As Good As It Gets

Chapter 3

Parker said I could have till Friday. That was the day I was finding out my part in Dreamgirls. I either wanted to be Deena Jones or Effie White. More Effie White though because of her solo. It is an amazing solo. We were home now and by home I meant at his house. His mother invited me to dinner. I took it because I haven't had a real dinner in a while. My mom left my dad when I was 7 so I never really had a chance to know her. But I've seen her before in the city and stuff. She works in Manhattan. She is filthy rich now with a different family. My father tried his best when raising me. It was hard for me but even harder for him. When I first got my period, he didn't know what to do. He called his sister and asked what to do. I give him credit for going out to the store and buying me pads and tampons but I kinda wish I did have a mother for those situations. And when he gave me "the talk" about the birds and the bees, I wished it had been with both of my parents there. But my dad tried his best and I love him so much for that. My mother never said goodbye which I found most upsetting. She doesn't even know who I am or how I turned out to be. I want to show her but I don't want to you know? It's so confusing and stressful. I had to stop thinking about her cause every time I do my mind gets so full and it starts to give me headaches. I had to focus. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lola coming for me. I grabbed the books out of my locker, closed it and hopped into the classroom before she could do anything or say anything. I guess I should have stayed there and fought her off but not right now. I had to get my head back in the game. Parker.
"Hey Layla." Parker said winking at me. Shit. He sat next to me. It wasn't a bad thing. But it wasn't a good thing right now either. Parker made me feel weak. And I don't like the feeling of being weak. Which is why I'm gonna do something about it that I don't want to do but I have to because I can't be weak anymore. I just can't.
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Parker kept talking to be during class. At one point I just ignored him, well I tried to that was until he kissed my cheek. My cheeks flamed red. I glared at him to where he looked hurt. I wrote on a piece of paper, talk to me after class by my locker it's important. I was gonna give him my answer about Friday. About being his girlfriend. Parker walked out of class behind me. I was walking to my locker when I got punched in the face. Not really hard but hard enough to make my mouth bleed. I looked up and it was Lola.
"You bitch took my boyfriend away and now your gonna pay for it." She said diving for me. I moved out of the way. I stood up while she was on the floor.
"You guys were never dating anyway. I know you cheated on him a million times and he knew it too. He was with you because you opened your legs every time he wanted. You little-" I was tackled to the ground. Lola was on top of me so I turned it around so I was on top of her and I put my knees on both sides of her hips for balance. I kept punching and punching. And punching. I was crying and bleeding that all I saw was blood. I couldn't tell who's blood it was though. "Layla! Layla stop this!" Parker screamed. He grabbed me by the waist and lifted me up and left Lola there and ran out of the school. "Let me down!!! I need to beat her!!!!! Let me fucking down!!!" I screamed at Parker banging on his chest.
"Layla did you even see what you did to her? You could have killed her! You beat her to the pulp. I'm not proud of this Layla. You need to calm down. You need to-" we were sitting in his car and all I could think about was that all that blood wasn't mine on my hands. It was hers. I beat Lola up. I-I-I.....I cried I couldn't take in what I just done. "I-I could have killed her! I'm a monster yo-you shouldn't be near me. You should get away from me....just you need to get away." I said crying into my hands and hopping out of the car. I ran wherever my feet would take me. Which was to my thinking spot. Our school was surrounded by nothing but woods. There was one part of the woods where I would go to think. I don't remember how I discovered it, but it's been my thinking space for a long time. Since I first got into this school. I ran as fast as I could. I didn't look and I fell in the water. The sad part was I didn't know how to swim. I was drowning by the minute. Till these strong arms grabbed me and that's about all I remember. When I woke up, Parker was laying next to me giving me mouth to mouth. I coughed up water and Parker looked at me. "Layla..." He said ever so softly. He had tears building up in his eyes. "I thought that you were dead. If you ever do that to me again, I swear you won't be alive when I'm done with you." He said. I laughed my head off.
"What?" Parker asked me.
"Do you realize I could beat you up in a second? Because I have proof. I mean look at Lola. There's no saying that I can't do what I did to Lola to you. Which is why you need to stay away from me. For your own good." I said crying.
"Hey.....look at me," he said drawing my face to look at his, "Your not gonna hurt me and even if you do, I can take care of myself. I'm entering at my own risk. Lola is weak so if you can kill anyone, Lola is at the top of the list because she is the easiest kill."
I laughed at the fact that Lola would be the easiest to kill if we ever did want to kill the whole world.
"So don't try to distance you from me cause we are meant to be even if you don't see what I see." He said rhyming.
"Wow you should try rapping some time that was a really good Rhyme." I said.
"Layla you are getting off the topic like you do when you are nervous." He said.
"What do you see then?" I asked him.
"Hold on I planned on singing a song even though I'm not that good of a singer. Okay here goes nothing." He said as he started singing my favorite Bruno Mars song, just the way you are.
"Oh her eyes her eyes make the stars look like there not shining
Her hair her hair falls perfectly without her trying
And she's so beautiful and I tell her everyday
Oh I know I know when I compliment her she won't believe me
and it's so it's so
sad to think that she don't see what I see
but every time she asks me do I look okay
you know I say
When I see your face
There's not a thing that I would change
Cause your amazing
Just the way you are
And when you smile
The whole world stops and stares for a while
Cause girl your amazing
Just the way you are
Yeah
Her lips her lips I could kiss them all day if she let me
Her laugh her laugh
She hates but I think it's so sexy
She's so beautiful
And I tell her everyday
Oh you know you know you know
I'd never ask you to change
If perfect's what your searching for then just stay the same
So don't even bother asking if you look okay
You know I'll say
When I see your face
There's not a thing that I would change
Cause your amazing
Just the way you are
And when you smile
The whole world stops and stares for a while
Cause girl your amazing
Just the way you are
The way you are
The way you are girl your amazing
Just the way you are
When I see your face
There's not a thing that I would change
Cause your amazing
Just the way you are
And when you smile
The whole world stops and stares for a while
Cause girl your amazing
Just the way you are
Yeah"
I was in tears. Tears and I-There was no way to describe how beautiful that was.
"Why are you crying? Was it that bad?" He asked me.
"No...It was so beautiful. Do you really feel that way?" I asked him.
"Of course. The song said it all. I also prepared another one but we can put that together later." He said.
"Do it now! I love your voice. You should try out for the- you should try out for the show." I said taking his hand and running back to school. I pulled him with me all the way to the auditorium. My drama teacher, Mrs. Griffin was sitting down on the piano chair going through papers for the show.
"Mrs.Griffin!!" I said.
"Layla?," she asked adjusting her glasses, "what are you doing here?" She asked me.
"I found a guy that I think would be perfect for the role of Curtis Taylor. He can sing really good better than Ray who was going to play him. Just let him sing for you. Please." I asked.
"Of course. I'm sick of having Ray play the main roles. He always forgets and stuff. Sing anything you want. And I'm not going to tell anyone that you are out of class because I need this part like you need to get a good education. I'm ready when you are." She said.
Mrs.Griffin was the coolest teacher ever. My favorite teacher.
"Okay Parker Evans show her what you sang for me. Do you want the karaoke version or do you want it with no music?" I asked him.
"No music is good. I'm just nervous." He said shaking his hands and sitting down on the ledge of the stage.
"Don't be you are gonna do great and there is no one hear but me and you remember that. Forget about her being here. Sing the song for me don't look at her." I said grabbing his hand, giving him hope.
And he sang the song over again. Perfectly and just like when he sang in back to me in the woods. I clapped so hard that my hands turned red.
"Parker Evans you just got the role of Curtis Taylor Jr. Do you accept?" Mrs.Griffin asked him.
"Hell yea." He said hugging me.
I was laughing.
"You too will be perfect together on stage. You Layla I can't decide where to put you because you two have chemistry and I think it will work good on stage. But you are either going to be Deena Jones or Effie White I just can't decide if I want to put you as Effie White because her and Curtis are only together for a short time. But Deena Jones and Curtis are together for most of the movie. But then they break up at the end. But I'm leaning more Effie White because you are the only one in this drama department who can actually sing And I Am Telling You perfectly. So congrats Layla you got Effie White." She said smiling.
"Yessss!!!!" I said jumping up and down I jumped on Parker wrapping my legs around his waist.
"Oh God you guys would make the perfect couple." Mrs.Griffin laughed.
"Seriously why aren't you guys dating? Parker make your move man." She said pointing at Layla.
"I did. It's her decision. I gave her till Friday." He said.
"Girl if you don't say yes I'm gonna have a heart attack." Mrs.Griffin said.
"I still have to decide I'm not sure." I said. Friday was tomorrow I then realized. But I already have my answer.