Page 49 of Our Little Moments

Isabella smiles, and I know that smile. It’s theI’m your older sister and will do anything to make you feel bettersmile. The one she gets when she wants to make our younger sisters feel better. When she knows what to do and will go through with it, no matter what.

“I need a break too. You girls are right; it really is a great idea. We deserve some fun.”

All of us are smiling when we leave the restaurant.

Now, all we have to do is get through the next week, get the group ready . . . and surprise Stella.

Chapter 19

Stella

Westwood Spring almost feels like a different place during its busiest weeks. The town is even more alive. Music rings in the air with the burning sun, the flowers glow even brighter, and the streets are a lot busier. Every single shop is busy at all hours of the day, but everyone is smiling. It makes it impossible not to smile back.

For the next few days, Layla and I make sure to write together every night after dinner. I spend most of my days exploring the town, visiting more shops. Adrian is always somewhere fixing something, helping someone. He must be so tired of not having a minute for himself.

“Hey, where did your head go?” Layla asks with a playful shove on my shoulder.

I laugh. “Just thinking about how we spent the last few days.”

Layla and I are on my bed, pen and notebooks in hand, writing. The stars’ light is barely peeking through, and a gentle breeze is making its way in from my open window. Outside, it’s quiet.

“What were you thinking about?” Layla asks, scooting closer to me.

“Nothing important—”

Layla sighs. “I thought I was a bad liar.” When I stare at her blankly, she continues. “Stella, I know what it’s like to get caught up in your head. I know how often I saynothing importantwhen I am overthinking something. So lay it on me. We. Have. All. Night.”

I smile. “I won’t let you get away with that answer either next time.”

Layla’s face turns bright red. I laugh.

“I was just thinking about your town,” I admit, my cheeks warming.

“And . . .?” Layla scoots closer, lying on her stomach next to me. She nudges my arm with her own and everything spills out.

“These last few weeks have been amazing. I’ve never smiled so much in my entire life. Everyone is so kind, and this town is just like a fairytale. It hurts when I think of leaving. But I’m starting to see the good beyond the fear. I’ve never felt happier; I’ve never felt more loved in my whole life. I’ve never been hit with inspiration like I have been in the last few weeks. Too much about me and my life is changing, andI’m scared.”

Layla lays her head on my shoulder, listening to my ramble. My vision gets blurry.

Crap, I didn’t realize I’d bottled all this up until I talked it out.

“Stella, it’s okay to change.” Layla’s voice is full of emotions when her eyes turn to mine. “I was scared of change too. I . . .”

Layla sighs, racking her hand through her hair. “I never talk about it, but Adrian left a couple years ago.”

My heart cracks. I’d been getting pieces of the puzzle for a while, but I couldn’t quite see the whole picture. None of them like talking about it, which I understand. But since Layla is willing to share, I listen closely.

“Umm.” Layla tries to gather herself, and I wrap my arm around her. She takes a deep breath and is a little more collected when she continues. “It was so hard on us, Stella. None of us will ever tell Adrian, but it was unbelievably hard. Isa was struggling like I’ve never seen her struggle in my whole life. Hazel wasn’t even a teenager. I stepped up to take care of her the best I could, knowing how hard it was on me when I saw Isa and Adrian struggling to hold everything together. But I couldn’t do it.”

My heart cracks. “Layla . . . You were a child too.”

“I know but . . . I couldn’t be the sister anyone needed anymore. I wasn’t enough. I couldn’t be the sister any of my siblings needed. I needed to change, evolve and grow, but I was juststuck.”

She stops for a minute, looking into my eyes with a gentle smile, then clears her throat. “I spent days in the library during those harder days. It became my home. That’s when I knew how I needed to change as an individual. I had to be someone other than a sister. I had toallowmyself to beme. That’s when I got into writing. Every struggle, pouring out every word, fixing plot holes, struggling with my confidence as a writer . . . I went through it alone. But when I finished the book and held it in my hands, I was glad I allowed myself to change into whoever I wanted to be. How much I fought through the uncomfortable in-between.” Layla smiles. “Stella, for people like us who want peace, change is scary. But sometimes, you have to go through the change to fully see that you weren’tat peace, but you werecomfortable.”

Thump. Thump. Thump.

I try to hold it together, but crap, her words cut through my composure. I’m overwhelmed by how easily these people see through me. I can see just how much truth is in her words.

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