Leyla tried to keep her cool while talking to Adam and Helen, but something about Simon and Taylor set her on edge. She barely knew them, just that afternoon in the library, when things had gotten way more heated than she’d intended. The memory of what she’d said still burned like shame under her skin.
Now she stood before them in the most awkward way possible; hair damp and tangled, wrapped in a bathrobe, feeling painfully exposed.
Simon, on the other hand, looked perfectly at ease. He walked over to the Red brothers and little Susy, who had just woken up from a light nap. He crouched to their level, a genuine smile playing on his lips.
“Hey, little rascals… and you, princess? You doing okay?”
The twins answered together, voices tumbling over each other with the usual energy, while Susy just stared at him. Her eyes, usually distant, glassy, lit up with a faint spark of curiosity. For a second, it felt like he’d managed to break through the invisible wall that kept her apart from the world.
Taylor hung back, hands shoved into his pockets, watching in silence. His face gave nothing away, calm and unreadable.
Leyla took it all in, torn between embarrassment and quiet amazement. She wasn’t used to having people around; for a moment, it felt overwhelming. But when Helen caught her eye and offered a reassuring smile, something small flickered to life inside her, like the first pulse of hope after a long.
Maybe tonight could actually be the start of something new, she thought.
The room filled with laughter, and for a brief moment, Leyla let herself believe that may by things could really change.
Taking a steadying breath, she pushed past her embarrassment and turned to the newcomers.
“Guess we should probably introduce ourselves…” She gestured toward Simon and Taylor, then added with an uncertain smile: “And, uh, sorry about this afternoon. I wasn’t exactly in the best mood after running into Cassie and her shadow.”
Simon cleared his throat, friendly despite the trace of awkwardness in his voice.
“No worries, Leyla.”
Taylor gave a small nod, a faint smile curving his lips.
“Happens,” he said evenly, perfectly measured.
Leyla shrugged slightly. “Well… thanks, guys,” she murmured, lowering her gaze.
Helen chuckled, clearly pleased to see her opening up, then turned to Adam. “Time to get the kids home,” she said.
Adam shot to his feet. “Hold on, honey. I’ll go with you. That way you can stay home and get some rest. I’ve got it covered.”
Leyla crossed her arms, pretending to be skeptical. “Oh really? And who’s gonna open the door?”
Adam gave her a knowing grin and pulled a business card from his jacket pocket. “Got my ways.”
Helen arched a brow. “Care to elaborate?”
Adam slid the card between the door and the frame, keeping it from locking shut.
Leyla’s eyes lit up. “Well, would you look at that!” Then, half-smiling, she added, “Pretty clever. Wish I’d thought of it first.”
Helen laughed, covering her eyes with her hand. “Thank God you didn’t.”
A burst of laughter broke through, chasing away the tension and filling the room with warmth.
When Helen, Adam, and the kids finally stepped out, silence settled over the place again. Leyla, Simon, and Taylor, stood there, caught in an awkward stillness that seemed to stretch forever.
It was Taylor who finally broke it, his voice casual. “Anyone want some water?” he asked, heading for the kitchen without waiting for an answer, like he just couldn’t stand another second of the quiet.
“Thanks, really, but that’s not necessary,” Leyla said, trying to push herself up with her crutch. “You’re my guests. It’s my job.”
Simon took a step forward, his smile warm, his tone meant to cut through the awkwardness.
“Come on, don’t make us feel like total strangers. With Helen and Adam, we’re all kind of one big family.”
He placed a light hand on her arm, gently encouraging her to stay seated without crossing any lines. Leyla gave a resigned shrug and settled back into the chair.
“Alright, alright… if that’s the reason, go ahead.”
Taylor returned to the table carrying two glasses of water, setting them carefully in front of Leyla and Simon. A simple gesture, yet deliberate, almost like a quiet I’m here too.
Leyla glanced down at her glass and, almost by instinct, wrapped her fingers around the cool rim. A shiver ran across her skin. There was something about the way Taylor moved that unsettled her, like he could see right through her, noticing details she was trying hard to ignore. She bit her lip and looked away, afraid that silence might give away more than she wanted it to.
It was Simon who finally broke that fragile balance, his tone half-teasing, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
“So… this is the part where one of us is supposed to say something, right?”
Leyla looked up, surprised by how that simple line was enough to cut through the tension. A hint of a smile ghosted across her lips, spontaneous, grateful.
Taylor didn’t say a word, but a shadow of a smile curved at the corner of his mouth.
Leyla turned back to her glass, rolling it slowly between her fingers. Beads of condensation slid down the smooth surface. She took a sip, more to buy herself a moment than because she was thirsty.
Simon stretched a little, then watched her with a kind of cautious empathy, no judgment in his eyes, like he wanted to understand without pushing.
“You look like someone who’s gotten used to being on her own,” he said gently. “But sometimes, letting new faces surprise you isn’t such a bad thing.”
Leyla went still. His words, kind as they were, hit her the wrong way. Simon had it wrong. The unease didn’t come from having company… it came from Taylor. Only him.
He was the one who made her pulse race, his presence slicing through the silence sharper than any words could.
Leyla glanced at Taylor. Hard to ignore him. Not just because of that chiseled face, like he’d stepped straight out of a magazine, but because of the aura around him: a mystery that didn’t demand attention, yet somehow seeped under the skin, like a distant sound that lingers in your head.
She took another sip of cool water.
He watched her in silence. His eyes calm, yet filled with something that defied logic. There was nothing invasive in his gaze, only an intensity that brushed against her skin, as if he saw her more clearly than she wanted to be seen.
Leyla felt her heartbeat quicken, a sudden knot tightening in her throat. She looked away fast, lashes trembling, like someone flinching from a danger that had gotten too close.
Simon, meanwhile, stayed right where he was, solid, grounded. His expression radiated calm and reassurance, without a hint of pressure. Leyla turned toward him almost in gratitude, an anchor in the chaos.
Simon studied her, catching something he couldn’t quite name. For a moment, he thought that uncertain yet direct look had been meant for him. No one had ever managed to ignore Taylor like that. The idea surprised him, and drew a half-smile to his lips, somewhere between disbelief and pride.
She didn’t know that Leyla was searching his eyes for something to hold on to, a way to keep her balance. Taylor unsettled her more than she cared to admit, and turning to Simon was the easiest way to hide the tremor she felt inside.
But she wasn’t really seeing him.
Her gaze stayed on him, but her mind wandered elsewhere.
Inside, the echo of Taylor still lingered, like a note hanging in the air, impossible to ignore.
Her thoughts kept circling, chasing a question she didn’t have the courage to speak. Not even to herself. Shy yet relentless, that truth hovered at the edge of her mind, too close to name out loud.
✦✧✦✧✦ 𝓛𝓮𝔂𝓵𝓪 ✧✦✧✦✧
BIG NEWS! 🏆 I am proud to share that Edenlost is the Winner of the First Prize at the Gerundo Fantasy Awards! Thank you for following Leyla’s journey this far. As the silence between her and Taylor grows heavier and the mystery of these new faces seeps under the skin, the stakes are higher than ever. What are your theories after this encounter? Drop a comment below!
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