DISCLAIMER: I do not own Sky High or any of its characters.
Layla sat at home on a Saturday morning. Her mother was downstairs making a nice vegetarian breakfast of pancakes, fresh fruit, and various fruit juices. Layla loved when her mother made breakfast. Other than being a superhero gifted with the ability to communicate with animals, Layla's mother was an excellent cook and handled the role of 'single mother' with extraordinary talent.
Although you wouldn't think so from the shape her locker was in at school, Layla was very much a neat freak when it came to her room at home. The floor was pristine and free from the clutter of objects and dirty clothing. Other than her computer, keyboard, printer, and potted gardenia bonsai, the desk was clean and free from any random mess.
Layla had been taught how to properly make a bed by her mother who had worked as a candy striper, making beds at the hospital when she was Layla's age. There was a technique she called 'the hospital corner' that involved folding the sheets cleanly for a perfect appearance. Looking at her bed after she'd woken up, it was hard to imagine it being messy.
She sniffed the air, smelling the pancakes her mother was making along with the warm maple syrup. Layla's mouth was already watering. She didn't need to be called downstairs by her mother, the aroma of home cooked food was enough.
Wearing her fuzzy slippers and a terrycloth robe over her pajamas, Layla scurried into the kitchen with a smile on her face.
"Oooh, pancakes. This is just what I need!" While her mother was busy at the stove, Layla poured some water into a cup to feed and water the plants she kept on the kitchen windowsill.
"I know things have been tough this year, sweetie. I thought that you could use some comfort food." Her mother smiled and leaned over to plant a kiss on her daughter's forehead.
"You have no idea." Layla rolled her eyes and sighed loudly, ready to take a seat at their dining room table until the doorbell rang. "I'll get it."
She hurried over to the front door, wondering who might be stopping by the house on a Saturday morning. Unlocking the various bolts and locks, Layla opened the door with a smile for whoever was at her doorstep.
But it was Warren.
"Warren?" Her smile faded into an expression of slight disbelief. She stared at him for a few seconds.
"Don't look so happy." Warren smirked playfully.
"Oh, it's not… I mean, I'm happy it's just…"
"And nice slippers." He added, looking at her rather fluffy little pink slippers.
"I got them for, uh… Christmas. They're very comfy." She spoke in an almost defensive sounding voice. Truthfully she was almost mortified that Warren Peace had caught her in the morning, not only without makeup but in her pajamas with messed up hair. Had her superpower been mind-reading, Layla would know that Warren actually thought the get-up was cute. He thought mostly everything about Layla was cute, actually.
"Do you, um, want to come in?" She stepped to the side, holding the door open so Warren could step inside.
"Yeah, actually. If I'm not intruding." He looked at her, hesitating to enter before she shook her head emphatically.
"Nooo! Not at all! C'mon." Warren shrugged and stepped over the threshold. The moment he was inside he found himself sniffing the air.
"Oh, that's the pancakes." Layla explained, leading Warren into the kitchen.
"They're ready, Layla." Her mother didn't even look up from the stove as she moved the pancakes from the griddle onto two plates along with cubes of melon and pineapple. She looked up to see her daughter and a visitor whom she'd never met before.
"Oh, hello. I'm Layla's mother - Ms. Jones." Layla's mother extended her hand for shaking as she introduced herself to Warren.
"Warren Peace. Nice to meet you, ma'am." He smiled just enough to be polite and shook her hand.
"Would you like pancakes? Maybe a glass of juice?" Layla's mother poured two glasses of orange juice, looking up to Warren when she was finished.
"That's kind of you, but no thank you."
"So," Layla sipped at her juice, looking at Warren. "What are you here for? I don't mean to sound so rude, but…" She trailed off, laughing from nerves.
"I was actually going to ask if you were free for the day--"
"I'm free!" She paused, scolding herself for sounding so eager. "I mean, yeah, I'm free. What for?"
"Well, I was going to see if you wanted to come to the Maxville Arboretum with me." Layla's face lit up with an enormous grin which caused both her mother and Warren to smile a little.
"The Arboretum? Yeah! Of course!" She giggled a little, but tried to keep from seeming like a little kid hyped up on sugar. Plants were her thing, even Warren knew that, and the Arboretum had such a nice variety of trees and other sorts of plants.
"Sweetie, you should get dressed." Her mother nudged her with her elbow a little, careful to avoid pressing on the injury her daughter had suffered only a day or so ago in gym class.
"Right." Layla smiled, popping a piece of pineapple into her mouth and chasing it with a gulp of orange juice. "Dressed. Be back in a flash, I promise."
The moment Layla disappeared from the room, Warren began to feel uneasy. He was alone in the kitchen with his crush's mother. True, he would never even think of using the word 'crush'. It seemed so childish and a bit girly.
"So, you go to Sky High with her?" Her mother looked up then back to her breakfast, cutting the pancake into manageable pieces with her fork.
"Yes. I'm on the Hero track, though. We don't see each other much except for lunch and gym." He looked from Ms. Jones over to the staircase, praying that Layla would hurry.
"Oh! I know you. I didn't think you would be so tall and I'd pictured your hair differently…" Warren shrugged, looking confused at her statement.
"Layla's spoken of you. Never mentioned a name or anything, just a pair of 'smoldering eyes'." Ms. Jones laughed lightly. Warren laughed nervously, but was secretly pleased. 'Smoldering eyes?' It sounded cheesy, but it was better than being called a 'cutie'.
Ms. Jones laughed to herself, taking a bite of the pancakes she'd made. "Are you sure you don't want anything to eat, Warren?" She raised a brow.
"Yeah, I'm not really hungry…" He wished that Layla would hurry so he didn't have to listen to any more embarrassingly flattering comments. Smoldering eyes…?
Layla rushed up the stairs, bursting into her room. She shed her clothing and tossed the pajamas and robe onto her formerly pristine floor. She kicked the fluffy slippers from her feet, one landing against the wall and the other managing to get under her bed.
Was this a date? She smiled at the thought. Warren didn't seem like the type of guy who would enjoy the Maxville Arboretum. Layla didn't know exactly what Warren was into except for maybe fire. She decided that she would make a point of getting to know him. She knew that she would enjoy that task.
But what does one wear when going on a nature walk with someone as amazing as Warren Peace? She had no idea.
Layla looked through her clothes, trying to find something flattering. She wasn't much of a girly-girl when it came to her wardrobe. Her skirts were all longer because she didn't like to show legs or skin. This decision was harder than she'd originally thought.
With a sigh, Layla closed her eyes, spun around once, and pointed at something random - A long green sun dress. She smiled. It was perfect.
"I can remember when I went to Sky High. Things seem to have changed a lot." Ms. Jones shook her head a little. "There certainly wasn't as much bullying. At least, I don't remember there being so much." Warren just nodded, worried that anything he'd have to say would rub Layla's mother the wrong way. He didn't want to make a bad impression and that seriously puzzled him. He usually had a devil-may-care attitude, but there he was in Layla's kitchen trying to make a good impression on her mother.
"Okay, I'm ready." Warren looked over to see Layla descending the staircase. It didn't surprise him that she'd chosen something green to wear. Sometimes he wondered if she had any clothes of a different color at all. This suited her perfectly, though. It was feminine and flattered every good thing about Layla's appearance. He was speechless for a moment or two.
"What?" Layla looked worried. Why was he staring at her like that? "I… I can change if this isn't, y'know, good or anything."
"No, you look fine." By 'fine' he meant 'flawless', but even when struck dumb by a beautiful girl Warren would never let himself sound so desperate. "Did you want to finish breakfast or…?" He trailed off.
"Oh, no I'm okay." She smiled brightly. Layla still couldn't believe that all of this was going on. It seemed so perfect.
"Well, then…" Warren stood, waving a goodbye to Layla's mother, and lead Layla out the front door to his motorcycle. He was determined to make this a pleasant experience for both of them.