The Truth ✔

Chapter 24 ~

Kaleb's POV

As we pull up to the front of the house that the banquet is being held at Layla's eyes go wide. My house is huge, and it took Layla awhile to get use to it, but this house is just ridiculous. This place is at least a good three times bigger than my house. No one actually lives here though. The company my dad works for bought it to host special events at like tonight's banquet.

"Holy crap." Layla mumbles under her breath but we all hear her. We all try not to laugh at seeing her so shocked by the size, but when I think of where she had been living, I feel sick to my stomach. This would be a huge shocker to me too if I had lived where Layla was living with her dad.

The driver of the limo opens the door for us, and everyone quickly gets out leaving me and Layla last. I get out before her and hold my hand out for her to grab so she can get out. "Thanks, Kaleb." She whispers.

Once she is out of the limo, I offer her my arm which she gladly accepts hooking her arm with mine. "Are you ready to go in?" I ask her.

She looks at me with one brow raised, "Do I have a choice?"

"Nope."

"Then why ask?" She laughs.

I shrug. "It seemed like the thing to do."

She shakes her head as she laughs. "Come on, Kaleb. Everyone is already inside, and I want to find someone to dance with."

"Okay. Wait." I say a little upset. "I thought you were my date."

Layla starts laughing harder. "I just wanted to see your reaction. Now come on, I really do want to dance."

"With me only, right?"

"Yes, well no."

"What do you mean no?"

She pulls me inside and as we enter the ballroom she whispers, "Connor told me to save him a dance. That's okay with you, right?"

I roll my eyes without Layla seeing. "Yeah, but only a single dance with him."

"Just one." She promises.

"Let's go find our table with the others. They normally serve dinner first before the dancing starts." I explain.

Our friends are already at our table when Layla and I get there. As I pull out Layla's seat for her, Lizzy, on of my dad's coworkers' daughter walks up to me. "Hey Kaleb, do you want to be my date for the night? Last time you said you would." She smiles as she rubs her hand up and down my arm.

I look at Layla who is staring at her lap playing with her fingers. "Excuse me, I need to go to the ladies' room."

Layla quickly walks away without even taking a glance at me. Whitney, Summer and Winter all excuse themselves and take off in the direction that Layla went in.

"What's their problem?" Lizzy hisses at how the girls all glared at her before leaving.

"Are you really that dense, Liz?" Connor spats at her. "You're rubbing yourself all over Kaleb when he already has a date."

"Who?" Lizzy snorts. "That girl who was just sitting here? What bet did you lose or is it out of pity that you brought her here?"

"Excuse me?" I say glaring at Lizzy. "What did you just say?"

"And y'all call me dense?  Really Kaleb, why did you bring someone like that here? She doesn't belong here or with you." Lizzy says as she starts rubbing her hands on my chest.

I grab her wrist and push it away from me. "Don't." I growl. "Don't ever touch me or talk to me again, and most definitely don't ever talk about her like that again." I say in a low deadly tone.

Lizzy is speechless as Connor, Daniel and Jake smirk at her. She glares at me before spinning on her heels and walking away.

"What the hell?" I say as I shake my head. "I would never agree to be her date."

Daniel shakes his head. "She knew you were here with Layla. It is more than obvious that the two of you are here together. She likes to start shit. You know that."

I'm fuming with anger and I'm worried about Layla. I know I didn't do anything wrong, but Layla has been through hell and back and it still doesn't see her own self-worth. "I've got to find Layla." I say rushing off in the direction that the girls went in.

I stand in front of the door of the ladies' room as a debate in my head what my options are. I could just walk in and make sure Layla is okay, but if she isn't in there and someone else is, I will be making a complete fool of myself. I could knock on the door to see if she's in there, but that would also give her the chance to completely ignore me because of the whole Lizzy thing.

Instead of doing either of those, I lean my head on the door and try to listen to see if I can hear any voices talking. Once I recognize Whitney's voice, I slightly crack the door so I can hear better about what they are talking about. If anyone walks by and sees me doing this, they are going to think I'm some type of perv.

"Kaleb is here with you, and he wouldn't bail on you for Lizzy." Summer says.

"It's true, Layla." Whitney chimes in. "Kaleb is a good guy and he would never bail on you. He, like the rest of us, can't stand Lizzy, but if by some chance he did bail on you, I would kick his ass."

"But why doesn't he choose her?" I hear Layla whisper. "She's has everything that I don't. She's beautiful, popular and doesn't have a messed-up life like me. I've heard the rumors at school. I'm not stupid. I get it that I am just a charity case to all of you." What? Who the hell has been saying that she is a charity case to us? None of us think that way about her. I like her. I really like her.

Through the small crack that I have open I can see Whitney, Summer and Winter all in shock. "What are you talking about?" Winter asks. "You are not a charity case to any of us. We're friends, Layla. You are no different than any of us."

"Who even said that?" Whitney hisses as her anger starts to build. "Who told you those lies?"

"I heard some of the other cheerleaders say it in the locker room. They didn't know I was there." Layla says quietly.

"And you believe them?" Summer asks in disbelief.

"No. Yes. I mean I don't know. None of y'all have ever talked to me until this year. They had said that this is the type of stuff y'all do all the time, because y'all all have big hearts and I don't know. I guess it kind of made sense. I'm not mad. I get it. If y'all see me has charity work, it's fine. Y'all have helped me out a lot. I just don't want to hold any of y'all back. That's why I took off when Lizzy came up to Kaleb." Layla gulps. "He deserves someone like her. She's put together and perfect. I'm not. I'm just some charity case that her own dad couldn't even care about."

Layla has never been a charity case to any of us. All of our parents adores her, and she has been a great addition to our group. No longer being able to just stand by and listen, I shove the door open causing it to hit the wall and make a small hole. All four girls jump in fright by my action. "Can I speak to Layla alone please?" Whitney nods her head and walks out with Summer following behind her.

Winter hugs Layla. "It's not true, Layla. None of us see you like that." Winter gives me a sad smile, before walking out and leaving me alone with Layla.

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