The pampered lifestyle

After Steve and Maria had made things official between them and had shared their first kiss, they too headed off to bed. Making it an exciting yet fairly early night for all. The next morning all four of them woke up early because of their early night as well. But although Steve made his way downstairs as soon as he woke up and got dressed, whistling away cheerfully as he placed one foot after the other on the steps of the stairs, Maria was pacing back and forth in her room. Waiting for Laila to wake up.

Fortunately she didn't have to wait long, because almost as if she had heard her voice, Laila came out of her room just a few seconds after Maria started to mumble "Geez, how long does she plan to stay in bed for. She went upstairs before we did". When Maria heard Laila and Noah's bedroom door open, she threw her own door open as well and called out her name. Of course not before rolling her eyes and calling out, "Finally!". Impatiently she waved her over as she said, "Laila! Laila!"

Laila of course didn't know that Maria needed her and simply responded to her friend's energetic greeting by waving at her with a smile. But Maria needed more from her than a wave and said, "Don't just wave at me. Come here for a sec. I need you."

Laila was of course surprised, not knowing what Maria could want her help with first thing in the morning, but nonetheless she made her way over to Maria's room. While Laila took her steps in Maria's direction, Noah shot a glare her way as he said, "Good morning to you too. How come you have to steal her away when the day has just started? Don't tell me you even forgot how to get dressed after a few short days living the pampered lifestyle?"

Maria scoffed and said, "Good morning and none of your business, you sore loser. This is something that concerns me and her. So, you can just keep on walking and be glad I allowed her to move here with you in the first place. Otherwise you would have had to admit your defeat to me a lot more often." But before Noah had a chance to respond, Laila came to his defence. "Hey, don't be so mean. The day has just started. No need for such animosity. If you are going to act like that, then I will be going downstairs with Noah." Then she turned to Noah with a stern expression and said, "And you, don't pick fights with Maria. You know she'll say something back and you'll only put me in a tough position. I am fine with you two bickering back and forth. I know that is the type of friendship you two have. But at least don't start the day with that kind of attitude. Save it for AFTER we have had breakfast. For now you can head downstairs ahead of me and keep Steve company. Maria and I will join you guys shortly."

Having both gotten a slap on the wrist from Laila, they looked away and while Noah scoffed and headed towards the stairs, Maria turned her face away towards the wall. After Noah had walked away from the situation, Laila returned her focus to her friend but wasted no time to nag her some more as she entered her room. "Really, I just don't understand you two. Why do you keep doing this? Neither of you mean the words you say and yet you insist on saying them to anger or frustrate the other person. Some days I really wonder if you are really friends or simply enemies, who are forced to be in each other's lives and therefore put on a front of getting along."

Maria just shrugged her shoulders and said, "Eh, what can I say. I just like teasing him and apparently he likes to tease me too. We most both be true believers of the words, 'You have to be cruel to be kind'." Laila rolled her eyes as she shook her head and said, "Ugh, there is no saving you people. Never mind that, you had something that you needed my help with?"

With the topic changing back to what she had called Laila over for, Maria's face started brimming with joy. She was smiling from ear to ear and she ran over before she dropped herself next to Laila on her bed. "Well, it isn't so much your help I need as it is your undivided attention. I have been waiting since last night to be able to tell you this and I barely slept thinking about it. But, I wanted you to be the first to know. If I waited until breakfast, you would find out before I would have a chance to tell you. So, I needed to catch you before you went downstairs. For that reason I have been up since about seven in the morning. Pacing back and forth, waiting for you to wake up. Because last night something amazing happened and I know for a fact that it is something that you have been waiting for, and for quite some time as well."