Ariana's phone buzzed just as she was about to leave her room, and seeing Laila's name on the screen brought a mix of relief and anticipation. She answered eagerly, "Laila, where have you been? I've been worried sick!"Laila's voice, full of amusement, came through, "Oh, Ariana, you're such a scaredy cat! I've just been busy with work and life. Nothing to worry about."Ariana couldn't help but playfully roll her eyes, "Busy or not, you know I can't go too long without checking in on you. It's a friend thing."Laila laughed, "Well, you caught me right in the middle of my 'avoiding phone calls' phase. But hey, I called you back, didn't I?"Ariana couldn't suppress a smile, "True, true. I was just about to head over to your place. I felt so guilty for not checking in earlier."Laila, still teasing, responded, "Save your guilt trip, Ariana. We're all grown-ups with busy lives. Besides, Sydney and you are having fun at that kid's place, right?"Ariana nodded, forgetting that Laila couldn't
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