Falling in Love

Chapter 21

Layla's POV
It's my birthday!!!!!
I'm turning 24 I can't believe it and I'm spending it with the love of my life. Yesterday scared me. But I understood why. I jump out of bed. Ashton and the band had a quick meeting about tour this morning so I had time to get ready. I went into our bathroom and took a shower. I let the warm water run over my body. Relaxing every muscle. Tour life is not easy. It's also not often you get to take a shower when it's not on wheels. I get out of the shower and wrap a towel around my body. I plug in my hair dryer and sit on the toilet lid drying my hair. I straighten it and put it into a bun. Once I'm done I go over to our closet. I don't know what to wear. I text Kirsten who's over at Calum's place for the night.
"I don't know what to wear!" I send. I look at my closet and see the red crop top I wore when I met Kacy. The memories came back to me of that night. She's never texted me, I thought she would have by now.
"Well you could wear your t-shirt dress with someone knee high boots and a denim open shirt" she replied
"This is why your my favourite. Ashton would just say where nothing, Cal would say where the shirt I got you with duke on it. And Michael would say where a 5sos shirt or black."
"And Luke would say glitter"
"Exactly"
"I'm on my way now. I just got a taxi"
I put my phone down and went into my closet and grabbed the three pieces. Slipping them over my body. I took my hair of the bun. I lightly curled it so it wasn't so flat. I walk out into the living just as Kirsten walks in.
"Damn my Baby is hot!" I laugh and hug her.
"Happy birthday!" She says
"Thanks.." I say going to sit on the couch.
"I know you wish your mom were here."
"Ya I do."
"But hey you have Ashton, and me, and the rest of the guys. And Crystal." She says
"Ya I know but I just......"
"I get it I really do. I wish my mom and dad were around."
"I guess we're in the same boat." I say looking up at her.
"Ya we are." My phone went off. I grab it and answer.
"Hello?"
"Hey its me." I hear Ashtons voice.
"Hey what's up? Is something wrong?"
"No no I'm just calling to tell you that someone will be dropping by the house. His name is Andy. Ya know our Photographer?"
"Oh ya Andy Deluca." I say.
"Ya well he will be coming over we're on our way out the door now so he'll be there before us."
"Ok of course."
"Ok bye I love you"
"I love you to" I hang up and put my phone back on the coffee table.
"Andy is coming over." I say to Kirsten.
"Who's that?" She ask stuffing chips in her face.
"It's their new photographer"
"New?" She's ask cocking her head side ways.
"A) you look like Duke when you do that. And B) Michael and the other guy had a few problems..." I say vaguely.
"Problems?" She asked.
"Well Hes Gay and loved Michael, but Mike is with Crystal, and not gay. He took a few...NSFW photos of him. It was kinda a big deal." I say getting up and getting a snack.
*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*
"I'll get it." Kirsten says.
She gets up and gets the door. My heart starts to race. It's been doing that lately, every-time someone new comes around or I meet someone in the street. I get really bad anxiety. I've never had anxiety, since I've lived on the streets for a long time. It started once the rumours started, about Ashton and I.
"Hi." I said to Andy when I walked out of the kitchen.
"Hey I'm Andy." He holds his hand out to me. I take it.
"Hey baby! happy birthday!!" I hear Ashton say. He ran over to me and picked me up and spun me around. My anxiety all went away. I kissed him as I smiled.
"Happy birthday little sister" Michael came over gave me a hug. He thinks of me as his little sister and honestly I think of him as my sister too. Luke and Calum both said it as well.
"Thanks guys."
"Happy birthday Layla" Andy said from the corner.
"Oh shit sorry mate" Ashton said bro hugging him.
"It's all good" he said. I sat down on the couch next to Calum and Kirsten.
"Ok so you look hot" Ashton says sitting next to me. I laugh.
"Thanks." I say. Luke is talking to Andy over by the kitchen. I start to get a little anxious. I think Ash is noticing.
"Hey guys I'm gonna jet. I just wanted to come over and meet you and grab numbers. It was awesome and I can't wait to tour with you guys." He says coming closer and say his goodbyes.
"Again happy birthday Layla" he says walking out the door. I let out a breathe I didn't know I was holding.
"Are you okay?" Ashton asks me.
"Uh Yea why?"
"You just seem off."
"To Tell you the truth I've just been anxious lately. Everytime someone new is around I just feel Nauseous and nervous and just anxious."
"I didn't know you have anxiety." He says hugging me. I slightly push him away.
"I don't. At least I don't think so. I've been on my own for so long. I watched my mother die and I don't have any ptsd from that anymore. I grew up on the streets I dealt with drugs." I feel like I'm defending myself.
"Layla it's not something you have to be ashamed of." Ashton says
"There's nothing to be ashamed of." I walk over to our bed room and sit on the bed. I put my head in my hands.
"Hey, I've noticed something different too." Kirsten says coming into my room.
"What do you think it is? I mean you're the one studying psychology."
I ask not really wanting to know the answer.