She opened the box to find a set of keys inside. She frowned in confusion before looking at Lyla, who was biting her lip, trying to hold back the huge smile on her face. Ivy squinted her eyes at her best friend, knowing something was up. "We are going to be neighbors!"
She finally shouted, unable to keep it in anymore. She threw herself at Ivy while squealing louder than Ivy had heard her when Jacob asked her to marry her.
Ivy was still confused as she looked between both sets of parents and waited for an explanation that didn't seem to be coming. "I... I can't afford an apartment now, Dad," ivy we bought the house for you and we made sure to buy the one close to Lyla. Is a gift your mum and I planned on giving you to welcome you back.
ivy could feel her eyes filling with tears. The Banks' had always been the best second parents a girl could ask for, she was grateful for the Banks family and her own parents.
"It's already furnished too. You're welcome," Bella smiled, proud of herself and her husband. Ivy looked at her smiling. Ivy could only guess that her mum was the one to decorate the place she loved to "make things pretty," as she always told people. "And it's right across the hall from Jacob and Lyla, so you guys can still see each other all the time." She couldn't help but laugh. Everyone in their little, blended family believed that Lyla had a slight dependency problem when it came to ivy.
After they had all finished eating , Lyla and Ivy decided to head to their apartment building so that they could both see Ivy's new apartment and they could get ready for their night out celebrating.
"Are you ready, Ivy?" Lyla asked her as she placed her hand on the doorknob. Ivy was stil slightly speechless, so she just nodded her head enthusiastically. Lyla turned the handle and pushed the door open before stepping to the side to let Ivy step through the doorway.
She couldn't believe her eyes when she walked in. "It's beautiful," she said, turning around to look at Lyla with a smile that captured her excitement.
Joni started laughing, "why are you so shocked? Do you really think your parents would give you anything less than? Not to mention you have seen my apartment. I know it's not as big as mine, but it was the closest one to me," Lyla gestured towards the apartment to signal for her to walk further into the apartment.
"I like small anyways and it is just me," Ivy shrugged, looking around the living room.
"I helped picked out the furniture, so I hope you like it," she said. Ivy could tell that it meant a lot to Lyla that she liked what she had picked, which she did, so she smiled big and threw her arms around her best friend.
"I figured and I love it so much, thank you, Lyla," she said before bursting into tears. She let go of her and continued to look around the lower level of the apartment, "I really do love this," she said as she sat on the fluffiest couch she has ever seen. Sighing in comfort, she realized that she was excited to be starting her life finally.
"Okay, we don't have time for this," Lyla said, clapping her hands in Ivy's face. "Our friends are going to be waiting at the club and you know that Tina hates to be kept waiting when there is a high potential for him getting laid," both girls rolled their eyes before bursting into laughter.
Lyla headed for the door, "I'm going to run and get dressed. I had my dad hire someone to move your clothes over while we were having dinner," she smiled at Ivy, who rolled her eyes not shocked at all about Lyla's antics. "Try the dress in the dress bag," she winked. "Hurry up and meet me in the hall in fifteen," she pointed at Ivy who opened her mouth to argue.
"Nope," Lyla shook her head, "Your makeup still looks gorgeous. Not that you need any anyway. Your hair is great too, so, all you have to do is change your clothes." Ivy gave her a thumbs up. She knew when not to argue with Lyla and it usually was whenever there was a party involved.
Sigh deeply, she got off the couch and headed up to the loft bedroom to get changed. When she reached the top of the stairs, she looked around the loft-style bedroom. The décor was beautiful just like it was downstairs. The bed was Ivy's style. The tufted headboard looked like the exact one that Ivy had shown Lyla once. Ivy walked to the end of the bed and ran her hand over the cream-colored satin bedspread. There were two doors next to one another on the one wall that wasn't full of windows. One was open and looked like the closet and she assumed the other was the bathroom.
She headed for the closet to find the dress that Lyla told her to wear. It didn't take Ivy long to find the dress bag.
She took a deep breath to prepare herself for the dress that Lyla obviously picked out. She always loved to push Ivy's limits. Unzipping the bag, she sighed. It was shocking that she didn't hate it. She pulled out a nude-colored bodycon dress with a square neckline. It had sequin hanging in a fringe-like way on it. It was sure to catch the lights in the club. Lyla had outdone herself. Ivy grabbed the dress and headed for the bathroom to get ready quickly before Lyla ended up coming back to yell at her.