Ebi let out a sigh as she stared at the pile of tangled party decorations that littered the floor. There were only a few hours left before her newly found friends would arrive and partake in the celebration she had decided to orchestrate. In hindsight, the Kittom may have bitten off more than she could chew. Along with the decorations that needed to be hung, Ebi still had her signature snack to prepare. The anxiety of all the due tasks began to well in her chest. However, a sudden knock at the door startled her from her inward spiral. The Kittom wondered who could be at the door since the festivities weren't due to begin for another hour and a half. A second knock broke the silence once more, and Ebi rushed over to open the door. There in her doorway stood Aranor. Aside from the orange hibiscus flower in her hair, the Faerindell resident looked out of place amongst the tan sand and the green of the palm trees swaying in the background from the tropical breeze.
“Am I late again?” Aranor inquired with a hint of dismay in her tone. The expression on Ebi’s face indicated that something was amiss. She assumed it was because she had showed up late after everything had concluded once again.
Ebi blinked for a moment in confusion. “What? No. You’re actually early this time.” A small smile etched its way onto her face when she saw Aranor’s eyes widen slightly. There was a first time for everything, including the ever late Aranor showing up early. “I’m sorry to ask, but do you think you could help me prepare for the party? I’m..a little overwhelmed.” The Kittom moved to the side so her friend could see the mess of decorations that covered the floor. On the kitchen table, there were various ingredients and bowls scattered about.
“Of course.” Aranor gave Ebi a soft smile as she entered the hut. The Faerindell resident enjoyed that she could still hear the sound of the waves crashing on the beach. “Let’s untangle these decorations first then we can start on the coconut smoothies?” Aranor had been around Ebi enough to know that coconut smoothies were her signature dish. “We will get each task done faster if we work together.”
Ebi nodded in relief and took one end of the pink heart shaped streamers and began to untangle it while Aranor worked on untangling the yellow flower shaped streamers. Just like Aranor said, each task was completed faster together. In no time at all, the various streamers were untangled and hung along the walls and over each window. The hut was looking more and more festive by the minute! Finally, it was time to start on the smoothies. Aranor carefully shaved and divided each coconut while Ebi scraped the innards out and into a mixing bowl. The Faerindell resident watched as her friend added some milk and finely crushed ice. She smiled softly as Ebi added what she thought was her secret ingredient to the mixture, a smidge of pineapple juice. After a thorough mixing, the Kittom filled each halved coconut to the brim. Aranor waited patiently for Ebi to neatly arrange each drink on the tray before taking it and placing it on the table in the middle of the room.
“Is there anything else?” Aranor inquired as she gave Ebi an inquisitive look as she placed a hand made tiny umbrella in each beverage.
“No, no. I believe that is everything. Thank you for helping me.” Ebi gave Aranor a small smile which she softly returned. She couldn’t thank her friend enough for her help. The festivities were virtually saved thanks to her generous gesture. She would have to find a way to repay her for her kindness.
A knock at the door alerted them both that it was time. Ebi gave Aranor another smile before approaching and opening the door. The Kittom was greeted with the sight of her crush, Eggy. A small blush formed across her face, and she fell silent as if she had forgotten how to speak. This was a normal occurrence when he was around. Aranor broke the silence by greeting him and gave Ebi a knowing smile as she moved to the side. Once he entered the hut, Selkie and Salacia could be seen walking side by side as they approached. Ebi waited and greeted the duo along with Aranor and Eggy after welcoming them into her home. The new guests gathered in the center of the room and admired the freshly hung decorations.
“The smoothies are on the table.” Aranor joyfully informed as she assisted Ebi in retrieving the game pieces from a nearby cluttered shelf. Together, they unfolded the map for the game and neatly laid it out while the new guests collected their freshly brewed drinks and settled on the floor around the map. This game was simple, but it was their favorite to play in large groups. Each player would be given a stone that they would move along the map depending on the number the dice they rolled landed on.
“Thank you all for coming.” Ebi said as she glanced around at her friends already enjoying their drinks and taking turns rolling the dice and gradually moving their stones along the spaces of the map. “And a special thanks to Aranor for helping me pull everything together.” The Kittom shot the Faerindell resident another warm, grateful smile. Aranor returned the smile as she always did before doing a head gesture for her to speak to her crush, Eggy. Ebi’s eyes widened in horror as she quickly shook her head no. That was something to handle another day. For now, she just wanted to enjoy everyone’s company and play the game.
