✵ 𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙮 {𝙟𝙟 𝙢𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙖𝙣𝙠} ✵

⭒❃.✮:▹ damsel in distress ◃:✮.❃⭒

Work went the same way as it normally does, I dusted, hoovered, polished, all that stuff, when there is never any dust, there's nothing to hoover and everything I already polished but its cool I get paid to do practically nothing, its quite a large salary so I have nothing to complain about, I get income, technically I don't need it as well.

I'm already filthy rich, my parents were extremely wealthy and highly influential members of the community, but of course abusing your wealth and influential power never ends well, I was 13 the day died, just eight days after I had turned thirteen, they were both shot and murdered, executional style, then there bodies were left out at sea as shark chum.

I remember every moment of their death, the gunshots, their bodies collapsing next to me while I hid cowardly under a bed, I can never forget the way my mums eyes just stared at me as her dead body lay next to me, the way the blood trickled down from her head to pool around me, I never made a noise whilst I laid in her puddle of blood, never even moved an inch, not until the cops found me.

They pulled me out from under the bed and told me everything would be okay, It wouldn't, ill never be okay again, the therapist says i'm permanently scarred, the I may never get over my forced insomnia unless I find a way to prevent the nightmares, i'm going to be honest and say I don't see that occurring anytime soon, ill stick to taking my pills and knocking myself out cold, much more efficient, less of that nonsense of counting sheep to just end up waking after seeing nightmare sheep anyway.

I go out to the parking lot and for a moment I panic, I've been so use to the truck just always being there and with nothing making this day out of the ordinary id forgotten id been dropped off to work, luckily Gloria notices my flustered look and pulls up in her car in front of me, "need a lift deary" she shouts through the window cheerfully.

I grin at the short Hispanic woman before jumping into her Vespa, she drives me back to my house, we make idle chitchat as we drive through the streets and I jump out the car thanking her profusely as I do, she stays parked outside until i'm inside, just making sure I got in safe, "your the best Gloria" I yell from the door blowing her a kiss before shutting it behind me.

Tossing my keys into a bowl next to the door, I spin round to be face to face with a random boy, I jump back slightly clutching my chest from the initial shock of seeing this boy stood in my home, "i'm sorry who are you?" I ask gently, looking at the dark skinned boy in front of me, "oh yeah, hi, i'm Pope" he extends his hand out for me to shake "Layla" I do the same as Pope and shake his hand he smiles.

"We are all currently sat in your kitchen" he says quite formally and I nod my head confused as to where I asked, he's just trying to be polite, I know, but all I want to do right now is have a shower and relax, "yeah ill meet the rest of you in a minute or so I need to get changed first, see you soon" I mutter kindly before high tailing it up into my room and grabbing a loose t-shirt and some shorts.

I take a brisk shower before heading downstairs to meet the others, by the sounds of it they're all still sat in the kitchen, I take a deep breath before going into the kitchen, Sarah instantly gives me her warm smile "Laylaaa, come sit with me, everyone this is Layla" she gushes excitedly patting the barstool next to her, I smile awkwardly and nibble on my lip nervously as everyone that doesn't already know me analyses me.

Topper is sat at the other side of me and he nudges me with his shoulder grinning at me, I smile and shake my head before pulling him into a hug, "how've you been?" he asks quietly so no one else can hear and I suddenly struggle to swallow, "i'm managing" I mutter back pulling away from the hug before I get too emotional.

Everyone looks to the two of us sceptically, except Sarah, she knows that Toppers my cousin, that's how her and Topper got together actually, through me, it was quite sweet actually, she's with John B now, as she should be, i'm still slightly mad at him for trying to drown someone, i'm glad that JJ pulled the gun on him and snapped him out of it, I know how our family can be and he was heading down that path too quick for my liking.