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Chapter 9

Devin's POV

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I walked in my first class, English. I loved English I loved writing, expressing myself in words. I sat in my assigned seat in the back of the class.

The teacher cleared her throat.

"Class today we have a new student." I looked up from my desk and saw Layla.

"Can you please introduce yourself?"

Layla smiled and turned to the black board. She wrote in big letters her name.

I could hear people talking "another mute!?"

"Layla please take a seat in front of Mr.Summers."

Layla looked around the class room and tried to find me. Her blue eyes glistened when she found me and she took a seat in front of me.

"Today class we are going to read some Shakespeare. Turn to page 142."

Layla didn't have a book so I gave her mine. She pushed my book back and pointed to her head.

'Have it memorized.' She mouthed.

I watched Layla mouthing Shakespeare's words word by word. Layla was a beautiful person inside and out. She just has a fucked up past. When you look into her eyes you can tell she's broken. But inside she cares about people more than she does about herself. Her black hair was in a side braid and her big black glasses framed her ocean blue eyes perfectly. But when she smiles you can tell its not genuine the only genuine smile I've seen was...never. I want to give her something to smile about and be happy about.

But I'll never get Layla to fall in love with me. How could I be so stupid!? I started to bang my head against the textbook.

"Hello Mr.Summers are you okay back there?"

I looked up into my teachers eyes waiting to feel her wrath. But her eyes were amused. I looked around the room and saw people giving me stares. I buried my face back into the text book and heard whispers.

The whispers were addressed to Layla.

"Hey Layla is it? Don't talk to Devin he's a freak"

I cringed at the word Freak. I've been thrown, kicked, beat up because I'm a freak. A person who doesn't talk.

Layla looked at the person. Eric Dawson. The guy I found on top of her on the board walk. Seriously where did space violations go?

"Hey Layla. Laylaaaaa" Eric stretched out her name.

Layla turned her head her eyes were blazing.

"WHAT!" She whispered yelled her voice was cold yet sharp like a blade.

"Hi." Eric said like he hasn't just seen the fiery tone Layla gave.

"Mr. Dawson and Ms. Parks detention after school. If you don't show up you'll be given Saturday detention also."

Layla rolled her eyes and nodded.

"Layla do you need manner lessons?"

Layla chose not to answer well because she doesn't like to speak.

"Ms.Parks answer the question!"

Layla stood up and ran out the classroom. Where in the hell is she going? I lost control of my body and my legs began to run after her. I found her sitting by a water fountain. I sat there next to her sitting there in an awkward silence.

Well this was kind of awkward. I stood up and started to walk to English class to meet the wrath of my teacher. But a small hand grabbed mine and pulled be back down.

"Don't leave." She said in a small voice. She took my arm and put it around her shoulder. She clenched my fitted Green Day shirt and cried. No! My fucking shirt. But right then and there I didn't really care it was her. If it was someone else it would of been different.

"Devin?"she said a mere whimper. I looked down at her she looked broken, sad, vulnerable.

"What happened to your brother?" She said quietly.

I grabbed her hand and lead her downstairs. It showed my brothers locker nobody took it for remembrance.

It read:Devin Summers brother committed suicide. He will be remembered as a great person that we lost.

The locker wasn't really for remembrance it haunted me every day seeing that locker. Freak being written all over it. I sat against my brother's locker and closed my eyes. I would of bawled my tears out but I needed to be strong for Layla.

Layla stood up and told me to follow her. She stopped at a locker and opened it bringing out a black guitar. Layla grabbed my wrist with her free hand and brought me to the janitors room. A weird feeling hit me. I liked Layla and all but I wasn't ready for this. When we were in the closet she gave me the guitar.

I took it and the first instinct was to play a song but she stopped me.

I looked up and her eyes were soft.

"Sing."

I sighed and started to strum again.

Here goes nothing, I opened my mouth to sing the words from The Art Of Succinct Compliments.

"I know I struggle to find

The way to speak my mind

In twenty five words or less

I never have that success

'Cause sometimes I want to say

All the things that I'm thinking about you baby

It's never seemed to work before

I guess I'll try it just once more

So here I go

You're cute, you're sweet, you're soft, you're smart

You fill the gaps inside my heart

You're nice to hold and hard to leave

You're everything that's good to me

I love your hair, your pretty eyes

The way you leave me mesmerised

I guess there's just one thing that's true

Above the rest - that I lo-"

I stopped when Eric came in the closet and took Layla. I ran out after them but they vanished.