Her eyes

Chapter 20

Once we had our ice cream date that wasn't a date I drove us home, and we watched the remainder of the movie from last night. I also made us focaccia bread while Layla had a shower. I topped it with olive oil, thinly sliced red onions, sea salt, cherry tomatoes and thyme.

I honestly wasn't crazy about the flavorful bread but Layla liked it so I made it. When she came downstairs with her pretty curls dripping wet, I told her I had a hairdryer in my bathroom. She replied that she didn't have her usual products and that it was best to let it air dry. And just when we had finished up our food a call came from downstairs.

My mother had already texted me and told me she would be sending the hair and make up artist over, so I let her in.

"Hi, I'm here for Layla?" She questioned when she entered the apartment. A woman in her early thirties perhaps, with shockingly bright hair and green eyeliner around her green eyes. She also had a huge black suitcase next to her.

"Yeah, come in." I led her into the kitchen where Layla was having the last bite of her food.

"Hi, I'm Cherry." fitting, I thought.

"Hi, I'm Layla and that's Archer." Layla said pointing to me.

"You guys can stay here or if you want to go up to the bedrooms I'll carry your suitcase for you." I said offering, the suitcase looked heavy and Cherry was quite small. I didn't want her falling to her death in my home.

"Oh, I think the kitchen should be fine. The lightning's good and chairs are quite high up. If you don't mind."

I extended my arm towards the clean island, "go ahead, I'll be upstairs if you need me Layla."

She nodded, "okay"

I went into my bedroom and closed the door rubbing my face with my hands a few times.

The events of last night and today hitting me. One moment in particular. When Layla had stepped out of the changing room in her dress, the lights behind her accentuating her curvaceous form and making her look like a seductive goddess paying the mortal men of earth a visit to seduce them into a torturous death. And I would gladly worship at her altar even if it was to my own detriment.

I honestly don't think she realizes how beautiful she is, I think I liked every single thing about her. Something about her made me weak, it called to the deepest parts of my soul. She could ask for my heart and I would rip it out of my own chest to serve it to her. I had never met a woman like her, I don't think I ever would either.

For about an hour I pretended to be reading our course literature, but my thoughts kept gravitating towards her. After a while I needed some water, all this thinking had made me quite parched.

On my way downstairs I was met with low voices in what seemed to be an argument,

"I've never straightened my hair, and I don't want to either." Layla was saying sounding quite frank.

"Listen, your hair is pretty I guess. But for a gala you'll just look messy and out of place. Trust me I'm trying to help you out." Cherry said sounding exasperated, like she was trying to explain to an unruly child why she couldn't have dessert before dinner.

"I don't care if they think it looks messy, I like it this way." She said quietly slightly faltering but trying to stand firm,

Cherry sighed, "Fine, have it your way, but if someone asks who allowed you to walk out of the house looking like that, don't mention my name." Sounding overtly repulsed, followed by a not so silent mutter of "Wouldn't want this to end my career." After that it was silent.

I decided to make my presence known, I had heard enough. "Cherry, don't worry about your career being ruined at the gala." Both women turned to me with shocked wide eyes, I only had eyes for Layla and she looked like she was on the verge of tears her beautiful eyes enhanced by the make up.

I wouldn't have anyone talking down on her, especially not in my own house. "You should be worried about it now. Don't for a second think you can come into my home and disrespect Layla with your patronizing concerns. If you think you can push a narrative of other people finding Layla's beautiful hair as messy. Think again." I was seething, and I wasn't done.

"And not only that, what makes you think that it's okay to talk to someone like that? Let alone a paying customer? Pack your shit and get the fuck out of my house. Count yourself lucky if I don't slap you with a lawsuit for discriminating against your customers."

It was quiet for a moment, both of them frozen in shock. I raised an eyebrow indicating that she better get going. That seemed to get her out of her shocked state she quickly packed her shit and left, pressing the button on the elevator to go down several times. I slowly approached Layla, having to force my anger down.

"Hey, are you okay?" I asked softly.

"Y-yeah" she sniffled once, "Im fine." She added avoiding my eyes.

"Are you sure?" She nodded her hair falling over her face, I sighed "Look, nothing of what she said was true your hair is lovely." I tucked the soft curly strands that fallen behind her ears.

"I don't know," she hesitated " maybe she has a point there's only going to be rich, probably white people there. I don't want to stick out." She but her lip contemplating, staring at my chest now. Her eyelids were gold, and she had a brown tail of eyeliner flicked outwards. Her thick lashes even thicker and darker. Cherry was a proper cunt and out of line but I had to give credit where credit was due.

"Yes, there is probably going to be a lot of rich white people there. And if they're racist cunts like her. Fuck them. And fuck her. Those kinds of people have one shared brain cell, so why should you care what they think? You shouldn't have to cater to their needs, just so they could be more comfortable in your presence." I honestly wanted to run after Cherry and throw her and her suitcase in the deepest part of the ocean, just to see how long an empty brain could float.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Fuck them." Layla said turning to look up at me, her beautiful eyes no longer so sad, now a hint of amusement lay behind them. I wanted to kiss her, her beauty rivaled the most revered of picturesque sceneries.

"Yeah, I know. I'm always right." I shrugged jokingly twirling a lock of hers between my fingers.

"Do we have time to stop by my apartment?" She asked suddenly.

"Yeah, I think so if we leave now." I said looking at the time.

I quickly got dressed in my tux, and opted for a dark red silk bow tie I luckily had lying around so we could match and styled my hair.

Layla wore my sweatpants and my shirt but she had her dress in her arms. "You ready?" I asked.