How the Star Fell for the Moon | Layla

One

[Inside Abigail Adams High School during their senior year. Brandon is standing outside of his next class with a group of his teammates.]

"Brandon, we need to talk," the boy hears a vaguely familiar voice demand from behind his back.

"Ayla?" He questions upon turning and seeing the girl, who was once one of his best friends, in old sweats and a sweatshirt with bags and dark circles under her eyes. "Are you okay?"

"That doesn't matter right now," Ayla argues. "I know I look like shit and to be honest I feel like it too, but we need to talk."

Brandon glances over at his friends, who all take the hint to leave the two alone. "Talk about what? And why? I don't know if you remember or not, but we haven't really had talked since the eighth grade."

Ayla closes her eyes, as she lets out a deep sigh. "I know that and I'm sorry, but I have some questions and you're the only one who can answer them."

He shakes his head in confusion. "Why do you think I'd be the only one that can answer your questions?"

Ayla digs into her pocket and pulls out a piece of paper, handing it to Brandon. "Do you remember saying this to me when I was in the hospital?"

Brandon intently reads every word on the piece of paper, his breath is nearly taken away as he finishes it. "Ayla, how did you get this?"

"So you remember saying that to me while I was in the hospital?" Ayla asks, her previously lifeless eyes now full of hope.

"Yes- well no. I said something almost identical to this, but," his voice slowly trails off.

"But what?"

Brandon's eyes soften, as he looks up at Ayla, still processing what he just read. "This-this sounds like I thought you were dead."

Ayla snatches the paper out of his hands, and folds it back up before shoving it into her pocket. "That's because I was. So what do you say? My house tonight right after school."

"How much sleep have you gotten these past couple of days?" Brandon asks, with a concerned look on his face.

"Enough to finally figure it out. Brandon, listen to me. I'm being serious."

"So am I, Ayla. You're acting crazy."

"Please," the girl begs. "Promise me you'll be there tonight."

He thinks to himself for a second, before nodding his head in agreement. "Fine. I'll see you then."

"Thank you so much," Ayla exclaims, as she takes Brandon into a hug, before running off in the other direction.

Brandon watches Ayla disappear out of sight, and walks into his classroom just when the bell rings. As he takes his seat Danny whispers, "dude, one second later and Ms. Taylor would have ripped your head off."

"Yeah," Brandon agrees with an insincere smile, as he continues to process his encounter with Ayla.

"Are you okay?" Danny asks, concerned about his friend's well being.

"Brandon, what's going on?" Lily asks, furrowing her eyebrows together.

"Nothing," Brandon answers. "Look I'm sorry. I'm just- I just don't really know how to feel right now. And Lily, I think I'm going to have to cancel on our plans tonight."

"What? Why? I've already got us the tickets and everything," Lily argues.

"I'm sorry, but something just came up at the last minute. I'm sure you can find someone else to take."

An older lady clears her throat from the front of the room. "I'm sorry, but is my teaching interrupting your conversation?"

"No, Ms. Taylor. We're sorry. We know that we shouldn't be talking during the middle of class" Brandon quickly replies for him, Lily and Danny.

"Thank you. Mr. Friar," the teacher sarcastically remarks. "Now lets begin."

[Later that day at the Matthews-Hart-Hunter apartment.]

"Finally, I thought you were going to ditch on our plans," Ayla sighs a breath of relief, as she drags Brandon into her living room and practically shoves him onto the couch.

"I came here as fast as I could," Brandon defends himself. "Did you even go to school today?"

"You saw me at school today. We talked in the hallway, don't you remember?"

Brandon stares at the girl, slightly annoyed by her response. "I meant did you go to any of your classes?"

"Oh," Ayla hums. "Then no. I came back here to get some sleep. Anyway, that doesn't matter I need you to tell me everything I missed."

"Fine, but I'm going to need some answers too," Brandon replies.

"About what?"

"What happened during the eighth grade."

"That would only be fair," Ayla says, nodding her head and pursing her lips, as she thinks back to that year.

Brandon runs his hand through his hair and sighs. "I don't even know where to begin."

"How about the day that it happened?" Ayla suggests, at what she considers to Brandon's rather dumb questions.

"You said everything you missed. If you want to know everything, then I'm going to have to start long before we even met."

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A/N: First chapter. Nothing too interesting yet. Ayla hasn't been close to the other three since the eighth grade, but that could soon change. Next: The Love Life of LilyAnn Nova Minkus by Brandon Friar.