Waited to breath// part two of Waited For You

Closer

I wait a minute to go to the room and I lean against the door frame. Joelle is laying still on the bed and I know  she's just laying there in her thoughts that she can't share with me.
" I love you Joelle," I call as I look at her frame and she sits up to look at me.
" Why don't you try showing me sometimes," she answers and then flips over so that she's laying face filled in the pillow. I just turn around and walk to the couch because my eyes are brimming with tears.
        *****
     It's been about a week since I've told Joelle and walking in to work has been nothing less than painful,the death stares I get from Nova and Sam are enough to make me want to leave early. No one will take my side on any of this, Joelle has the hearts of almost everyone who works here. She should have the hearts of everyone who works here.
        I finally got to my office with daggers sticking in my back and I'm surprised no one tackled me before I hit the doors.
       Ring. Ring. Ring.
      I know who it is and everything in me is saying to not look at the phone. If I answer I'm going to come at her will and that's the whole reason I'm locked in my office now.
         " Layla," I breath out as my phone is just coming off its forth ring.
       " Landon please come over, I can't breath. Everything in this room seems so small. Landon I can't see anything, everything's blurry and," I stop her.
       " Layla calm down, what happened," I soothe and she keeps panting as she tried to speak.  
       " They robbed me. All of my stuff that was worth anything is gone," she rushes and I look at the door and then the shades, out the window. I just want to find any reason not to be able to go.
        " I'm on my way," I say putting on my jacket and as I walk out Nova sends daggers to me.
        " Your next meeting isn't for another two hours," she reminds and I stop for a moment.
        " I don't mind your business Nova. I stay out of the office scandals and rumors and I suggest you do the same," I demand with a stern look and then walk out to my car.
         I see Joelle and Sam laughing as they come in from their lunch. They can't see me, but I can definitely see them and her smiling while being happy with Sam doesn't sit with me too well.
        She hasn't said more than five words to me in the past week, she doesn't smile with me, she is always left with Nova or Sam because she doesn't trust me. Why should she, I'm on my way to Layla's house because I feel like I need to be there for her once again.
         " I love you Sam," Joelle laughs as they walk into the building and I freeze at my car. Was that a friendly I love you or my boyfriend and I are on hard times so I'll let you in I love you. It all couldn't be worse than a real I love you because I haven't heard that from her in a while.
      I just close my car door before my thoughts send me into reverse. I turn on the engine and pull out into reality. The reality that I'm going to Layla's house because she knows I'll answer.
         " Layla," I call as I walk into the house because of course I have a key. Why wouldn't the ex boyfriend have a key. Layla's laying in her bed shivering with her night gown disheveled and her hair laid out in a mess.
       " Landon, please lay with me," she pleads not even Turning  around to look at me. I quickly take off my shoes and jacket and lay next to her as she shivers in my arms.
       " What happened," I ask and Layla's face buries into my shirt. I hold her a little tighter trying not to get my blood boiling. I'm not responsible for Layla, but I feel like any reasonable person would feel something for someone they once loved. Especially when they are going through as hard as she is.
        " I gave them the money and they kept saying I still have a debt to pay. I was dating one of them, for a while. Stopped when I took getting clean serious. He still has outburst though, feels like I owe him the world. I'm clean Landon, I'm clean and I wanted everything to stop, I wanted to do drugs again. I wanted you here to protect me," she calls and I can feel her tears soaking my shirt. I pull her closer and she puts my hand in her hair so that I can run through  it.
       " I'm here now Layla," I breath out and she finally evens out her breathing.
        I must of fell asleep some time between rubbing Layla's head or trying to get her to fall asleep. My phone has a million messages and I've missed almost every meeting I had today.
I shoot up once I see its one from Joelle asking me if everything okay and I slip out from under Layla to call her.
        " Hey baby, I'm fine, I had to run a couple of places. I'm glad you called, are you okay. Hungry," I ramble and she sighs into the phone.
       "Fine, tell Layla I said hello," is all she says before hanging up the phone.
        " Landon," I hear Layla call and I look in the direction of the room.
        I have no business being here. I should be with my girlfriend who's on the fence with me for coming here. I should be laying with her and rubbing her hair. I should be the one hearing her say I love you. I just shouldn't be here.
       " You okay," I ask as I lay down next to her and she cuddles up next to me.
        " stay," she pleads as she rubs my side in the exact place she knows turns me on because she use to be able to turn me on. Before there was a Joelle, there was a her.
       So when Layla snuggles closer to me and looks up I keep my eyes fixed on her. When she leans in, I only lean back once before I stay still with my eyes glued to hers.
       " Landon," she breaths out and my hand freezes with my hand on her hair. She moves closer so that we are face to face and I don't move.