise to skype and text while we're away.

We enter our kitchen, and I immediately go for the kettle that's still on the counter from this morning. I start it up with the water and leave it to boil. Ari and I go to my room and begin packing our first bag with the clothes in my room, we don't bother to try and keep our clothes separate since we're always borrowing things from one another. Ari leaves the room a few minutes latter to make our tea. She brings the two steaming cups into my room and sets them on my nightstand to cool. We fold any clothes we think we may need, then place them neatly into the first suitcase. When its full we  zip it shut, then start a new one in Ari's room. We continue the same process, but leave room for our toiletries, which I run to the bathroom to get. I organize them into a small kit, then put it in the bag just as she's zipping it closed. We leave our toothbrushes out, needing them latter.