Page 100 of HER SISTER

"Seriously, after the ups and downs I watched Lo go through with Karter, I know you and your girl will be fine," Cher assured me.

She had seemingly gotten us on the topic of Mili again, which she started giving me advice on.

And I won't lie, her advice so far has been really good.

"Honestly, it sounds unrealistic to imagine being in a relationship with someone for years—or even the rest of your life, and not expect to have any issues you know?" Cher suddenly said as she sipped on her drink.

I tilted my head slightly, I never thought of it that way.

"Yeah, that's actually a really good point," I said as Cher held her drink out for me.

"You really have to try this," she said, and I didn't hesitate to take the drink and try a sip.

I hummed to myself, "Wow—wait what is that? I might have to order me one now," I laughed slightly as I handed the drink back to Cher.

Cher laughed, "It was on the secret menu—I'll get the bartender to make you one next," she said as I took a sip of my usual Cosmo that I loved to order.

I nodded a few times, "Perfect," I said as I sat my drink back down.

And just like that, Cher and I continued on with our usual conversation, which seemed to easily flow with each other.

It was almost like we had been friends in another lifetime—especially since it felt like we were catching up instead of just now meeting tonight.

"Nah, but Pierce is really out for Karter's girl though," I laughed, which made Cher laugh harder.

"Right! The chocolates and stuffed bear on Valentine's Day was just a little too far—Karter almost lost it," she laughed even more.

I let out a few deep breaths, but my laughter only managed to grow, "I-I can't right now," I breathed out as I held my stomach, "How old is he again?"

Cher wiped her stray tears, "Ten—he just turned ten," she breathed out one last laugh, "But he's been at this for years," she added

I let out another breath before pursing my lips to hold back my laughter, "He's the rizz king for real," I added with a loose smile.

Cher nodded a few times, "On my soul he is—but never say that in front of Karter or she'll have a fit," she said as she chuckled a few more times.

I shook my head to myself, "I mean the Roblox username is insane—" I laughed again to myself, "—I aspire to meet this child one day," I added.

Cher's brows suddenly raised, and as soon as she pointed a finger at me—I knew she had taken my words literally.

I shook my head, "But I don't want to intrude or any—"

"Girl you are not intruding. Come stay on the island when you finish up with The New York Times, you could stay with me and postpone your flight," Cher said, basically inviting me to not only hang out more with her friends but also their family.

Is that intrusive?

I mean, I just met them, and I also don't want anyone to feel like I'm overstepping.

Cher suddenly shook her head at me, "You're an overthinker like Sloan too huh?" she jokingly nudged me before she said, "Trust when I say that it's really not that deep—no one cares if you join in on a casual dinner, swear."

I still managed to give Cher a tilted look, knowing that it still felt like I would be overstepping.

My stare alone managed to make Cher say, "Well, I already invited you, so you're coming. End of story,"

I jokingly rolled my eyes, "Fine, I guess I'm coming," I said, which easily caused Cher to happily clink her glass with mine.

—

The next morning I was on a group Facetime call with Mya and Arielle as I got ready for my tour at ten.

"Aw look at our Ana making new friends," Arielle smiled as she laid in bed with Damon.

Meanwhile, Mya and Ryder seemed to be eating breakfast.

Mya pointed her fork at me through the phone, "Don't get too comfortable now," she warned with a raised brow.

I couldn't help but laugh slightly, "You know I'd never," I joked back with her even if I knew she was being one hundred percent serious.

Mya hummed, "Good because I really wanted to spend part of our spring break with them," she determined to herself, and I couldn't help but nod.

Even if Mya and I had planned to go to Islamorada together so she could finally meet my family, we would still have the beginning of the week together.

Damon and Arielle seemed to be doing their own baecation thing in Hawaii later on in the week as well.

And I think Ryder is planning his own thing since I'm taking Mya back home with me.

Arielle suddenly nodded a few times, "Yes, I seriously can't wait—they all seem really fun from the way you described them," she said.

I nodded a few times, "They really are—"

I was quickly cut short by a few knocks at my hotel door, which easily made my brows furrow.

I grabbed my phone from the sink that it was propped up on, "I wonder who that could be," I murmured.

"You better stay on the phone with us—and grab pepper spray," Mya said from the other line.

Arielle laughed, "Okay maybe not pepper spray," she said, clearly finding Mya to be extra precatious.

I laughed at them both as I headed toward the door, and as soon as I opened it, my brows seemed to furrow.

"Ms. Atiana Cato?" the man asked.

I recognized him from the front desk that I passed by a few times yesterday.

I nodded a few times as I wordlessly looked at the bouquet of flowers that he cradled in his arm.

"These got delivered for you," the man politely said as he handed me the beautiful pink tulips.

I blinked a few times as I took the large bouquet of tulips, "Um... thank you?" I whispered, clearly confused by the random flowers.

The man nodded with a polite smile, "Of course, please call down to the front desk if you need anything," he said before he turned on his heel.

And as I closed the door, I couldn't help but stare at the flowers for a moment.

They were all perfectly pink as they remained wrapped in the brown paper with a large white bow holding them together.

At the very minimum, this had to be fifty flowers...

"Ana hello?!"

I suddenly snapped myself from my thoughts, "Sorry-uh, I'm here," I cleared my throat as I sat the bouquet down.

"Who got you flowers girl?" Arielle questioned as I noticed the small envelope tucked under the tied bow.

I didn't waste any time opening the envelope, even if a part of me knew exactly who these were from.

No one else would go to these lengths except for her.

I drew in a soft breath as I re-read the note in my hands, feeling my body grow so warm, I questioned if the temperature in the room had gone up.

Good luck today. The New York Times will love you.

-M

"Uh Mya?" I suddenly whispered.

Mya suddenly tilted her head, "Ana?" she reiterated my question back to me, clearly amused by the clear surprise on my face.

"Before I start to assume... You didn't get me flowers by chance?" I questioned, clearly not wanting to get my hopes up.

Mya furrowed her brows, "No, should I have?" she said, and it was clear that she was confused now too.

Arielle suddenly blinked a few times, "Did we miss something?"

I suddenly shook my head, "No-no not at all, I just—the card was signed with an M, so if it's not you then it's—"

"Aw, my sister got you flowers?" Mya suddenly cut me short with a growing grin.

And I couldn't stop my lips from spreading into a slow smile, suddenly realizing that Mili had gotten me flowers—that she had remembered such a small thing.

"Ana you better text that girl right now," Arielle suddenly said as she laid up from her bed.

Ryder suddenly popped his head into the Facetime call, "I know Mi would love to hear from you," he jokingly wiggled his brows.

I rolled my eyes bashfully as I smelled the beautiful tulips, "Should I really text her? Or is that too much?" I whispered as I hugged the flowers to my body.

I know she only had them delivered so they weren't physically from her, but god did it feel like she had picked each individual one and gifted them to me.

It felt like one of the closest things I had to her here recently.

Other than her baggy t-shirts that I found myself sleeping in.

"Girl, are you dumb? Text my sister right now—clearly flowers weren't too much for her," Mya pointed out, easily making my smile grow into a grin.

I can't believe she got me flowers.

Ugh, she's the sweetest person ever.

I suddenly picked up my phone from the window that it was propped up on, deciding that I should definitely text her.

Arielle squealed happily to herself, "She's fucking texting her guys—it's going down," she said, easily making me shake my head at not just her but everyone else as I typed up a text to Mili.

My text was sweet, but not too overbearing at the same time.

Thank you for remembering. Thinking of you always.

"Is that too much?" I said, suddenly feeling my nerves double as I stared at the delivered message.

"Absolutely not, she got you flowers Ana—stop overthinking it," Arielle said, and from the Facetime box in the corner of my screen, I could see her now brushing her teeth.

Mya hummed, "Yeah, I think the thinking of you was a nice tou—"

"Oh my god-oh my god," I whispered, feeling my heart suddenly race in my chest.

Arielle paused brushing her teeth, "What? What is it?" she frantically asked.

I shook my head as I felt myself pace the room, "She's typing," I said, carefully watching the speech bubble in the corner of the screen.

Mya laughed, "It's actually funny how nervous you are—like this girl wasn't just all over you a couple of months ago," she said, and I couldn't miss Ryder's laugh in the background.

"Right?" Arielle suddenly laughed.

And while I wanted to make a smart remark, I couldn't possibly focus on anything else other than the text that recently buzzed through from Mili.

My smile grew so big so fast, and I didn't even have to question if I was smiling like an idiot, especially not when Mya managed to say—

"Aw, your crush texted you back?"

Mya's question alone managed to earn a laugh from not just Arielle and Ryder, but Damon too.

"Okay, fuck all of you guys collectively," I said as I continued re-reading Mili's message.

I seriously couldn't force my smile away even if I tried.

I'm happily a lover girl when it comes to her, I swear.

"Is my FaceTime frozen, or are you still grinning like a maniac?" Mya said.

I scoffed jokingly, "Okay, keep fucking playing and I really will replace you all," I retorted as I retreated into the hotel bathroom with my bouquet of tulips cradled in my arm.

Both Mya and Arielle dramatically gasped.

"You wouldn't," Arielle said.

"Don't you dare," Mya said right after.

I glanced at myself through the mirror, suddenly feeling on top of the world, "Oh I would," I warned them.

Mya rolled her eyes, "Guess I'm booking a flight to The Hamptons," she determined as she sipped her orange juice.

Arielle nodded a few times, "Hell yeah, book mine too," she said.

I giggled a few times to myself as I did a small twirl with the bouquet in my hands—

Who knew flowers could make me feel so giddy and warm?

Or maybe it was just her gesture—I mean it could've been something as small as a text from her instead, and I'd still be on top of the world right now.

"Oh god, Milan got our girl giggling and shit," Mya laughed as she took another bite of her pancake.

I jokingly rolled my eyes as I propped up my phone on the sink to flick them both off, which easily earned a few more laughs from my best friends.

But even I knew that I didn't mean it—I loved that Mili had me giggling and grinning like an idiot.

She's the only one who ever could.