We Begin Again

Static

"Next time, you tell Zoe to call me and I will come and give you a lift." Vincent insisted and Ada nodded along, knowing full well she would never dream of asking someone else's parents to go out of their way for her. He opened his front door, the smell of fresh spices and home cooking flooding out as Vincent stepped in and he called out to his family. "I'm back! And I brought home a stray!"

"Hey." Ada called, following her Uncle into the house and kicking her shoes off in the hallway. "He found me wandering the streets."

"Ada?" Zoe's mother called from the kitchen and Ada followed the sound to greet her Auntie with a smile and warm hug. "How have you been, darling? I was just asking the girls when you'd be here. Are you hungry? I've made lots of food for you all."

"I've been good thank you, yeah. Sorry, I was meant to be here earlier but got caught up at home. You know how hectic it can get at my house." Ada half-joked and Rani shook her head.

"Where's your mum? Is she not popping in to say hello?" Rani peered out the kitchen window in search of Ada's parents' car. "Or did your dad drop you?"

"She walked here." Vinnie interjected, voice laced with annoyance. "In the rain."

"Yeah, I walked. To be fair it was my own fault for not bringing a proper coat or an umbrella." Ada continued with an unbothered shrug as Rani's face crumpled in displeasure and she gave another firm shake of her head.

"Next time you call us. It's dark out and it's not safe to be walking the streets on your own" Her auntie pointed a strict finger at her as she spoke. "I'll send your Uncle to come and get you."

"I already told her this-"

"Do you ever come here to see me or do you just come down to chat with my mum?" Zoe interjected as her face appeared around the kitchen door.

"Obviously I'm here to see my Auntie Rani," Ada deadpanned at her friend and the older woman swatted at her affectionately. "Sorry I'm late though. Couldn't get away."

"Don't worry. We can't decide on what films to watch tonight so you can pick." Zoe beckoned her out the kitchen and Ada waved goodbye to Zoe's parents as she followed the younger girl upstairs to her bedroom.

"Please pick something normal." Layla, their other friend, groaned from where she lounged on Zoe's bed without looking up from her phone; listening in to their conversation as they entered the room. "Nothing that's going to hurt my head to follow or bore me to sleep."

"Why would you even agree to let me pick when you know you guys don't like anything I like?" Ada chuckled, depositing her bag on the floor and hanging up her jacket to dry before making herself comfy on the end of the bed. "We never end up watching the films we put on anyway. You two just talk over it."

"No we don't!" The pair spoke in unison, and Ada shook her head with a laugh.

"Just pick something, please." Zoe insisted. "Otherwise we will be going in circles all night and end up not watching anything."

"Okay sure." Ada said, searching up a list of films on her phone. She read through it for a few minutes, considering the type of films her friends would enjoy too, until she found a title that peaked her interest. "What about that 'Love, Rosie'? That looks like a cute film."

"Ooo yeah." Zoe agreed instantly. "I saw the trailer for that a while back but never got round to seeing it."

"Layla? That okay with you?" asked Ada, turning to the girl glued to her phone.

"Yeah. Sounds good to me." Layla nodded, but Ada wasn't sure the girl knew what she had agreed to.

"Okay, cool. We will go eat now, then we can set up our beds in the living room. Mom and dad said we can have the big tv so we can sleep on the sofas tonight."