Adriana's Corner

Chapter Six

"Wow, that's insane. I usually hate carrot cake."

"Yeah. Her date and ginger cake is like this too."

There's another silence as we both just salivate over the cake for a while longer, nothing but the sound of the lawnmower and me mumbling loving things to each fork full of cake can be heard.

"So, you're not sure how long your here for?" Alyssa asks again.

"No. Everything back home is upside-down so I'm just going to take my time, see how things go. Figure out what step to take next."

"Hence the therapist?"

"Yeah. Just a friend who for some reason knows what to do when I, for some reason don't." She nods at this, pushing her fork through more cake

"I have a friend like that, Lauren. She's amazing and always knows how to put things in perspective for me. She had a horse-riding accident a year or so back and ended up in a wheelchair, paralysed from the waist down but she just...she's so positive, you know? Even though everything in her life fell to pieces. She doesn't know it but she's pretty much the reason I can deal with stress. If she can deal with that, who cares what gets thrown at me, right?"

I blink a couple of times. This girl is probably half my age but twice as confident as me. Sad.

"That's a very good way of thinking. How old are you?"

"Seventeen."

"Wow. I wish I had that kind of self-confidence when I was your age...or any age to be honest." I add, trying to sound light-hearted. I thought becoming friends with her was meant to make me feel better about myself.

"Thank you." she smiles, "So, um, if you like and you don't have to, but would you like to come over for dinner? You don't have to stay long or talk much. I just thought it might be better than worrying about it yourself. I'm not an amazing cook but you're more than welcome."

I smile at her kindness, still feeling as though I don't really deserve it.

"Are you sure your dad won't mind?"

"No, he's very easy going. My friend Lauren is coming over for a couple of nights as well. I'd love you to meet her."

"It sounds lovely, thank you but maybe tomorrow night? I've already made plans with the duvet and blanket and would hate to go back on my word."

"No, that's fine. You must be tired."

"Mm, hey, take the good chicken cacciatore with you and I'll bring pudding." I nod, my head in the carrot cake's direction and she beams a sweet smile.

"Then dad definitely won't mind. Hardly anyone shares these cakes."

"I can see why but, please, just check with your dad about dinner will you? I really don't want to intrude."

"It'll be fine. I promise but I'll run it by him."

I raise an eyebrow and drain the last of my tea.

"Am I right in guessing that'll be done by saying 'dad, Nina's coming for tea.'?"

She grins and finishes her tea.

"He'd have me no other way."

I laugh and pick up the last bit of my cake.

"Thanks again," I mumble, stuffing it in my mouth.

***

The majority of the morning was spent looking through the rest of the house and discovering the garden. The house, as I mentioned is smaller than my apartment but still a good size. I found an entire cupboard of jackets and she had little bits of jewellery strewn throughout the house but I've left everything as is. I still don't feel like I should be going through her things, though if I'm going to sort this all out, I really have to get past that. Later, though. It's not the kind of thing I'm going to commit to the day after arriving. The outside, I feel a lot better about poking around in.