Page 50 of Our Little Moments

That’s why I smile despite my trembling. Change is scary, but I’m a little less scared of it. I’m moving forward, one step at a time.

Slowly, Layla and I get lost again in our writing. Time flies by in a blur of laughter and creativity, and I love every second of it.

I barely register the knocking on my door. A small smile spreads across Layla’s face, and I know she knows something I don’t.

“Layla . . . What’s going on?” I can’t help the grin from breaking free as my friend grabs a pillow to hide her face. “LAYLA!”

We’re both laughing like idiots. The knocking continues.

“If we die, it’s on you.” I get up from the bed to open the door.

“At least it will make for a great mystery book!”

This woman.

When I open the door, I’m shocked to see her siblings. “Hi?”

Hazel smiles and crosses over to hug me. I hug her back with a smile, sending a confused look at Adrian.

He smiles at me, and my heart stops, then gallops right out of my chest.He has a pretty smile . . .

Hazel’s eyes meet mine, full of excitement. “I have something to share with you!”

We’re all smiling as we get settled on my bed, all five of us, since I don’t have a table here for us to get seated around.

“I thought a lot about our conversations, and our busier week with work is coming to an end, so I planned a little something for us to make memories. I planned a trip!”

Her excitement is contagious. “That’s such a fun idea, Hazel.”

She smiles. “There’s this summer camp we went to years ago. It was turned into a vacation site, and it would be the perfect place to relax and reset.”

We’re all grinning.

Isabella shoots me a warm smile. “Do you want to come with us?”

“Of course. I’m in.”

Who is this woman? How did you grow into someone so spontaneous?

Hazel claps. “Great! We can leave when the week is over?”

She says it more like a question than a statement, and I know she’s asking silently if the time works for everyone.

I look around my room. I barely unpacked my stuff—I left it all organized in my suitcase. I laugh a little. “Well, I’ll be ready by then.”

When the four siblings leave my room, it fully hits me that, for the first time in my entire life, stepping outside my comfort zone doesn’t feel scary at all.

Chapter 20

Stella

After we all got settled in at the camping site a week after that night, the girls and I went to see the sun set at their favorite spot to watch the sunset. And, wow, I’m speechless.

The sky is bursting with life, with colors. It’sart.

“Wow. I’ve never seen anything like it,” Layla murmurs.

“That’s because you’re always in your head,” Hazel replies with a grin.

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