Layla

Chapter Ten: Worlds Apart

Grabbing her walkman from the drawer, Layla walked to the window seat in her room with slow movements as her stoic eyes remained fixated on the window. She sat down, swinging her legs onto the sill, as she scooted back till her back met the wall. Bringing her knees up, her eyes lowered down to her walkman, watching as she fumbled with it in her hands. Her fingers traced every button and edge before she pressed play. Inserted in the walkman was her Journey album Frontiers that she had bought last year with Peter. Obviously, it had been after the events in Cairo but she never got the chance to play it. Peter was always making her a new mixtape, and she rarely listened to a full album because of him. Her eyes stared at the play button before she finally pushed play. With numb hands, she slid the headphones over her ears allowing the music to drown her out of her surroundings, and hopefully forget what had happened.

Hoping to forget or even deter her mind from those events apparently was not going to happen. Images of that nightmare she had earlier kept flashing vividly in her mind. Rolling her head to the side, against the wall, she squeezed her eyelids as she tried to block it, but it only broke through her walls like one throwing rocks at a glass window. Those white eyes haunted her and that wicked laugh that echoed in her ears, carried by that sinister smile was all she could see. Her stomach clutched and curled as she recalled the feeling of being stabbed by those spears he had created. She could feel the blood dripping down her stomach and leg. Her fingertips began to feel sticky against the walkman as she recalled feeling the warm, red residue that stained her hands as she crawled across the sand to reach Peter. 

Opening her eyes, Layla sat up leaning her head back against the wall as she stared up at the ceiling with frustrated eyes. Her eyes had turned a vibrant purple, and she knew because she caught a glimpse in the mirror that sat in her room. She ran her hands through her hair and down her face before she lowered them over her knees. A nervous sigh escaped her lips, though she could not hear it over the music that played loudly in her ears. 

It's been so long 

Since I've seen her face 

You say she's doin' fine 

I still recall 

A sad cafe 

How it hurt so bad to see her cry 

I didn't want to say good-bye 

Send her my love, memories remain 

Layla couldn't believe her powers had gotten out of control. She had shaken the ground, and still she did not want to believe Peter, until he had taken her back inside the mansion, and seen with her own eyes the mild damage she caused. That hadn't happened in a while, and the last time it did, Charles had to wake her up. Luckily on their way back in, Charles wasn't around, and Peter took her to her room. He remained for a long time before he slipped out the door.

"What happened, Layla?" Peter asked in a serious tone as his brown eyes locked with her own eyes. 

She had been taken off guard by the tone in his voice, and realized just how serious he was being. She knew he hadn't bought the lie when he found her outside, which was why he was questioning her. He knew her better than herself it seemed, and sometimes that scared her because she didn't want to be readable, and it made her feel a bit vulnerable, but when he is around her, those walls she put up fall and crumble when he is near. Plus, she had a difficult time lying to him. After all she promised she would no longer lie to him since she wiped his memories, but with the test being so close she was not going to dump everything on him. It still pained her to know she would never age, and she was going to have to watch him do what she couldn't. All of it would distract him, and so she told him the same story that she did outside. The look he had given her actually made her want to shrink back. Guilt washed over her, eating away at her, and she had thought in that moment she would tell him everything. His brown eyes glared angrily at her, and she saw him clench his jaw together. His body had tensed, and she knew he wanted to say something. Using her powers, she reached out to see what he was feeling, and anger and hurt consumed her. She could feel it radiating off of him, and he wanted her to know how he felt. Knowing how angry he was, she opted not to read his thoughts, although she managed to hear him ask her to. In all the years Layla had known Peter, she had never seen him angry or even thought him to get angry. She knew he could get frustrated, but she never expected this. He was clearly upset with her, and she hadn't blamed him because she would be the same. Without even telling her, he had slipped out past the door in a flash, leaving her standing there as she stared at the empty spot where he had stood. 

Hours passed and still Peter hadn't come back. Honestly, she wasn't expecting him to come back, and still she sat in her room on the widow seat, listening to her music on her walkman. Evening was soon beginning to set in, and she knew this because the room was getting darker and streaks of flame orange sun patches danced across her walls. Turning her head towards her room, Layla lowered her head against her arms that rested on her knees. To her surprise, she saw Peter standing by the door watching her. He seemed a bit more calm, though the hurt and anger still lingered within. She could still see it in his eyes. She didn't need her powers to know. Pausing the music, she slipped her headphones down around her neck, lifting her head. She swallowed a lump in her throat, unsure of who was to speak first. 

Peter stood where he was, opening his mouth to speak, but shut it just as quickly. His mouth opened again, and this time he spoke. 

"I'm going to see my mom and sisters for a few days. I've already asked the professor, and I'll be back before the test." Peter said quickly, keeping his eyes on Layla. 

Pain stabbed at Layla's heart. 

"Okay." She nodded in a melancholy tone.

The two remained quiet and the tension hung thickly in the air, until Peter sped closer to her, but still kept his distance.

"Is there anything you want to tell me before I leave, Layla?" He asked in a firm, but hopeful tone. 

His brown eyes gazed into her eyes, pleading her to tell him what she was keeping. It pained him not being able to know what was going on with her, and he couldn't understand why she wasn't telling him anything. It was tearing him apart, but as usual he wasn't going to push her about it, though it was hard for him not to. He wanted to stand here and wait all day till she talked to him, but he knew by looking at her she wasn't going to say anything, though she looked as if she wanted to. 

"What are you keeping from me that's tearing you...us apart." He wondered worriedly. 

Layla looked back at him with stoic eyes, shaking her head. "No, there's nothing." She replied calmly. 

Peter clenched his jaw, nodding tightly before he left. 

"Then I'll see you in a few days." He said a bit icily as he shut the door behind him. 

Tears threatened to spill over Layla's eyes, and she pressed play on her walkman as she buried her head in her hands.

Here we stand 

Worlds apart 

Hearts broken in two, two, two 

Sleepless nights 

Losing ground 

I'm reaching for you, you, you 

Feeling' that it's gone 

Can change your mind

If we can't go on 

Survive the tide, love divides 

Someday love will find you

Break those chains that bind you

One night will remind

How we touched 

And went out separate ways 

True love won't desert you

You know I still love you

Though we touched 

And went our separate ways 

Troubled times 

Caught between 

Confusion and pain, pain, pain 

Distant eyes 

Promises we make 

Were in vain, in vain