Kayla moved gracefully around, dancing dreamily as she tended to the flowers that lined the entire room.
She sighed as she moved towards one of flower pots by the window stand. It had one withering stalk of flower. Kayla sighed sadly as she squatted in front of the pot. Her long flowing white gown spread across the wooden floor like a covering for the space, and her golden locks of hair which she let down to fall all over her back, came cascading over her shoulder as she tilted her head to one side to observe the withering stalk. Her small red lips pushed up in a frown, and her greyish blue eyes took on a sadness. She didn't like to see her flowers wither.
Kayla sighed again as she picked out the withered stalk and replaced it with a new one.
"Please, live longer than she did." She spoke to the new stalk as if it could hear her. Then she smiled at it and stood to her feet.
The window was open and a warm breeze blew in.
Kayla leaned against the windowpane and turned her sleek nose up towards the sky. A warm breeze rushed in, blowing over her face and through her hair like fingers, combing gently through her long and lush golden locks. She sighed in satisfaction and smiled as the warm rays of sunshine washed over her face.
The sunny days were slowly returning in Kirkland. This was a refreshing change from the stormy days they had had so far in the year. Just the previous day, it had rained from the evening through the night. The grasses were still wet from all the rain. But now, a bright and promising sun was peering through the light clouds.
Kayla looked up at the skies with a big warm smile. The skies were blue and sunny, dotted by only a few touches of flimsy clouds, here and there. She smiled again.
"It's going to be a sunny day." She muttered.
"Kayla!"
Kayla was startled by the sudden call. She turned around to find her grandmother, Mama Karla as they called her, standing at the top of the stairs.
"Mama Karla." Kayla replied as she moved away and walked towards the old lady.
"What are you doing there standing by the window? We have only a few more hours left until the ceremony, aren't you coming along?" Mama Karla asked as she began to come down the stairs. The two met at the foot of the stairway, and Kayla reached out to collect the small jar from her grandmother, but Mama Karla moved refused.
"No, let it be. This is my special gift for the alpha, I am not done with it yet." She said. "Just go get ready already! Why are you still here?"
"I was about to go get ready. I was just checking on my flowers." Kayla replied with a big smile. Her grandmother frowned at her.
"It's just one night Kayla. It's not like your flowers will die overnight." She said as she moved to place the jar on a table.
"They are delicate." Kayla insisted.
"And so is Anthony's temper too. You know him, once he gets here and you are not ready yet, he is leaving without you for sure." Mama Karla said and Kayla laughed.
Just then, they heard a loud clatter upstairs, followed by a loud and resounding screech, and Mama Karla almost knocked her jar off the table. The noise had come from Kate's room, Kayla's older sister.
"Has your sister lost her mind?" Mama Karla asked, holding her chest, still startled from the sudden cry.
Kayla shook her head cluelessly, then she quickly raced up the stairs to her sister's room.
When she got there, she found Kate laying back down, flat across her bed. Her arms and legs were spread wide apart and her long, thick black hair spread across the bed, touching the floor. Kayla rushed over to her side, thinking she had fainted, but when she got closer, Kate's big blue eyes were wide open, staring into the roof of the room, unblinking.
"Kate!" Kayla screamed, just to make sure that her sister was okay and that she had not passed out with her eyes still open.
Kate turned her head to the side to look at Kayla. Seeing the worried look on her little sister's face, she lifted herself off the bed slowly, but remained seated, dejectedly on her bed. Her hair tumbled all over her face and she pushed them back grudgingly. Kayla rushed over to her and sat beside her on the bed.
"Are you alright? I heard you scream from downstairs. Did you fall? Are you sick?" Kayla asked with concern, feeling her sister allover. Kate shook her head slowly, her long black hair bounced about with every turn and threatened to fall over her face again, but Kate pushed them back once again.
"Then why did you scream?" Kayla asked. Still refusing to say a word, Kate pointed a finger in the direction of her wardrobe. Kate turned to look where her sister had pointed, and for the first time, she realized that the room was in a complete state of mess. Kate's clothes were lying around everywhere. From the floor up to the bed, and even to the chair, over the mirror and on every possible surface. It looked as if a burglar had only recently ransacked the room. Kayla gasped and put her hands over her mouth.
"Did a burglar come in here? Through the window?" She asked Kate, looking over at the open window. "Did someone come in here through that window? Just now?" She asked again, pointing to the window. Her eyes filling up with fear.
"No!" Kate groaned in frustration. She got up to her feet and moved to the wardrobe. "Can't you see? I have spent hours going through everything here, and I still can't find anything to wear for tonight!" She cried.
Kayla's mouth fell open in amazement. Her eyes went over all the clothes that were lying about everywhere. With just one glance, she could already pick out several gowns that would be perfect for the ceremony that night as far as she was concerned. She looked up at her sister who still stood there by her wardrobe, pouting and frowning in frustration.
"Wait. So you screamed just a while ago because you could not find one outfit for tonight?" Kayla asked for clarification.
"Yes!" Kate cried. "I have gone through all my clothes and I just can't find the perfect fit." Kate cried with all seriousness.
Kayla sighed and shook her head.
"And I thought you were in danger!" She said in relief and disbelief at her elder sister's stress over something so trivia.
"Can you help me find something? I have to look perfect tonight!" Kate begged, coming over to Kayla's side. Kayla looked around helplessly. Most of the clothes Kate owned were already lying around and she hadn't made any decision from those. There was little she could do to help. Especially as she wasn't so bothered about looks herself.
'As long as your bosoms are covered, you are perfectly dressed.' Kayla would always joke whenever someone scolded her for dressing too shabby or inappropriate to an occasion.
"Please!" Kate begged.
"Well... Uhm..." Kayla stuttered. "Well, I remember you bought some new clothes a few days back. Have you tried those on? You should opt for them if you are going for a new look." Kayla suggested the much she could come up with, but Kate grimaced at this suggestion.
"I tried all those on already, I don't like any of them." She said, pointing towards the mirror. They were the clothes hanging over the mirror. Kayla sighed helplessly.
"Well, you see. There isn't much I can do now. You already tried on all your clothes and you don't like anyone. What else can I do?" She shrugged. Kate's eyes blazed with anger as she pulled away from her little sister and got on her feet to walk away.
"I knew that you would be helpless here. That's why I didn't even bother calling you to come and help me in the first place. Go away!" Kate cried as she returned to her wardrobe and began to search through the remaining clothes that still hung on the hanger.
"What do you want me to do? There isn't much I can do now. You already made up your mind and even turned down my little suggestion." Kayla cried in defense. "Or, should I lend you one of my dresses?" She offered.
Kate turned around and glared at her.
"I would rather borrow a dress from Mama Karla's wardrobe than take your finest dress." Kate said.
"Hey! That's too harsh!" Kayla cried. "My dresses are not that bad, you know! I have been wearing a repeat of the same gown to the ceremony for three quarters now!" She said.
"The fact that you say that with so much pride and confidence, serves as enough warning for me to never take any fashion advice from you. You are hopeless Kayla." Kate sighed. "I made the mistake of asking you in the first place. Let me guess, you are wearing the same gown tonight?" She asked.
"Of course." Kayla nodded with a smile. "And for the rest of the year!" She added and laughed.
"God! You are hopeless!" Kate groaned. "Please, keep your fashion advice to yourself. I will sort this out myself." She said.
"It's not like anyone takes notice anyway. The ceremony lasts through the night. We should attend in our pajamas if you ask me." Kayla said, still laughing.
"I said shut up and let me concentrate!" Kate howled, throwing a piece of clothing over Kayla's face, who just kept laughing until she collapsed onto the bed.