Then & Now [OMB || Cesar Diaz]

then - 10

Five months later...

"Layla what are you wearing to the after party tonight?" Her new bestie, London had asked.  She was throwing an after party to their school's spring formal that half the school is guaranteed to attend.

But she could barely pay attention as she scrolled through her ex's Instagram. "Earth to Layla!" Imani snaps her fingers in her face, catching her attention. "Are you stalking Cesar again?" She asked obnoxiously.

"He must've had some good dick if you're still thinking about him five months later," London mutters.

"Girl! When are you gonna get over him?" Imani chastised.

Layla sighed and put her phone down. "You guys are right, I️...need to let him go," she admits.

"And you know what they say," London smirks down at her. "The best way to get over somebody..."

"Is to get under another one!" Imani and London exclaim, breaking into a fit of giggles, even making Layla laugh at their silliness.

London was Layla's first friend when she got to Atlanta. She was her mother's friend's daughters and since they were going to the same school, her mom thought it would be best for her to at least know one person before the first day of school.

Thankfully London and Layla clicked as soon as they met. Imani was London's best friend who naturally ended up becoming Layla's friend as well. And while of course nobody could replace Danna as her bestie, these two were coming in as a pretty close second.

"Which is why you need to go to my party girl!" London brings up once more. London's mom was away on vacation with her boyfriend for her birthday so that left London home alone for the week. "Show Cesar that you can get any guy you want and that you don't need him!" She encouraged.

"Although that boy is fine," Imani whispers, earning her an elbow to the ribs from London. "Ow! Damn!" She yelps.

Layla sighs once more. "I️ don't know London...I'm not sure if I'm ready to move on," she says uncertainly. "To me it still feels kinda fresh," she admits. "But, just for you, I'll go to the party tonight. Not the dance though," she points out, "it's already bad enough I'm alone, I️ don't need a reminder while everyone's slow dancing with each other."

"Well, you like Hispanic boys don't you?" Imani speaks up, earning a look from both girls. "What? That's not your type?" She asks. "I️ was just saying! Manuel Del Leon is single," she sings.

"Oh on! So is Kevin Flores!" London adds. "And Victor Ramirez and Jonathan Fuentes!"

"Okay, now you guys are just giving me the school's soccer team roster," Layla gets up from their lunch table with a laugh. "I gotta get to class but I'll see y'all tonight, okay?" She smiles before walking away, letting out one more stressed out breath.

As much as she wanted to be excited to party with her friends and maybe flirt with a cute boy, the only thing, the only person that was stopping her was herself and Cesar.

A couple of hours later, while applying the last of her makeup, her phone started ringing. Danna was requesting to FaceTime and Layla happily answered. "Hey!" She greeted.

"Hey..." Danna replied with not even half the energy she usually had. "I️ know you're about to go out soon and I️ don't mean to ruin your night but...have you checked Instagram lately?" She wondered.