When One Door Closes

Chapter 16

LEILA'S POV

I hear a knock at the door, startling me from my thoughts. I had completely forgotten Harper would be coming over!

I plug in my phone, turning it completely off before bolting to the front door to greet her.

"There's my bestie!" Harper greets me, enclosing me in a tight hug.

I hug her back, breathing in her scent. Harper always smells good, like some expensive fruity perfume and apple shampoo.

"What movie are we watching?" Harper asks, plopping onto the couch, her arms crossed under her head.

"I don't know," I reply, sitting next to her.

Harper adjusts her position so her head is on my lap and is turned towards the television.

"What do you want to watch?" I ask, surfing through the channels.

"I don't care," she replies, "wait, do you have mac and cheese?"

"Of course!" I respond, watching as she jumps off the couch and practically sprints to the kitchen, her socks slipping on the wood floors.

Seconds later I hear her scream which could only mean that she had found her prize.

I hear her surf through our large abundance of pots and pans before setting the right one onto the stove, switching the heat to medium. While waiting for the water to boil, she slides over to the couch, resuming her original position.

I surf through the channels, stopping only when Harper goes "ooh" or "ah!" which is practically every two seconds.

We eventually decide on watching 'UP', which is a great movie no matter how old you are.

"I'm home!" I hear my mother call from the front door. She must have had a late shift from the hospital. She's been staying there later than usual.

"Hey, mom! I'm in here!" I call back, pausing the movie.

I hear my mom's loud heels on the wood floors as she approaches us. She notices Harper and her eyes light up in surprise. "Harper? Is that you?!"

Harper perks up her head at the sound of her name and gives my mom a nod and a thumbs up. "Sure is!"

"How are you? I haven't seen you in way too long!" My mom exclaims, sitting on a chair beside the couch.

"I'm good! We're watching UP, want to watch it with us?" Harper asks politely.

"Oh, I'm good, sweetie. I'm wiped out from work, but you two have fun!" My mom says, getting up to give Harper a pat on the shoulder and a kiss on the head for me as she walks by the couch on the way to her bedroom.

I hear her bedroom door close and I turn back on the television, Harper once again resuming her original position.

Halfway through the movie, I look over to see Harper sound asleep next to me and eventually I fall asleep along with her.