#elaila

“LAILA!! You’re here!! I’m so glad you made it. I have some of the equipment you dropped off earlier sort of set up in the back corner of the living room, so you can just drop the rest of the stuff near that area. I’m so excited that you’re DJ-ing the party tonight.” Anja was practically bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet.

Laila grinned up at her friend lovingly. “I’m so excited, I haven’t spun tables in a while so it’ll be interesting to see how it goes.”

Elias was surprised once again to find yet another hobby Laila had picked up, as he learned earlier, on her travels visiting her dad overseas. She continued to surprise him everyday.

“Oh hey, Elias right?” Anja said, glancing back at Elias who walked up the stairs behind Laila.

He nodded, smiling at her. The initial embarrassment from his awkward pick up attempt a few months ago, all but gone.

“Come on in.” Anja opened the front door wider, allowing them to step through. “Oh also watch out for my cat, he’s a real asshole and he likes to walk right in front of people’s feet, trying to trip them.”

“Oh I don't think I saw a cat last time I was here, what’s his name?” Elias asked.

“Karl.”

Elias frowned slightly at the strange name before he strolled through the entryway, the cozy atmosphere of the small space immediately wrapping around him like a warm blanket. He glanced at Laila to his left who was rearranging the music supplies in her hands, eyes scanning the room for the corner Anja had set up for her.

As she spotted it, she beamed and nudged Elias before saying, “I’m going to go set up.”

He nodded and gave her his best look of encouragement.

She wandered off into the crowd and Elias fell back, searching for the guys and Sana. Surprisingly his gaze fell on a friendly face in the crowd; it was Isabel.

Elias hadn’t seen or heard from her since they had hooked up. He recoiled internally as he thought about that regretful night. Elias had made so many mistakes the past few weeks, but he heavily regretted hurting Isabel.

His old self would have considered turning around and avoiding her, but he didn't want to be that person anymore. Elias hunched his shoulders up resolute in his intentions and strode over to her standing with a red cup in her hands.

Isabel’s face brightened instantly when she saw Elias, giving him a warm, amiable smile.

“Hey Isabel, how have you been?” he asked in genuine interest.

“You’re so sweet, I’m great. Never been better,” she replied and he believed her words. Her bright eyes were full of joy.

“I wanted to apologize again for being such a dick the last time I saw you,” Elias looked down nervously at his feet before meeting her eyes again.

“Elias you don’t have to keep apologizing. In fact I’m glad that we didn't work out. Because if it weren’t for that, I never would have met Trine. She’s amazing, we’ve been seeing each other for a few weeks now.”

She?

Elias did not see that coming.

But good for Isabel. He was happy that she had clearly moved on, it had been weighing on his conscience for a while now.

“That’s awesome. So is she here tonight?” Elias asked, looking around even though he had no idea what Trine looked like.

Isabel nodded, she turned to her right and pointed out a tall girl, close to Sana’s age with long brunette hair. Isabel waved to her across the room, and Trine smiled back at her, affectionately.

Elias turned back to Isabel and said, “Seriously I’m really happy for you Isabel.”

“Thank you! And what about you? Are you seeing anyone?” she asked.

He blushed as he unconsciously searched for Laila in the throng of people. Finally, he spotted her loose flyaway curls a few feet away, moving around frantically as she tested out her equipment. “I am. Her name’s Laila.”

“Oh, I think I know her, she used to be friends with those Pepsi Max girls? Trine used to hang out with them too, but she left because she said they were terrible friends. Trine always spoke fondly of Laila though,” Isabel mentioned.

He grinned hearing that. “Yeah she’s one of a kind.” Elias looked up and spotted Sana in the crowd, mingling with Adam and Mutta. “It was great talking with you, I’ll see you later. I definitely want to meet Trine, she sounds cool,” he said.

“You too, for sure I’ll introduce you guys, talk to you later.” Isabel waved bye to him and made her way over to where Trine was standing, placing a kiss on her cheek softly.

(((The Next Episode-Dr. Dre)))

At the start of the new song, the bass shook the walls as everyone got on their feet, bodies pressed close to each other, letting loose.

It seemed like Laila had gotten her tables set up. As he glanced at where she was standing behind the turntables, he couldn't help but notice the intense look of concentration written on her face.

Elias made his way over to where Sana was standing, nodding to Mutta and Adam.

“Congrats bro on your editing internship!! I’m so proud of you,” Sana added, punching him lightly in the shoulder.

“Thanks Sana.”

“You got it?!!” Mutta exclaimed.

Elias nodded, unable to contain the grin that spread across his lips. “Bro, that’s amazing,” Adam said.

“Thanks Adam!” Elias gazed around the room. “Where’s Yousef and Mikael?” he asked suddenly.

Sana rolled her eyes and said, “Where do you think?”

When he didn't answer she continued. “They’ve only been here five minutes and they already challenged each other to a dance off,” Sana said half exasperated, half amused.

He turned to look over at the crowd in the middle of the dance floor and sure enough he could see them already in full swing. Yousef was doing a passionate variation of hip-hop street dancing while Mikael was breakdancing furiously. All the while, the group of people around them were hyping them up.

At that moment, Chris came up to them, grabbing Mutta’s hand as she said, “Come on, let’s dance!” she said shaking her hips, dragging him into the congregation in the center of the room.

Adam went and joined Yousef and Mikael on the dancefloor, jumping up and down, pumping his head.

“I’m dating a literal five year old,” she half shouted over the music as it got louder.

“You knew what you were signing up for when you agreed to date him,” Elias countered.

“True.”

(((Wild Thoughts-DJ Khaled)))

Elias glanced up at Laila who smiled back at him. She slid the mega headphones wrapped around her ears off her head, and stepped down from behind the tables, making her way over to him.

“Aren’t you in charge of the music for the whole night?” Elias teased as she stood in front of him, sliding her hand in his.

“I’m allowed to slip away for one song,” she replied. “Besides, don’t you want to dance with me?” She put on an endearing look that he couldn’t resist. His heart beat wildly in his chest as his eyes met hers.

All at once, they both fell into the rhythm of the song, hips swaying in time with the beat. They moved together as one, falling into step with each other.

As he spun Laila around in his arms, he couldn't help but feel incredibly lucky for everything and everyone in his life.

Looking around at his sister, at his friends, at this amazing group of people around him, Elias knew he had so much to be thankful for.

ENDING CREDITS

(((Lions-Skip Marley)))

Writer (Ep 1-4) & Producer

Anna (smoothyousef)

Writer (Ep 5-10), Beta (Ep 1-4), & Co-Producer

Anisha (savedbythespell)

Co-Producer & Editor

Cristina (sanabakkousk)

Illustrator

Rida (ree-duh)

Promoter

Simone (ur-nitemare)

TAKK FOR ALT