CHAPTER SEVEN
1226 Words
LAYLA’S POV
The bustling hallways of Oceanville High sort of lifted my mood, I walked towards the principal’s office to sign up for the annual Miss Royal Pageant.
The list had been put since last week, if my calculations are correct and I’m not too late to register.
“Layla wait up” Isabelle’s voice stops me in my tracks and I turn around with a smile.
Her smile fades as she gets closer to me.
“Oh my God Lay, what….. what happened to your neck, there’s a bruise forming” She says with worry etched on her face.
Shit! I forgot to cover that up, I didn’t think a bruise would form. I let out a nervous chuckle as I collect a small scarf from my bag to wrap the bruise.
“Oh it’s nothing, just…you know…. Red cross dealings” I whisper the last part.
“How can you even say that so lightly, look you should go apologize to them, I can go with you, we could write a letter or….oh I could make apology placards and-“ She begins to rant and I grab her shoulder.
“Isabelle I’ll be fine, I’m not going to give those douche bags any edge over me and you should too” I encourage her.
“But what if…. What if it.. look I don’t want to going through all of that, especially not what I had to go through. I would never forgive myself if something happened to you Layla” Her eyes begin to water as she looks at my face.
“Hey.... hey, hey listen to me Isa, nothing is going to happen to me and I’m going to make sure you don’t have to go through that ever again. I promise. You…you just have to trust me “ I pull her into a hug right in the middle of the hallway.
She’s my best friend, I lost her once and I’m not going to loose her again. Not to these bullies or Robert again.
“You know, if you guys hug for five more seconds, people would think you’re a couple “ Damien’s light tone jolts us out of our mood and I pull out of the hug.
I chuckle at his words “Oh shut up” I say and he raises his hands in mock surrender while Isa adjusts the scarf on my neck.
“So what’s got you guys all cozied up and cuddly and sappy?” He pushes his hands into his pocket.
“She’s just worried about the bruise on my neck” I inform
“What happened to her Dam, and where the f**k were you?” She hits him on his shoulder and he fakes being hurt.
“Oww! I was there, but big ol miss terminator here handle that s**t like a truck driver. Dylan’s got to check his baby maker now” He says with a smirk as pride glazes his features. It was nice to his playful side again.
Isa’s face morphs into a surprise. “You hit him….there” She whisper-yells the last part.
Damien answers before I could “Oh she hit him right in the groin and sent him down to his knees, little boy was almost begging for help, infact she broke his knuckles too” Damien spills like gossip loving girl.
“What the f**k was that gesture Dam” Isa and I’s laughs resonate through the halls.
“What, isn’t that how you guys gossip?” He asks with a mock frown.
“Oh my God” Isa remarks “Girl you still gotta take some lessons” She snaps her fingers around his face.
“Okay, no, I am not doing that” He says in his normal voice and we bust out laughing again.
As if on cue Dylan walks by us, throwing daggers at me and Damien. Isa stands beside and I feel a presence grow behind me.
Damien stands like a rock, unwavering and un moving, following Dylan’s movements like a predator watching his prey.
My wolf sings as his protectiveness overshadows me. I breathe a sigh of relief as Dylan walks out of sight.
Although I’m learning to stand up for myself now, I still can’t control the pit that forms in my stomach whenever one of these life ruining bastards pass by.
“Let’s go Layla, Isa” Damien calls out.
“Yeah I was going to sign for the Pageantry anyways, wanna come with?” I ask them both.
“Of course, do you think I’ll let you be by yourself after that look of death you just got, Hell no!” Isabelle locks our arms together as we walk down the hall
Damien had gone extremely quiet since Dylan walked by. He just followed us and chipped in a slight nod when I asked if they wanted to come with me.
I know something’s wrong, I can feel it whenever he has a change in his mood, and I can’t even place my finger on it.
He still hasn’t said a word to me about why he left and never came back until now.
Even though I already know the reason, I still don’t know the entirety of it. I left him and chose Robert because I thought he was lying to me. I thought he didn’t care about me. I thought he didn’t love me enough to tell me what it was.
And part of me still does. Part of me still knows he’s hiding something from me. And I wouldn’t stop till he tells me.
I can’t die in my past life and be reincarnated just to end up the same way. It would be dumb to make the same mistake twice.
I didn’t push enough the last time but this time I would stop at nothing to get my answers. To make him claim me. I would not be a wolf who is rejected twice.
I steal a glance at him to see a distant look on his face. I could see the clogs shift in his head. I knew something was wrong. I just have to be patient enough to know what.
A slight tap on my shoulder jolts me out of my thoughts.
“Have you even being listening to me?” She complains.
“Sorry, got lost in thoughts, what were you saying?” I ask with a small frown.
She rolls her eyes “I was asking what color of dress you would be wearing for the competition”
“Oh… I….um…” I actually haven’t thought about it so the question came as a surprise.
“You don’t know yet? Girl the competition is in two weeks and you don’t know your dress yet?” She gasps like I have committed a crime.
“Well I did buy a few clothes from the boutique the other day “ I defend.
“Uh…those were simple dresses, you can’t be looking like a Cinderella wannabe “ She scoffs.
“Touché, real Touché Isa”
“So….are we going shopping?” She asks like a kid on Christmas.
“Fine! But only because I don’t want to be a Cinderella wannabe “ I tell her.
“That can be arranged “ She shrugs with a bright smile.
Well it’s about damn time.
- Writer
