Without the pressure of being popular, my school days improved greatly, and to top it all off, I meet an old friend - Elora. She was my childhood friend who was shorter than most girls her age, had short brown hair, and wore glasses. But hey, unlike many girls, she didn't complain about having to wear them.
One day, Elora invited me over to her house for lunch. "Why don't you come over to my place for lunch today?" she suggested.
"Okay," I agreed.
"My parents are traveling, so I'll stay home by myself. It would be nice if someone else were here," she added.
"Sure, I'd love to. Thanks, Elora," I said, feeling grateful for the invite.
"No problem. I hope you'll enjoy my cooking. I've made lasagna," Elora said, beaming with pride.
"Sounds great. See you later," I replied, excited for what was to come.
When I arrived, Elora's house was piled high with books - I mean, everywhere you looked, books. "Hi, Elora," I said as I entered her house.
"Oh, hi, Adriel. You're late. I made some tea; do you want some?" she asked.
I nodded, "Thanks, that sounds good. I'll take two cups."
As expected, her parents owned a bookshop, and I wondered how Elora managed to find anything in that clutter.
"So, what did you think of my lasagna?" Elora asked.
"It tasted great, thanks," I replied, feeling stuffed.
Elora's face lit up like a Christmas tree, "I'm glad you liked it."
And then, Ding Dong, the doorbell rang.
"I'm glad I made it in time," Elizabeth opened the door and stepped inside, "I brought something for the both of us."
"Thank you, Liz," said Elora.
Elizabeth handed us each a plate, and she sat next to me.
"So, what did you think of the lasagna?" asked Elora.
"It was delicious! Thank you very much," Elizabeth answered.
We talked for hours and hours, and I couldn't help but feel comfortable around them.
"Sorry, I have to go now," I said, feeling a little disappointed that I had to leave.
"Yeah. Bye," both Elora and Elizabeth waved goodbye.
As I walked back home, still feeling full from the delicious meal, I couldn't help but think about that lasagna. That day, I fell in love with lasagna - and I had Elora to thank for it.
***
As soon as I stepped inside the house, I was greeted by my sister's voice.
"What took you so long, brother?" Emma asked with a smile on her face.
Emma, my beloved adopted sister, had always been a ray of sunshine in my life. Her fiery red curly hair fell in wild ringlets around her face, making her look like a walking fireball. Her bright green eyes sparkled with excitement as she looked at me.
Standing at an average height, Emma's figure was lean and slender, with long legs that seemed to go on forever. Her fair skin was dotted with tiny freckles, giving her a playful and mischievous look.
But, despite her stunning appearance, Emma was always complaining about her body. She would often grumble about her height, saying she felt like a towering giant compared to her friends, and how she wished she had more curves.
But to me, Emma was perfect just the way she was. She was my sister and my family, and I loved her with all my heart.
"I'm sorry I'm late, Emma. I didn't mean to worry you," I said as I walked through the door.
"What took you so long, brother?" my sister asked again, looking concerned.
"I ran into an old classmate, Elora. We were catching up," I explained.
"But you were supposed to be home hours ago," she added, her tone slightly accusatory.
I could see the worry in her eyes, and I felt guilty for making her wait.
"Yes. She invited me for lunch," I said, hoping to ease her concern.
"Well, you should be more careful. Don't get distracted by other people when you have important things to do," she scolded gently.
I nodded in agreement, realizing she was right.
"Don't worry. I'll be more careful next time," I promised.
"You worried me a lot. Next time, send a message," she said, her voice softening.
"You're right. Sorry," I apologized again.
Emma and I sat down at the table, and the aroma of roast beef and potatoes filled the air.
"Come on, let's eat," Emma said, trying to lighten the mood. "I cooked roast beef and potatoes."
"Yum. You make the best food. I'm starving. Let's dig in," I said, feeling grateful for my sister's cooking skills.
"Great idea. I'll start the meal," she said, serving us both generous portions.
━─━────༺༻────━─━
After Adriel left, Elizabeth and Elora started to stare at each other in silence. Tension hung in the air like a thick fog.
"What the hell are you doing?" Elora finally broke the silence.
"I ask, you broke our agreement," replied Elizabeth, her voice low and angry.
"Why should I care about your agreement? What can you do to me?" Elora sneered.
"I can kill you," Elizabeth replied, her eyes flashing with anger.
"Kill... Me?" Elora's voice trailed off, her bravado faltering for a moment.
"Yes. I am not afraid to do whatever I need to protect myself," Elizabeth declared.
"We have a deal, we all agreed," Elizabeth reminded her.
"A deal that can be broken easily," Elora retorted.
"I never thought there was any reason to keep that agreement," Elora added, her voice dripping with contempt.
The tension between them continued to rise, and the air crackled with energy as they stood in silence, each daring the other to make a move.
Finally, Elora broke the silence.
"Don't worry, Elizabeth," Elora offered a sad smile, "You will disappear soon."
In an instant, Elora's clothes turned to ribbons, and she launched herself at Elizabeth, who barely managed to cut the straps in time to defend herself. The two of them started to fight, their movements quick and precise as they traded blows and dodges.
"Stop this!" a yell came from the doorway.
Both stopped their attacks, and they turned to see Seda standing in the doorway, looking shocked and horrified.
"What the hell are you doing? What if Adriel came back and saw this?" Seda exclaimed.
"Shut up, Seda. This is none of your business," said Elora, her eyes blazing.
"It's true, but if Adriel comes and sees you like this, he'd leave us," Seda pointed out.
"He won't," Elora declared, her voice firm.
"Well, he might," said Seda, trying to reason with them.
Seda managed to convince both to stop the fight, and all of them began tidying up the house to make it look like nothing had happened. But the tension between Elizabeth and Elora lingered like a bad smell, threatening to boil over at any moment.