You All Along

Chapter 44

SONGS FOR THIS CHAPTER

Illusion (One Direction)

Grenade (Bruno Mars)

Love Story (Taylor Swift)

Blank Spaces (Taylor Swift)

Let Me Go (Haim)

Where Do Broken Heart Go (One Direction)

Change Your Ticket (One Direction)

Layla’s P.O.V

After Jeff had left, Adam and I stayed silent, too silent, as we walked back to our game. We set it up, and started playing like nothing happened. But this time the excitement was replaced with something else. Something more, than what we shared before. We were halfway through the game when Adam just stopped rolling the dice, and looked up at me. “You know we can’t stay like this forever right?” he asked, still looking at me. I hesitated looking up because I could bet my life, that I’d melt into a blushing puddle under his gaze if I didn’t think this through. Seeing that I hadn’t said anything when he spoke, he scooted closer, until his face was merely centimeters away from mine. I felt a finger under my chin, and he tilted my face to look at me, more like burn my soul. “Layla?” he called out and I hummed, like that was an appropriate response. I stared at him, and after knowing him for so long, even through our bad history, I noticed that his eyes were a darker shade of gray with blue scattered and all for long that I knew him I thought his eyes were green. He had a few freckles across the bridge of his nose, and his hair had more of a brownish hint than just dirty blonde. Oh my, I’m checking him out. He chuckled when I abruptly dropped my gaze on my fingers when he noticed that I was admiring his features. “I think we have played enough today,” he said and stood up to keep away the game. I remained seated, honestly not knowing what to do. “Come on, I want to tell you something,” he said and pulled me to lie down on his bed, and he laid his down beside mine on the pillow. He placed his forearm under his head, in an attempt to be comfortable, once he was done; he lifted his other arms and pulled me to place my head on his chest. I didn’t say anything as we both settled in. He took a deep breath and sighed before starting to speak. “I really liked you, Layla,” I looked up at him and he nodded and said, “Yes, past tense. And also present tense,” and I smiled before looking straight ahead. “Have you heard that, a guy usually intimidates a girl, if he really liked her? That’s what I did. But what I did turned out as bullying. I hated Jeff, because I knew he liked you, a lot. Even before you did. And I hated him and myself more, when I began to realize you liked him too. That was the only reason, I harassed you. You have no idea how much it hurt me to say such things to you. You might not remember, but I know you since we were in elementary school. I always sit at the corner while you were happily playing around with Jeff. I really liked you, and that turned out the opposite when I tried to impress you or make you hate your relationship with Jeff because of what I said. But when the other day, Jeff hit me, remember? That’s when I realized I had crossed my limits, and that was also the reason I apologized the next day. I knew you had no plans, Layla, when you declined my offer to go out to lunch. I know you more than I know myself. That sounds stalkerish I know. I never thought Jeff would actually ask you to be his girlfriend at the dance, so I slowly backed away. I saw you both falling hopelessly for each other so to fill up the empty void, I asked Elsa out. I was not satisfied with her. I mean she’s forever dolled up and bitchy, nothing like you. But what was I left with? And to be honest, I was absolutely terrified, when I saw that we both will be going to the same college and even more horrified when I had to go to move in to the same dorm with you. I was scared that I’d not be able to control myself being so close around you. I don’t know if anything I’m saying will ever make sense to you, but I just wanted to let you know, that I really really like you. No wait, I don’t I really love you. And I don’t love everyone,” he said.

I stayed silent, letting everything sink in, and by the time I was done, thinking everything made sense, for once. I turned to face Adam, and wrapped my hands around his chest, and snuggled closer to him. “Okay,” I said and closed my eyes, letting a drop of tear soak into his shirt. He tightened his arms securely around me. I planted a kiss on his chest before looking up to see him smiling widely, a sudden gleam in his eyes. He reached down to lift me up on him, and hugged me and letting me lie down on him. “Layla?” he called after about 5 minutes of just lying down on each other. I looked up and he immediately cupped my face with his hands. I could feel his hands sweaty because he was increasingly nervous. I made a guy nervous. I leaned down a little, to kiss his nose and smiled. He crashed his lips onto my own and I found myself, kissing him back, equally passionately. There was not a hint of lust when we kissed. And I could truly feel the passion and love, not a slight hint of lust and pleasure. And I just realized how different it was to kiss someone, that you truly loved, and not someone you thought you loved.

***

Layla’s P.O.V

It has been two weeks since Adam and I got together, and he has been nothing but a sweet heart to me. Classes have started again, and everything is normal or even better, if anything. But there is one thing I haven’t said to Jeff. And that is nagging me deep down so I pick my phone up and dial his number.

“Hello? Layla? Did Adam hurt you? Should I come over?” he rambled once he picked up.

“Hello Jeff, no he didn’t hurt me, you did, but I’m okay, and no please don’t ever think of coming over,”

“Okay,”

“I just wanted to tell you, back at the D&D night, remember we told each other that we were the ones all along, and I told you repeatedly that you were the one all along?”

“Yeah,” he said, and I could hear the sadness laced in his voice, but I pushed it to the back of my mind.

“Yeah, the thing is that no matter, how much we try to convince each other that we are meant to be, we can’t prolong the inevitable that it is the exact opposite of what we thought. Jeff, sometimes we have to go through so much things to convince ourselves that this is what we want, but faith just has something totally different planned out for us, and the sad part is that there is absolutely nothing we can ever do about it. So I want you to know, that I am not holding any grudge towards you or for whatever that happened in the past. We are both grown up now, so we are expected to accept the fact, and stop being so childish. Don’t keep holding on your life, in any hope that I will come crawling back to you because Jeff, it wasn’t you all along. Happy new year,” I said and hung up and go wake Adam up from his sleep, so we can go celebrate his birthday.

Erhemm, so I might get a bit emotional, so be prepared lol. Um yeah, I would first like to thank everyone, every single one of you, who started this book, and the ones who left or the ones who are still continuing because I would have lost all motivation to continue the book if it wasn't for you guys. And I'm so excited that this book is coming to an end. This is my first creation and a HUGE HUGE HUGGEEE shoutout to my oh so called little sister, Lowisha, for literally forcing me to keep updating and she just lifts me spirits up so high that if it falls, it is going to hurt really bad. And another huge huge thank you to Rathi Malar, my amazingly, awkwardly,stunningly, creepily, weirdly, beautifully best friend, for always sharing me stuff and the only person who shares as much interest as me in this book, and also for keeping my spirits up. She's the one who made me stay, when I was on the verge of deleting the book. So thanks Rathi! And also the voters and commenters, because you guy are basically my life! Honestly, thank you so much for everything, and the future voters and commenters, if you're reading this, I'm talking to you too, thank you so much! Crqap, I'm going to cry now, lol. And if I forgot to mention your name her, I'm so sorry, and also Megan, for actually being the first one to cmment, bc she made me feel so special! @megan_dwyer . I will be posting an epilogue soon, so stay tuned, and I love you guys!

PS: I will be posting another story called Crossroads, so check on my works bc it will be there very soon. Thank you all! I honestly love you all so fucking much. BYEEE!