Are you afraid yet?

This Can't Be

    Layla got home and quickly ran up the steps. She got into her bedroom and shut the door. She made sure to lock it so her dad could not come into her room. She knew that if she locked it then it would deter him away from here. She sat on the floor against her bed. She thought to herself, how am I going to handle this now?

    Her phone dinged and it was a message from Michael, "Hey I wanted to make sure everything was okay. Did you make it home safely?"

    She texted him back, "I am fine and yes I made it home." She turned her phone off and laid her head on her pillow. She could not help but to think of both Logan and Ben. Before she knew it her alarm was going off. She thought to herself, great time for school. She got up and quickly took a shower cleaning her hair and then she changed into clothes. She put on her sweatshirt even though it was the middle of July. She had to hide all of the bruises from her dad. She went downstairs grabbing her water bottle and an apple. She noticed her dad passed out on the couch with a couple of beer bottles around him. She walked out the door and headed to school. Layla really did not have any friends. She made sure nobody would come around the house so that way nobody knew what she went through. Layla got into the school and walked to her locker. Suddenly she noticed that both Ben and Logan were both in the school.

    She tried to hide when she heard her name, "Layla."

    She stopped and saw them both walking to her, "Hi guys."

    Logan said, "I know you really do not know us that well, but we want to help you. Please let us help you Layla. Let us in please."

    Layla looked at them with sad eyes, "I cannot bring you guys into this."

    Ben placed his hand on her shoulder, "We can protect you from whatever is that you are afraid of."

    Layla asked, "How did you guys get into this school anyways?"

    Ben looked at Logan and then back to Layla, "We have connections Layla. We are very powerful people and we can protect you."

    Layla was going to say something, but the bell rang. She looked at them both, "We will talk more at lunch. I have to get to class." She hurried off to class. While the two guys stayed in the library waiting for her lunchtime.

    Ben told Logan, "We need to get her out of this school and then we can protect her better."

    Logan said, "I am already ahead of that. I already had Niles look into her record and she already has all of her credits for her to graduate. She is a straight A student."

    Ben smiled, "I would not doubt that for a second. She seems like she would be a very smart girl. She has a job and goes to school."

    Logan asked, "Do you think she will be willing to come with us so we can keep her safe?"

    Ben said, "I hope she will. There is just so much that she is dealing with. You can see it in her eyes when she looks at us. Like she is a second from losing it all together."

    Logan asked, "What do you think it is that she is hiding from us?"

    Ben said, "I am not sure. Maybe that owner at the club would tell us if we cannot get it out of her."

    Suddenly the bell rung signaling it was time for lunch. Layla left her class and she was afraid of seeing the two men. She was not afraid that they would hurt her, but she was afraid that she would not be able to keep what was happening a secret for much longer. What if they run because of the baggage that she carries? What if her dad finds out and tries to hurt them? She walked into the cafeteria and saw both of them sitting at the table. She went and sat at the table across from them, looking at them she asked, "What is it that you are wanting from me?"

    Ben whispered, "We want to help you, but we cannot do it unless you tell us what is going on."

    Layla was about to say something when of course the most snobbiest girl comes up, "Well who knew the virgin freak knows some handsome men."

    Layla looked down at the table while Ben felt his blood boil. He thought to himself, who in the hell is this b***h and why is she insulting this poor girl. Logan interrupted his thoughts, "Excuse me and who are you?"

    The girl said, "My name is Victoria and you two are just in luck that I have saved you from this weirdo. How about you come with me and I can show you both a good time." Layla felt like vomiting because she could feel the desperation in Victoria's voice. She thought to herself, they are going to leave me for her for sure.

    Ben snapped at Victoria, "We do not want something that majority of the school has slept with. We would prefer not to get any kind of disease that you may have." Layla felt her jaw drop at what Ben had said. Layla went to get up but Victoria grabbed her by her sweatshirt. She tried to get away, but she knew that the damage was already done.

    Victoria laughed and yelled for the school to hear, "Hey look Virgin Layla has all these bruises and cuts. Nobody will ever want her fat ugly ass ever!"

    Layla felt her eyes water as she looked at Logan and Ben. She saw shock and pity in their eyes. She quickly turned away and took off running out of the school. She did not even look back.