Summer Vacation

The moment they arrived; Kayla got out of the car and went to the side of the entrance while waiting for Laura to park the car. After a while, both of them entered to the mall together.

"You're going to the bookstore, right?" Laura asks as soon as they were inside.

Having friends with Kayla for practically 6 years, Laura naturally knew of Kayla's habits. Smiling she turned to look at her friend.

"Yeah. What about you?" Kayla smiled as she returned the question.

"I'll probably look around and see…" Laura answered nonchalantly. She then looked at the watch on her wrist and spoke once again.

"I'll meet here in an hour. Then I'll take you back to your apartment. Okay?"

Kayla nodded slightly and smiled. "Yeah. See you in a bit."

After their initial conversation and agreement, they went on their own, naturally drifted toward different stores—Kayla beelining toward the bookstore while Laura made her way to a famous clothing brand.

Inside the bookstore, Kayla felt at home among the towering shelves lined with novels of every genre. She ran her fingers over the spines, savouring the familiar scent of paper and ink. Romance novels were her weakness, and she couldn't resist picking up a few with beautifully illustrated covers, each promising heart-fluttering moments and timeless love. She flipped through the pages of one, her heart swelling at the synopsis—a slow-burn romance between two soulmates separated by fate. A dreamy sigh escaped her lips as she imagined herself in such a love story, where every stolen glance and unspoken word carried a deeper meaning. Lost in her world, she barely noticed the time passing as she continued browsing, her arms gradually filling with books.

Meanwhile, in the clothing store, Laura was in her element, confidently striding between racks of stylish dresses, luxurious bags, and designer heels. She picked out a sleek black dress, holding it against her frame before twirling in front of the mirror with an approving smirk.

After grabbing a few more pieces, she made her way to the counter, quickly paid for the items, and stepped out of the store. She then headed to their agreed meeting spot, but after waiting for a while, Kayla still hadn't shown up. With a sigh, Laura started walking toward the bookstore that Kayla frequently visited. Upon entering, her eyes immediately began scanning the shelves, searching for Kayla.

It didn't take long for Laura to find her friend still lost in her stack of books, completely oblivious to the world around her. With a teasing sigh, Laura strutted over and plucked one of the novels from Kayla's hands. "Are you seriously buying this many romance books again?" she teased, flipping through the pages. "You know, real life isn't a novel, right? No handsome yet cold billionaire or mysterious stranger is going to sweep you off your feet just because fate says so."

Kayla pouted, gently taking the book back. "A girl can dream, okay? Besides, just because you don't believe in love doesn't mean I can't."

Laura rolled her eyes playfully but smiled, nonetheless. "Fine, fine. But at least let's get some coffee after this. I need something strong to balance out all this cheesiness."

Kayla laughed, nodding as she carried her books to the cashier. "Deal."

The two of them lined up at the cashier. Since there were only a few people in the queue, it didn't take long for their turn to come. Kayla quickly paid the bill, and the two of them exited the mall. By the time they stepped outside, night had already fallen. The streets were filled with cars rushing home from work, while more people wandered along the nearby park.

Laura went to get the car while Kayla waited. She watched families entering and exiting the mall, a soft smile forming on her lips. She had always fantasized about getting married, having kids, and spending her life with her one true love.

Lost in her thoughts, she was suddenly pulled back to reality by the sharp honking of a car. Blinking in surprise, she turned to see Laura calling her from a distance. Smiling sheepishly, she quickly boarded the car, placing the shopping bags in the backseat.

"What were you thinking about earlier? You were so out of it. I had to call you a few times and even honk to get your attention." Laura asked while helping her settle the bags.

Kayla shook her head with a small smile. "Nothing, just thinking about some things."

Changing the subject, she glanced at the backseat. "Wow, we really did buy a lot."

"En." Laura responded with a nod as she started the car.

"Did we overspend this time?" Kayla asked again.

"I don't think we did." Laura replied after a moment, making a left turn.

A comfortable silence settled between them. After a while, Laura seemed to remember something. "We'll probably have to take a rain check on our coffee date. My dad asked me to go back home for a bit. He said there's some family matter I need to take care of."

"Oh, yeah, sure." Kayla nodded before turning her attention back to her phone.

Laura remained quiet for a moment. After stopping at a red light, she turned to Kayla with a concerned look. "Will you be okay?"

Kayla lifted her head, slightly confused by the question. Then it dawned on her why Laura was asking. "Why wouldn't I be? Don't worry about me. Just take care of things on your end."

"Well… if you say so."

Before long, they arrived at the entrance of Kayla's apartment. Laura didn't get out of the car but waited as Kayla gathered her bags.

"Hey!" Laura rolled down the window, giving Kayla a pointed look. "Call me if you need anything. And don't just stay cooped up in your loft all summer. Go somewhere, take a quick vacation or something."

She smiled, shifting her focus to the road before glancing at Kayla one last time. "See you in two months."

Kayla returned the smile and nodded. "Yeah, same to you. Have fun!"

Laura didn't reply, simply giving a small wave before driving off. Kayla watched as the car disappeared into the distance, its red taillights growing smaller and smaller until it finally vanished from sight.

Kayla returned to her apartment. As she opened the door, she placed her keys on the side table, turned on the lights, and changed into her indoor slippers. She then headed to the living room to put down her shopping bags, along with her sling bag and coat.

Feeling a bit tired, she went to the bathroom for a quick shower to freshen up. After changing into comfortable sleepwear, she made her way to the kitchen. Glancing at the clock on the wall, she decided to whip up a simple dinner—salted egg pasta and some baguette she had bought the day before.

Once her meal was ready, she grabbed a bowl, poured herself a glass of water, and carried everything to the living room. Pushing her shopping bags to the side to make space, she plopped down onto the couch. She picked up the remote and flipped through channels before settling on an entertainment program.

Tossing the remote to her side, she reached for her phone in her sling bag. Seeing that her battery was down to 18%, she plugged it into the charging port on the coffee table beside her.

Kayla started eating while watching the show, occasionally chuckling at the funny segments. She continued enjoying her meal until the sudden buzzing of her phone interrupted her. It was a call from Laura.