The Truth ✔

Chapter 45 ~

Layla's POV

I nearly tripped twice trying to run up the stairs as tears cloud my vision. As I am about to open the door to my old room, I realize just how stupid I am. Why would it still be my room? I would understand if they kept Kaleb's room, but not mine. I'm not family to them. I was just some girl that their son brought home one day and they felt sorry for me.

I fall to my knee crying as it dawns on me that I have no one without Kaleb. If Kaleb was smart, he would leave me now. "Layla, why are you on the floor?" Whitney's voice rings through my ears before she helps me up.

"Once I got up here, I didn't know where to go." I weep.

"Why didn't you go to your room?" She asks with a puzzled face.

"My room? Why would they keep my room?"

"They love you, Layla. We all do. Your room is the way you left it." Whitney says before opening the door to my room. True to her word the room looks exactly the way it did when I left.

"Don't cry, Layla, please. Everything will be alright."

I wipe some of the tears from my eyes with the sleeve of my shirt. "These aren't sad tears." I sniffle before smiling at Whitney.

"What do you mean?"

"It's just... I thought that y'all hated me."

As I sit on my bed, Whitney stares at me with a somber look. "Layla," she says looking down at the ground. "I am so sorry for that day. I didn't mean anything I said. I was just so confused, and I should have given you a chance to speak. You're family to me, and Kaleb loves you to death. I also know you love him and would never hurt him. Can you please forgive me, Layla?" She says as she takes a seat beside me on the bed.

"It's not your fault. It's mine." I sigh. "I should have told y'all that it was my choice to live with my dad. I was trying to make a better future for myself even if that meant hell now. I wanted a future where I was free, and I wouldn't get that with my step dad and step brother. Because of me, I've caused your family so much pain. I am so sorry, Whitney."

"The only thing you did was make my cousin really happy and by him being happy, we are all happy. We are just all so glad that y'all are back."

For a while we just sit in silence. "Whitney?"

"Mhmm?"

"Where does Annie and my-" I pause as I am unsure of what to call him. "Where does Annie and her husband live?"

"They're good people, Layla. They have a nice home and they love you."

"Whitney," I say sternly. "Tell me."

"Not anywhere near here."

"But," I say gasping for air. The thought of being away from Kaleb is more than I can bare. "I-I can't be away from Kaleb. I don't even know them." It feels like the walls around me are closing in and I can barely breathe. "I-I-I would rather be on the run. I won't go with them."

"Layla, it will-" Whitney starts to say as she places her hand on my shoulder.

I jerk away from her touch. " Don't touch me. Don't fucking touch me." I scream as I run to the other side of the room to get away from her. "Leave me alone. Leave me the fuck alone."

"L-Layla it will be okay. I promise." She says walking towards me slowly as if I am a wounded animal. I don't trust her. My stepdad had to get to her. He got to Kaleb's whole family. They want me to be away from Kaleb. They've never liked me.

"Leave me alone. Just leave me alone." I cry as I curl into a ball in the corner of the room. They don't get it. No one ever gets it. I just want to leave. I can't be here anymore. "Leave me alone. Please leave me alone." I beg.

Suddenly the door barges open and Kaleb runs in. "What the hell is going on in here?" He growls at his cousin.

"I don't know what happened Kaleb." Whitney mumbles while staring at me with a heartbreaking look. Soon everyone else in the house is standing in the room too.

I try to inch myself more into the corner as my crying continues but it's useless. I have nowhere left to hide. "Everyone OUT!" Kaleb shouts, making me jump in fear. His screaming reminds me of when my dad would scream at me. They all scurry out of the room faster than they had appeared. Once they are gone, I hear Kaleb shut and lock the door. "Layla, what's wrong?" he whispers gently as he helps me to my feet and holds me in his arms.

I can barely catch my breath at this point. "I-I-I don't want t-t-to be away from you."

He presses my head against his chest as he combs his hands through my hair, "It's okay Layla. Why would you be away from me?"

I look up at him to meet his eyes. "They don't live here." I cry out. "They are going to make me go with them."

A look of anger crosses his face before he closes his eyes and sighs. "No matter what happens we will be together. I promise, Layla, I will not let anyone take you away from me. You believe me, right?"

I nod my head, "Yes, but this is what your family wants. They want me gone. I've been nothing but trouble from the very beginning."

"That's not true. They love you. I love you. My family doesn't want to lose you at all, but even if they did, they can't speak for me. I don't want to lose you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want a family with you."

"I want that too." I say as I hang onto him for dear life.

"Speaking of families, we still need to find out if we are expecting." He says before running his fingers over my stomach with a smile. "Come on. Let's get some sleep." He says before pulling me towards the bed with him.

Kaleb falls asleep quickly once we both get into bed unlike me. My thoughts go to all of the 'what ifs". For just once I wish life would give me a break. After what feels like an eternity of thinking I finally close my eyes before placing my hand on my stomach. I pretty sure I already know that answer to if I'm pregnant or not, and I don't know if I should be happy or not.

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A/N:  Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter out.  I really am trying to get back into writing.  I spend a lot of my time with the great community CLNighters.  If you haven't had that chance, you should really check them out.