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I watched Layla as she slept peacefully, for what seemed like the first time in two nights. I was just being a friend to someone who was my friend before we even got into a relationship. We hadn't slept together because we both didn't need confusion in our life right now. Well, I wouldn't say I was confused because I knew who and what I wanted. The person I wanted was dodging me and I just wanted her to understand that I wasn't mad.
For the life of me, I couldn't get Sydney out of my head. Even if I wanted to sleep with Layla, I couldn't. All I would see is Sydney's face and that would've been hella awkward. I let Layla sleep in the bed while I slept on the couch. She was taking her mom's sickness really hard. I knew she just wanted comfort, and I was willing to offer that.
Seeing Sydney on that stage kind of bothered me. Something wasn't right about the situation and I needed to find out what it was. "Iman." Layla called out sleepily. I looked up to see her looking at me, and she gave me a weak smile. "Are you ok?"
"Yea, I'm good. You straight? Need anything?"
She shook her head no. "I'm fine. I just needed the sleep." She sat up, and I nodded my head. "Thank you for being there."
"That's what friends are for, right?" I looked at her.
"Right." She smiled, and looked at the clock. "I should get back to my mom's house, though. I can't avoid being there forever." She mumbled, snatching the covers off of her body.
"Is Lauren going to help?" I asked.
She stretched her limbs, and went over to her bag. "Yea, but first she has to go back to New York to finalize a deal for a movie then she'll be back before she starts filming. I just hope everything will be over by then."
I looked at her, confused. "Why you say that?"
Layla sighed, pulling out a pair of tights and shirt before glancing at me. "It's taking a toll on her and me. I don't like seeing her in pain. I want her pain free and if that means that she has to leave this earth to be that way, then I can live with that. I know she'll be a better place. I get a sense that the doctor is giving me false hope which is only making matters worse."
"So you're giving up?"
Plopping back on the bed, she ran her fingers through her hair. "Sometimes giving up isn't so bad. In this case, it's for the better. If you saw your mom hooked up to every machine imaginable as she aches in pain, I promise you'll be thinking the same way."
She looked at me before getting up and going into the bathroom. Seconds later, I heard the shower turn on and I went into the kitchen. Hearing her talk like that was out of the ordinary for me. Knowing Layla, she hated giving up. Seeing her give up so easily when her mother is sick was strange. Maybe she was right. We see giving up as a weakness when sometimes it's your biggest strength.
