Page 9 of HER SISTER

"Wow this is so good," I breathed out, grabbing another crispy fry.

Mili nodded, eating another fry, "Yeah, this place has the best food in Laguna," she said.

"Oh, so you eat here often?" I questioned curiously.

Mili nodded, grabbing her glass cup filled with water, "If I was ever in town—nine times out of ten, I'd end up here," she admitted, taking a brief sip of her water, before she said, "It's just something about Laguna that calms me."

I nodded, tracing the features of her face. This is the first time everything felt so casual with Mili.

It's like we were suddenly in a different universe away from LA that was made up of a certain promise I made.

Here it felt different—which was fun, but at the same time, it sucked.

I knew we'd have to head back to LA soon.

"What are you thinking about?" Mili said, her dark eyes still placed on me.

I looked down at my plate of food that I had barely touched, "I don't know..." I trailed off, trying to decide if I should confide in her or not.

I looked back up at Mili, whose face was neutral—not cold or tense. Just neutral, like she was waiting to hear what I had to say before reacting.

She raised a slight brow, looking me up and down as a signal to tell her.

I sighed. "I don't want to go back to LA," I admitted in one breath.

Mili laughed once, "You're telling me."

I shook my head with a slight smile, grateful that she was keeping the mood light even when it wasn't. "Seriously, I really don't want to. I like it here," I said.

Mili's expression softened slightly, but only for a split second–I almost questioned if I imagined it.

After a few beats of silence, Mili sighed dramatically, "Fine, I guess we can abandon LA and live here," she said, her tone light and joking, "We'll just have to buy everything we once had since we can't go back—Mya would murder us before we had a chance to leave."

I knew she was joking, but even the idea of staying here with her and abandoning the life I had created, actually sounded pleasing.

"I'd rather go back than be wanted by Mya for murder," I said, laughing slightly.

Mili chuckled. "Facts."

I laughed again, staring at Mili, who held a small smile on her lips.

Later, we ended up getting our food to-go and grabbing the check, which Mili had already told the waitress to put on her tab, which meant that she was truthful about eating there often.

Back in the Cadillac SUV, we sat in a comfortable silence, heading back to a place that neither of us wanted to go.

Mili was transferring her pictures from her camera to her phone while I sat quietly staring out of the window.

Without giving the question a second thought, I said, "Tell me something that I don't know, but should know."

Mili glanced over at me, an amused expression suddenly coating her features, "Tell you something that you don't know, but should know?" she reiterated.

I nodded, smiling slightly.

For once, I didn't feel shy. I had officially warmed up to Mili fully—which meant thoughts or questions like these, came out easier than I expected.

I raised a brow at her, "That's what I said hm?"

Mili laughed through her nose once, "Yeah, I guess so," she said, sitting her phone to the side as a way to show that I had her full attention.

Suddenly, I found myself enjoying her attention.

She stayed silent, intently thinking to herself before saying, "Well, for starters my actual name is Milan."

My brows unconsciously shot up at the new information.

The entire time people had been calling her Mili, which was short for Milan... why didn't she lead with that?

"Milan," I said, testing out the name, "And people call you Mili for short."

Mili nodded, "Yeah, the nickname sort of stuck when I was a child."

"I like Milan—or maybe even Lani. Why didn't anyone use that as your nickname?" I asked.

"Lani is not that great of a nickname," Mili said, laughing slightly to herself.

I raised a brow, "Oh you don't like it?" I said, my tone teasing.

Mili smiled slightly, raising a challenging brow.

"Lani is officially your new name," I said, mocking what she had said earlier.

"Oh?" Mili said, her brows raised in challenge, "So that's what we're doing?"

I shrugged, correcting my posture to establish some sort of dominance. I liked being in control, but something told me that Mili would challenge that.

Mili raised a brow at my clear demeanor change, "I guess we'll see who will win this one," she said.

I nodded, "Sure will."

Mili suddenly pursed her lips into a slight smile, shaking her head at me.

It suddenly felt like we had fallen into some sort of dynamic.

—

"I'm surprised to see you both alive," Mya laughed, opening the door wider for us to enter.

I'm surprised that the day took such an intimate turn. The photo shoot, the sunset we shared, even going to dinner...

It felt like I had dreamt the entire day.

"I think I can get along with Ati," Mili said, dragging me from my thoughts.

I gave Mili a narrowed look, sitting down at the kitchen island. "It's not too late to still kill you," I said, my tone joking but still keeping a serious edge to it.

Mya let out a laugh, opening the fridge and grabbing a bottled water, "I'd be careful with her," she warned Mili, motioning to me.

Mili shrugged, side-eyeing me, "I'd be careful with me," she retorted.

I turned slightly to meet Mili's stare—and my stomach practically did a leap when her eyes suddenly connected with mine.

It was almost like the world stopped.

Like Mili's sister—my best friend who I made a promise to–wasn't standing there at all.

I cleared my throat, turning back to Mya who was typing on her phone. Thank God, she didn't catch that.

"You're not worth the fight," I said.

Mili leaned closer to me, her tone lowered as she murmured, "What exactly am I worth then?"

Almost instantly my face grew hot—like I had been under the sun's microscope.

Mya locked her phone, peering up to look at us. "Sorry I was texting Frankie," she said, setting her phone down on the shiny counter, "What were we talking about again?"

I looked away, pulling out my own phone with hopes of hiding the blush coating my face, "Just the same topic as before," I mumbled, acting as if I was answering an important text as I clicked around on my phone.

"I think discussing murder is very significant," Mili said, resuming back to the topic.

Mya rose from her leaned-over stance on the kitchen island.

"Ohh so we're still on the same topic? Good to know that I can keep up with you guys," she said, twisting her water open, "I could zone out of a conversation with Ryder and Damon for only a few seconds and somehow we're talking about how Antarctica isn't a real place. "

Mili laughed, "That's facts."

I looked up from my phone, feeling like my cheeks had finally cooled down. I seriously hated how easy it was for Mili to have an effect on me.

I also hated that I had completely inappropriate thoughts about her when I made a promise to her sister.

If I had met Mili first, this all might've gone a completely different way.

Although, I'm not sure if it would've been a good or bad way.

But It doesn't even matter because I met Mya first, and almost immediately I was determined her friend—her best friend actually. It's one of those moments where you think how am I just now meeting this person?

It felt like I had known her my whole life, and it almost made me wish I would've. That's how amazing Mya is.

I just wish this entire situation didn't have to be so messy and complicated.

I mean, I understand where Mya is coming from... she not only wanted to prevent me from being heartbroken but she also didn't want to lose me to her sister.

Which seemed to happen with a lot of her friends–If I had a sister like that, I'd probably be mad too.

Yet, it still doesn't change the desire I have surrounding Mili.

But I have Cam, I have a great friend group, and an amazing best friend as a roommate.

Going for Mili would eliminate all of that easily.

"Earth to Ana," Mya waved her hand, laughing slightly.

I blinked a few times, smiling shyly, "Sorry."

"We lost you there for a moment," Mili said, leaning back in her chair and crossing her toned arms over her chest.

And again, the small action was so annoyingly attractive that I almost questioned if she was naturally like this without even trying.

"Mili... I actually need to talk to you," Mya said, which easily made all of my thoughts evaporate and my heart rate pick up in my chest.

Mili nodded once, "Go on."