LAYLA

t h r e e

"if you love me,

why'd you leave me?"

$$$$$$$$$$

THE STARS are breathtaking. She'd never really noticed them before.

Such tiny little things, coming together to make the night feel less alone. Her new companions, she thought. She could never get tired of watching them glow.

She was seated on the roof just outside of her sister's bedroom window. Often at night, when Layla got scared and came to wake her big sister, she would find her sitting here, and staring at the stars.

Layla, come here, she would say. Look, see that star? That's your Papa, look how proud he looks. If you're ever feeling sad just look for the Pole Star.

"Which one is your daddy, Aspen? Where is he?"

"The one right next to your daddy, Lay. Can you see him," she would pause to make sure Layla could see. "He's a little bit dimmer, but he's still there." Then the elder sister would pick her up and take her to the bed, and they would fall asleep, giggling.

Tonight, the Pole Star glittered in the night sky, shining proudly over the darkness of the night. The familiarity of it all caused Layla's eyes to burn.

I hope you're not disappointed Papa, she whispered, the rim of the champagne bottle against her chapped lips. I'm trying to heal.

She fell asleep on the cold roof, the bottle shattering to pieces as it rolled down the slope of the roof. She wondered which one of the stars was her beloved sister.

$$$$$$$$$

Waking up outside was a nasty shock to the system. Head pounding, she crawled back inside the room and almost cried when she saw the date.

17th April. Her sister's birthday.

She fumbled with her clothes, grabbed the keys out her sister's bag and made a beeline to the garage. She punched in the code and almost threw herself into the dusty Lambo.

As per custom, every year, on her sisters birthday, they would disappear. Their stepfather still hasn't realised that they were the 'dirty rascals' that broke into the theme park every year.

It felt wrong not being there this year, whether she was still with her or not.

They used to bring a picnic basket with them, filled with jam sandwiches (grim, but Aspen loved them), snickers bars, homemade cheesecake, storebought Victoria Sponge cakes,Robinson's iconic Apple and Blackcurrent squash and around £50 worth of McDonald's. The would also bring a Bluetooth speaker. The day would just be her and Aspen vibing with music playing, giggling at the dumbest things and stuffing their faces with way to much food. Then the police would pull up, and they would leave any food left behind, grab the speaker and leg it into the car. Aspen would speed until they were on the motorway, and then the sisters would calm down and the would laugh until their throats were dry.

The first part was easy. She just had to check if it was closed.

She popped her head around the tree, and to her relief, found a huge sign that unmistakably read 'CLOSED'. I

Then she jumped over the fence. And that was it. Simple.
She was in.

She opened her tote bag, pulling out a note, and a framed picture of her sister.
She dug the picture into the ground, so it was still visible and left the note behind. She got in the car, and drove off, fighting off tears.

In loving memory, it read, of Aspen Parker, soul sister and best partner in crime.

$$$$$$$$$$

"Would you mind telling me where Mum has gone off to? It's been a week since I've noticed her absence, probably a month since she's been gone. But she hasn't told me when she'll be back and I keep ringing her cell? I dunno El, and I'm worried. Call me, yeah?" The harsh bell cut her voicemail off. 

Biting her brittle nails, she put the phone down. She paused for a bit and then got to cooking her dinner. She left the pasta cooking on the stove and shut herself in the bathroom. 

She was all alone in this huge house. She couldn't bear it.

She just wanted to die. How could she just leave her behind? Why couldn't she go with her?

She didn't know, and she couldn't care. Today her mind was filled with dark thoughts. Today her arms were itching, and her mind was brewing, and she deserved it.

She deserved every lick of pain her blade brought her, even when there were dots in her eyes, and the darkeness claimed her visions.

A/N - so you've been introduced to two of Layla's coping mechanisms. this chapter used to be three different chapters. i'm compiling a playlist for this book as well, which will prolly be only released after i've finished with the book.