The Good, the Bad, and the Crazy. //+//A Complicated Love Story//+//

Chapter 14: Layla

I laughed to myself as we drove home from McDonalds.

“Are you okay?” He asked grabbing my hand “You’ve been pretty quiet.”

“No, of course I’m not okay, Branson.” I said scoffing at him and snatching my hand “You’re best friend just slapped me then had a mental freak out in the parking lot so bad that I had to call the cops. So, no, I’m not okay.” I lied through my teeth. I was wonderful, this was more fun than I had could have ever wished for. My cheek didn’t even hurt that bad, I don’t even think it’ll leave a bruise.

“I’m sorry, but she’s losing her mind, it wasn’t her fault and it wasn’t mine. She couldn’t help it. She was just angry and…and…ugh, I don’t know. But if the police come to question you, you have to make up a lie, anything. Just don’t tell them she has mental problems that bad. They might lock her up in an asylum if they think she’s a danger to the people around her.”

A spark of inspiration went through me. What a lovely way to assure my winning.

“Maybe it’d be best if she was locked up. She did hit me.” I insisted.

He slammed on the brake “No!” He yelled pinching the brim of his nose as he slowly began to drive again “Layla you can’t do that to her. I don’t know what I’d do if they took her away. I let them take her in seventh grade and I let them take her again tonight. I let her down both those times and if I could change it I would. I’m going to do whatever it takes to make sure she stays a free person. You’re either with me or against me.”

Telling the police my little lie of a story would assure my winning but doing it and letting Branson know I had might mean I loose. I’d have to be very careful about how this is all done.

I heard sirens and saw two police cars coming up behind up.

“Damn.” Branson murmured slamming his hand against the steering wheel. But he reluctantly pulled over and rolled down his window.

A Police officer came to his window.

“Is there a problem, officer?”

“You two were with Mary Stone tonight?” He asked.

“Yes, sire.” I answered.

“We’d like to ask you some questions…individually. If you’ll both please step out of the car.”

Branson gave me a look before opening his door and leaving the car. I did the same. They took me to sit in one police car and Branson to the other.

This was perfect. I could say anything I wanted too.

“So,” The police officer said once it was just us “I need you to tell me exactly what happened tonight, involving Mary Stone.”

I sighed and stared at my hands innocently “Whatever I say here. It’ll stay between us? No one will know what I’ve said?”

“That’s right, miss.”

“Well, you see the thing is…she’s jealous of me. I’m with Branson and she has some freaking connection with him. She’s not just in love with him, she’s obsessed with him. In a freaky kind of way. She fallows him around and if he doesn’t call her the second she gets home she gets really angry. Like he could know the moment she walks in her front door. I’m not saying she’s crazy but, well…” I shrugged “Oh, I’ve said too much. I don’t want to get her in trouble. But, well, she wanted to see Branson tonight but he had promised to be with me. Not wanting to upset either of us he decided to tell us both to meet him at the McDonalds and maybe we could all hang out. Mary didn’t like that when she found out and she was throwing a fit then the manager threw them out. That’s when I showed up in my car. She slapped me across the face.” I laid a delicate hand on my cheek and pretended to wince. “She started yelling that she hated us and that she never wanted to see either of us again. Then she started running like, well, like a crazy person.” I said shaking my head and letting fake tears fall from my eyes .

“Can you continue?” The police officer asked.

I nodded “I’ll try my best.” Then I took a very convincing shaky breath and continued with my little white lie of a story “Branson ran after her and grabbed both of her arms to keep her from running out into the street. Then she started screaming and crying and…and I just didn’t know what to do. So I called 911. Apparently it was the right thing to do.”

“Yes, it was. So you’re saying that she hit you across the face?”

I took in a sharp breath and closed my eyes, putting a hand over my heart “Yes, yes she did. My mother used to say if you died without someone ever feeling the need to hit you, much less doing it, then you were a good person. I guess…I guess I’m just not a good person anymore.”  Ha! My other never said that! I let a few more sobs flow out of me.

The police officer put a hand on my shoulder “Oh, no. You’re a good person. I’m sure of it. Don’t you worry; we’re going to sort all of this out.”

I hung my head and let my hair fall in my face so I could risk a smile. It was just too good. Power, that’s what I had. I had Branson and even the police believing every words I said. Every lie I told they’d swear was true.

I looked back up when she asked a question I had to be careful about answering

“So, sweetie, do you think Mary had been drinking?”

“I’m not really sure. If she had I wouldn’t have been able to tell. I’ve never seen her drunk before and she acts so insane all the time. Oh, I really hope I haven’t said anything to get her in trouble.” I let more tears fall “I just want what’s best for her.”

“I think I know exactly what’s best for her and she’ll be getting it soon enough. Now you’re free to go. You’re friends already done. He’s waiting for you in his car.”

“Thank you.” I said before hoping out of the police car and sliding into Branson.

“How’d it go?” He asked starting the engine.

“Fine,” I pulled a mirror from my purse and dabbed at my make-up so it wouldn’t look like I had cried. “How’d yours go?”

“Good. I told them something that was really close to the truth. I don’t think I left any gaps in my story.” He continued to go on and on for about ten minutes. He didn’t even realize that my smile wasn’t a loving smile, it was a victorious smile. I was winning. I couldn’t have done it without Branson though. Mary was right about one thing, he really is stupid.

“We’re here.” He said stopping his car in front of my house.

“All right, thanks for driving me home.” I said kissing him goodbye “Thank you, very much.” The second time I was thanking him for helping me win and he’d never even know it.

“You’re welcome.” He said before I got out of the car and walked up the steps to my house.

“I’m home!” I yelled, slamming the door behind me.

“Hi!” A unison of voices called back from the T.V. room.

I walked down the hall and up the stairs to my room, slamming the door behind me.

I flopped down on my bed and opened up my senior yearbook. I flipped through the pages until I found the one that I was looking for. The pictures from the prom. When I was named queen and Branson had been named king. There was one picture, where we were standing on stage, a foot away from each other, holding hands. In the picture you could see the whole crowd standing in front of us. All jumping and waving and cheering. That was the night I officially became their queen. I had always sort of been but that night, that night it was just the climax of my popularity.

I looked at Branson’s face. I had been beaming at the sea of people; he had been gazing at me. I felt guilty for moment, for what I was doing to him and Mary. And then that moment passed and it never came back. I was powerful.

Power.

Powering.

Powerful.