Isla

Chapter 23

Sierra sat up, tossing her blanket onto Isla.

"It's been a hell of a week," she announced. "And since mom has Callie for the night, I am ready to relax."

"What does that mean?" Isla asked suspiciously.

"We're going to order pizza, and I'm going to make some drinks, and then we're going to binge watch that reality show I was telling you about."

Isla muffled her laugh with the blanket. "Actually, it was Caleb who was telling me about it."

"Despite it being a dating show, he secretly loves it," Sierra said, a bright smile lighting her features.

Isla followed Sierra into the kitchen. She took a seat on the barstool as Sierra rummaged through her fridge for alcohol.

"I have these fruity bottled drinks. Do you want to split one with me?" Sierra offered.

Isla hesitated.

"You don't have to," Sierra consoled, her smile never dimming. "I have soda if you want."

"I'll try it," Isla decided finally, watching Sierra pour the blue liquid into two cups. She gathered some chips from the pantry, and they settled on the couch.

"Caleb is already on his way home. Why don't you invite Aedric over? He can bring us pizza that way," Sierra said, opening the bag of potato chips.

Isla did as she was told, sending Aedric a text. He responded immediately.

"He'll be over in an hour. He said to place the order, and he'll pick it up," Isla said.

The drink smelled exactly how she expected it would, layered with some fruity blue raspberry that reminded her of candy.

She sipped at it, pleasantly surprised by how not repulsive it was. The alcohol aftertaste still tickled her throat, but the feeling was easily forgotten as she ate snacks with Sierra.

Caleb got home just a few minutes later. He had a six pack of beer, and he smiled when he saw them.

"An unofficial party for two working parents," he grinned, giving Sierra a kiss.

"This is as close to a party as we are going to get," Sierra teased when he pulled back.

Caleb glanced at the TV. "You started the show without me?"

Isla giggled.

"Relax, baby. We started the season over so Isla could catch up," Sierra soothed. "I'd never do that to you."

Caleb rolled his eyes, leaving them to go change.

Isla finished her drink, watching the end of the episode. Sierra stood up.

"I'm going to order the pizza, and then I'm making margaritas."

Isla followed her into the kitchen just like before. Sierra ordered what sounded like a lot of food, before pulling out a blender.

"Do you want a margarita? " Sierra asked Isla. "I have this really great strawberry mix."

Isla shrugged, not having any idea what it was. She was just happy to be included. "Okay."

Sierra pulled out a fancy looking bottle of tequila and a shot glass. She measured out how many she threw in the blender, throwing back a shot herself.

"Jeez," Isla grinned. "You know, Callie will be back tomorrow."

Sierra waved her off. "One shot is nothing. I used to be a big party girl in my college days."

"She's lying," Caleb said, entering the kitchen. "Most of the time, she was with me, and we most definitely did not party it up."

Isla laughed as Sierra rolled her eyes at him.

"I want to try," Isla said, gesturing to the shot glass.

"You want to take a shot?" Sierra asked skeptically. She opened the bottle.

"Not a full one, though," Isla said, stopping her before it was even half way.

Sierra and Caleb watched as she drank the liquid that was absolutely foul. She gagged.

"Gross," she mumbled. She was also very impressed with Sierra being able to throw back a full shot without even flinching.

Caleb chuckled, offering her some soda to compensate for the flavor that stuck to her throat.

"What did I just walk into?" Aedric asked skeptically, setting down several boxes of food.

"I'm being a bad influence on your girlfriend," Sierra said, not giving him a chance to respond before she powered up the blender.

Isla went to him, tucking into his chest.

"A took a shot of tequila," Isla said, looking up at him.

"A mini shot," Sierra corrected.

Aedric chuckled, bumping his nose with Isla's.