Alone

Chapter 25

Liam watched as the sun set in front of him. Austin had just passed and he knew he had to wake up Layla soon. But he didn't want to face her when she was awake. He couldn't risk knowing if he had hurt her or not. Even though, he was hurting so much.
Today was the day he had to wake her up. So he grabbed a small needle close by. He walked into her room and jammed it into her arm. She snapped awake and launched him across the room. She had her hand latched around his throat. And when she realized who it was, she didn't let go. If anything, her grip on his throat tightened. He knew he had messed up. But this was the only way. He would let her be here for another year at most. But whose to say what comes after that year?
She finally let him go and walked out of the room. She stormed to the cafeteria. Starving couldn't even come close to what she felt. Everyone was gloomy when she walked in. Her vibrant eyes scanned the cafeteria. They stopped on Autumn to see she wasn't touching the food in front of her. Not gonna mess with her today. Layla thought to herself as she walked over to get some food (I don't actually know what those things are called lol).
     Grilled cheese was what they were apparently having that day. Grabbing some, she went and sat by herself at a table with no one sitting at it. Liam sat in front of her. Her chews became slower and slower. Her eyes slowly looked up to meet his. He had a sympathetic smile. She stood up, slapped him, and walked away with her tray to another table. She swiftly slid into the seat next to Autumn.
     "Hey........." Layla said not expecting a response from her.
     "Just leave." Autumn spat. Layla's eyebrows shot up at Autumn's rude remark. Layla got up again and walked out of the cafeteria, toward her room. She stopped in front of it and looked at the door. It felt like she hadn't seen this door in so long.  She opened the door and walked inside. She shut the door quietly behind her and walked over to her bed.
     She was numb. She felt like a robot just walking around aimlessly. Her eyes were wide, but they were staring off into space. Hoping, that by some chance, maybe she wouldn't have to be stuck here anymore. But this was her only escape from what the real world could do to her. Even though this place tortured her, it became a shelter and almost a home to her. Maybe one day she could leave. To escape the madness that was mainly inside her own head. To hide from the voices echoing in her mind. Even though she knew she never could.
     That night, nightmares occurred every second—even when she was awake. She wasn't in her room when the nightmares came. She was stuck in the real world being shunned for her uncontrollable powers.
Jason couldn't sleep that night, listening to her screams. He finally got fed up and walked to her room. He barged in and slapped her. She looked at him with terror. Almost like she didn't know who he was. She didn't. What she saw was the cruel father that left her on her own. The person that beat her every night if she didn't listen to him or if he was just having a bad day. Most of the time, it was just because he was having a bad day. No one could see most of the scars because she had learned how to use her magic to heal them. Although, some were persistent, but, now, no one would be able to tell the difference between the HYDRA scars and the ones her father had left behind.
She expected him to hit her, so she closed her eyes tight and turned her head. He looked at her slightly confused.
She never told anyone about what was happening. Not even her uncle. She couldn't. Loki wouldn't let her. He threatened to kill Thor and everyone on Asgard. She didn't even tell Heimdall even though he knew what was happening.
"Layla?" James said slowly. "Hey." He watched as silent tears ran down her cheeks. He didn't know what was happening.
"Dad, please don't." She said in a shaky voice. "I'll be good. Just don't hurt anyone. I won't even cry out in pain." She said with clenched teeth. James stopped moving toward her. No. He thought to himself as the realization hit him. He couldn't touch her. Not after realizing what she had gone through. Why hadn't she told anyone? Her shoulders shook as she held in her sobs.

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     A week had gone by since the passing of Austin Matthews. Layla had woken up just days before. Adam came up to her the day after she awoke and engulfed her in an embrace. She could feel him tremble as tears soaked through her thin t-shirt. She patted his back softly; whispering encouraging words even though she was oblivious as to why he would cry.
"It's my fault." He sobbed into the crook of her neck. His hot breath tickled her neck as she stood there confused. "I shouldn't have gotten so angry." He cried even harder now. "He's gone...........because of me." She immediately pulled him off of her.
"Who's gone?" She quickly asked.
"Austin. Agent Austin Matthews died because of me." He cried and held his hands to his eyes. It was a failed attempt as he tried to stop the tears. She pulled him back to her and brought him to a couch nearby. She sat there looking forward with her arm around his shoulders as he cried non stop into her shoulder, grasping her shirt tightly.
"It's okay." Layla kept whispering to him. "It'll all be okay. We all make mistakes." She said slowly.
"Have you ever killed someone you loved intentionally?!" He screamed, with tears lacing his voice, in her face.
"I've gotten close." She mumbled. His tear streaked face looked up at her.
"I'm so sorry." He whispered looking back at the ground.
"Yeah, me too." She said softly. "Me too......." She trailed off