The Truth ✔

Chapter 31 ~

Kaleb's POV

I ignore my parents and friend screaming my name as I run out to my car. Layla needs to be found and it needs to be by me. I have to explain myself to her. I don't even know where to begin to look for her. I decide I'll try her dad's old house first. It had been her home for the past few years.

When I pull up to her dad's house, I am surprised to see a ton of people in there. The group of people seem scary and I highly doubt Layla would go in there. At least I pray that she didn't go in there. I rack my mind on where else she could have run off too and then it hits me like a brick wall. The abandon park.

I race my car to the park that I found her at months ago. As I stare out my window, I see her silhouette sitting on the same rusted swing that she sat on last time. I don't say a word as I walk over to her and sit in the swing beside her. We both remain in silence. She stares out at the wind blowing through the trees as I stare at her. Her beautiful eyes are red and swollen, her hair is a mess and her tear streaked face has dirt that sticks to it.

As I go to wipe her face, she flinches away from me. My heart shatters into a million pieces. She hasn't done that in a long time. This is my fault. I broke her even more than she already was. "Layla," I say in a gentle tone.

Her head immediately whips towards me. "No. Don't talk to me, Kaleb." She growls. "You and your friends can leave me the hell alone. I never wanted your damn help in the first place. Just leave me the fuck alone."

The look in her eyes kills me. Every ounce of happiness has been wiped away. In its place lies fear, and pain. "Layla, please listen to me." I beg. "I am so sorry. I am so fucking sorry. I never meant to hurt you. You mean-"

"No, Kaleb no. Don't say your sorry when you don't mean it." She cries. "I-I just want to die. I can't handle this anymore. You have no clue what it feels like to have everyone in the world against you. I don't want to live anymore. I want the pain to stop."

Her words feel like dagger being stabbed into my heart. "Don't fucking say that Layla." I roar. "Don't ever fucking say that again."

"Why not, Kaleb?" She lashes out. "Why shouldn't I say it when it's the truth? My mother didn't care about me. My father sure as fuck doesn't care about me. The only people who cared was Austin and his dad, but it was only for their own personal gain. They didn't care about my happiness. They cared about merging two companies." She pulls at her hair. "No one cares about me, Kaleb. I've tried, I've tried so fucking hard to not let it get to me, but I can't anymore. I can't do it."

Standing up and grabbing her backpack, she turns her back to me. "I finally thought someone cared, Kaleb. I finally put my trust in someone. I went against me better judgment and had faith in you. You don't care about me. You don't understand me. You'll never understand the pain and hurt I've gone through." She turns her head and looks me in the eyes. "With everything that I've been through nothing as hurt me as badly as knowing the person that I care about the most doesn't trust me. Goodbye Kaleb."

She starts to walk off, but I grab her by the arm stopping her. "Where are you going? You can't go, Layla. Please don't go. Please don't leave me."

She closes her eyes and take a deep breath. Even with her eyes close, tears still force their way out. " I can't stay here, Kaleb. There is nothing for me. Please just make this easy on me and let me go."

She tries to pull her arm out of my hand, but I refuse to let go. "No. I won't let you go." I growl.

She's breaking on the inside. I can clearly see it. "No, Kaleb. I don't want to stay. There is nothing for me here. Give me one reason why I should stay. One reason Kaleb, that makes it all worth it."

I turn her where she is facing me and tilt her head up, so she is looking me in the eyes. "Because I love you, Layla. I fucking love you." Before she can respond I press my lips to her and just pour my feelings into the kiss. She's hesitant at first and starts to kiss me but pulls back quickly.

"You can't do this to me, Kaleb. Just let me go. Please let me go." She begs. "You don't love me. Please don't lie to me. No one love me."

"Fuck, Layla." I say refusing to let go of her arm. "I fucking love you. I'm so sorry that I hurt you, but I will not lose you. Even if it takes me the rest of my life to make it up, I will make it up." I pull Layla into my chest and hug her. I'm surprised when she wraps her arms around me. "I'll let you leave, but I'm coming with you. I will follow you to the end of the world if I have too."

She looks up at me with her beautiful eyes. She has stop crying but her eyes still glisten. "Do you mean it, Kaleb? Do you really love me or is this some type of trick to get me to go back and talk to everyone?"

The longing for someone to love her in her eyes makes me want to never let go of her. "I love you Layla. If that means me following you now and never seeing my family and friends again than I'm willing to make that sacrifice. I will do anything for you Layla. I love you."

"I-I love you too, Kaleb." She says before standing on her tiptoes and pulling me into a kiss

It's a short, sweet kiss, but it means the world to me. After our kiss, I grab her hand and intertwine our fingers. "Okay, what do we do now? Do we run or do we go home and let my parents try to fix this? It's your choice, but no matter what you pick I'll be by your side the entire time."