A Spark of Hope

Chapter 14- There's No Meaning Anymore

And suddenly life has no meaning anymore. When Layla looked into the stars... all she could hear were the voices. They consumed her, held her trapped in her own prison. The only solution was to stop looking at the stars... to look past them.

Painting wasn't any better so she gave that up too. The competition hardly meant anything at all. Suddenly she couldn't feel. Was she even living?

She walked through the crowded hallways of school, trying to keep to herself as much as possible. The less she interacted with people, the better.

Sadly, today she wasn't that lucky.

"What are you doing here Layla?" Jasmine smirked, bumping her should harshly before turning to look at her.

"Nothing." she mumbled, hoping they would let her go. She didn't need this today, she didn't want this today.

"Are you still crying over that girl?" one of Jasmine's friends, Teresa snickered.

"Just get over it!" Riley shouted, rolling her eyes.

"Are you going to cry?" Monica taunted, earning a laugh from her friends.

"Oh my gosh she is!" Teresa exclaimed, pointing at her reddening face.

"Go ahead and cry like the liar you are!" Riley mocked her.

"Just leave me alone." Layla said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Oh my gosh she speaks!" Monica gasped dramatically. "I thought you were deaf!"

"She is deaf. I mean, just look at her!" Riley exclaimed.

"Look how ugly she is. You would think she would at least wear makeup." 

"What a loser!"

"You should just leave, save us from seeing your pathetic face!"

Layla couldn't take their words anymore, she just couldn't. She raced out of sight.

Jasmine stood there for a moment, staring after her.

"Jasmine! Come on!" Teresa scowled, causing Jasmine to scurry after her.

Layla raced as far as she could, finally stopping when she came to the end one of the hallways. Very few classes were held down here so she was finally alone.

She held her head, trying to block out those terrible thoughts.

"You should listen to them!"

"They're right!

"You're nothing!"

"It's all your fault!"

"Hope should be alive, not you!"

The voices followed her, even as she made her way home. As soon as she reached her room, she sprawled out on her bed, holding a pillow over her head. It did nothing, but at least it was comfortable.

"Just go away!" she shouted, muffling her voice with her pillow.

A soft knock came from her door. Not even bothering to respond, her mother walked in.

"Hey honey."

"Hi."

"How was your day?" she questioned, sitting at the foot of the bed.

"Same as usual." Layla groaned, still refusing to show her face.

"Still not good, huh?" Janice paused. "Why haven't you made any new friends? I hear that Jasmine is a sweetheart." 

"That's the biggest lie of the century."

"She can't be that bad." Janice commented, assuring herself that her daughter was overreacting.

"They said the same thing about peas." Layla commented, throwing her pillow at the door.

"Jasmine is as much a victim as you are. She was pretty close to Hope too, wasn't she?" Janice continued.

Layla glared at her mother. "She bullied her relentlessly. I wouldn't count that as friendship."  She explained, not wanting to even think about that.

"Jasmine Kalf? Are we talking about the same person?" 

"Oh! I forgot! She's tow-faced, so you wouldn't believe me anyway." Layla rolled her eyes, returning her face to her mattress.

"What is with you? Not everyone you will meet will act like Hope. You'll have to replace her eventually." 

Layla couldn't believe her ears. "You think that's what this is about?" How could her own mother be so oblivious?

"Why else would you not like Jasmine?" Layla groaned in frustration, turning away from her. "Anyway, dinner is ready if you decide to join us. And you stop being so dramatic."

Janice left the room, much to Layla's relief. She was so sick of her mother.

Why would she expect anything different? After all everyone thinks she's a liar, all because she 'attempted' to steal Jasmine's win. If only they knew who the real thief was. 

She had no support for anything anymore. Part of her wanted to just forget her dream.

After all, it had died with Hope.

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Hope you liked it!

Hope you have an amazing day!

-Snowy