Layla

Chapter 9

This is where I got the name 'Layla'. She's from my electro-pop phase. Do not judge. Thanks.

 "Why are you making me do this?" Layla asked, arms folded in front of her chest.

Hamish nearly let out a chuckle catching a glimpse of Layla dramatically looking out the window through the rearview mirror.

The two were currently on their way to Melanie's humble abode.

"Just give her a chance sweetheart. You don't have to ever do this again if you don't want to. Melanie's just a little confused. Wouldn't you want someone to forgive you if you made a mistake?

"fine"

It wasn't long before Layla found herself clutching Hamish's left hand with both of her own as he used the other to ring the doorbell.

They were warmly greeted by Melanie's mother. "hi! You must be Layla! I'm Stacy. Melanie's inside, come on in." she said in a cheery tone.

Layla begrudgingly walked in to see Melanie nervously twiddling her fingers.

"I'm sorry!" she blurted out. Layla had never seen Melanie like this before.

"I think I was mean to you because I thought you didn't like me and also because you have brothers and I don't and I really really want a brother." the little girl was talking so fast, Layla could hardly keep up. "And then mommy told me that I can't get everything I want and it's normal to be jealous but I shouldn't be mean and I have a lot more than a lot of people so I'm sorry."

Layla took a few seconds to register everything in her head. "it's okay. And I didn't not like you. I was just scared."

"Scared? Scared of what?"

"I don't like talking to new people. It's scary."

"oh..." Melanie looked like she was deeply thinking for a while. "That's okay. You can be my friend and I can make all the new friends then I can make you meet them and it won't be scary because my friends will already be your friends because we're friends!

This logic seemed to make sense to Layla. "Okay, you are my first friend," Layla said with a toothy grin.

***

HELLO! HELLO! HELLO! HELLO!" Nicholas startled awake to a familiar voice banging on his front door. He trudged out of his room, rubbing his forehead in irritation.

"hi" the door opened to unusually hyperactive Samara, smiling from ear to ear.

"What in the actual fuck is wrong with you?"

"Is Layla home? I bought her an amethyst. Do you think she'll like it?" Samara asked, already letting herself in.

"No, she's at some playdate thing. So you can take your pet rocks and come back later."

"That's okay, I'll wait here. Jace and Dee will be here in a while too."

"Wonderful"

"I'll make breakfast!" Samara said, making her way to the kitchen.

"No, you will not. your cooking tastes like tonsillitis"

"Jarred from next door said he loved the spaghetti I made the other day"

"That is because he is a massive liar and massively in love with you"

"I'm gay"

"FBI OPEN UP!" Jace announced, in a British accent for some apparent reason, banging the poor front door aggressively.

Deena pushed through the door and went straight to her girlfriend, engulfing Samara in a hug.

"I missed you," Deena said, taking in the sweet scent of Samara's hair.

"Ew. It hasn't even been a day." Jace said, already starting on breakfast. It was 1 pm and everyone was starving.

An hour or so later, Hamish and Layla came home to a bustling house.

"Hey! How was the date thing? Oh, how was Melanie?" Nik asked, "food's in the kitchen by the way."

"It was fun. I like her. She taught me how to play Candy Land."

"Woahhh plot twist! We like Melanie now?"

"CANDY LAND? They still make those? I love candy land!" Jace boomed from the other side of the room.

"mhm," Layla said, smiling. She had a good day.

"Yeah, Melanie and Layla are besties now," Hamish said, helping Layla take off her boots"

"Oh Layla, I got you a present," Samara said, bursting with excitement

While samara was instructing Layla on how to use the amethyst she had just given her, the others were in the kitchen.

"So, what's with Melanie's parents? Spill the beans." Deena asked, helping the Campbell brothers clean up the mess they had just made.

"Wait you know about this?" Hamish asked, a little confused.

"Yeah man," Jace said. Both of them stopped what they were doing, eagerly waiting for a response.

"Okay then... apparently Melanie's parents are going through a divorce and both of them have been trying to get her to like them more. It's a whole thing"

"ah-ha! I knew it. I should be a psychoanalyst" Nik exclaimed proudly.

"Come on man. Don't be a suburban white lady" Deena said, disapprovingly.

"I think you mean psychiatrist"

"or is it psychologist?"

They ultimately settled on 'mind doctor'.

Hiii!!! It's almost been a year (insert crying face emoji)

I wrote half of this chapter months ago and completely forgot about it. I finished the rest today yayyy. Hope you like it!

-M