The Truth ✔

Chapter 47 ~

Layla's POV

"Miss. Miss." A voice rings through my ears. "This is the last stop before I head back to the station."

"I'm sorry Ma'am." I say as my mind tries to grasp a hold of what is going on. It takes me a minute or so before I realize that I am on the bus. A bus that took me away from the guy I love. I gather my purse and backpack that has two changes of clothes, a few personal items and a picture of me and Kaleb.

As I exit the bus, I turn back to the driver, "Ma'am, what time is it?"

"It's six in the evening. Darling, do you have a place to go?"

"Of course," I smile. "My family should be here soon to pick me up." I lie through my teeth.

Hoping off the bus I have no clue where I actually am. I pull Kaleb's hoodie over my head to hide myself from nearby lookers. Kaleb's scent still lingers to the hoodie and when it engulfs me for a few sweet seconds I feel like I'm home. Home. Home is in Kaleb's arms.

Tears start to betray me as they fall from my eyes. What have I done? Why did I leave?

All I keep doing is hurting him. I keep causing him pain. I didn't think this out in the least bit. I just saw a positive test and ran. I never thought where I would run to or how I would fully survive.

Droplets of rain fall from the sky and mix with my salty tears. A sudden flash of lighting and a clap of thunder has me jumping out of my skin. I've always been afraid of thunder and lighting and now being without Kaleb makes it so much worse.

I regret leaving home. I regret leaving Kaleb. I want to go home. I want to be with him. Thunder roars through the sky like a battle drum crying out making me run into a nearby store to get out of the storm. I am still such a baby when it comes to storms. Roaming through the store, I found a cheap prepaid phone. It's not something I should be spending money on but I want....no...I need to talk to Kaleb. I quickly hand the cashier the cash for the phone and the card before ripping the packaging open and adding the time to it.

Kaleb doesn't have a phone anymore more because he didn't want to take any chances of anyone tracking us while we were on the run, but thankfully Whitney has a phone and I have her number memorized. Kaleb had told me it was important to remember her number in case there was ever an emergency. This is an emergency.

With trembling fingers, I dial her number. Just before pressing the last number it hits me like a ton of bricks. What if he doesn't want to hear from me? What if he realized he is much better with me gone? I did cause all of this trouble for him after all. He can now be happy. He doesn't have to run, and he gets to be with his family. His family. Family is something I know nothing about. My family only wanted to use me for their personal gain. Kaleb has a family who loves him and he loves them. I should just leave him be and let him be happy. They can make him happy. How could I ever make him happy? I have nothing to offer him but trouble.

My heart breaks. I feel like I can barely breathe. I only want to press that last number and tell him to come and save me but he has already saved me more times than I deserve. I have to let go. He deserves to be happy. Happiness is without me. The pain that I feel as I clear the number from the phone and put it in my backpack is one that my so-called family could never have made me feel. It hurts far worse than any physical pain knowing that I am leaving Kaleb behind. He was the only happy part of my life. I had never known happiness before him and now I wish I never felt it. It makes the pain far worse.

It's already getting closer to seven. I need a place to stay for the night, and I need to eat something. I'm not hungry but for my baby's sake I need to eat. Once again I look around the store to find some sort of food. I buy three water bottles and a can of soup and some crackers. It's not much, but I'm not hungry anyways.

Walking back up to the cashier, she eyes me with curiosity before scanning my items. She can't be much older than me, I think to myself. She probably has friends and a great family. I can feel a tint of jealousy in me rise up, but then I remind myself that it isn't her fault my life sucks.

"Your total will $10.81." She says cheerfully. I hand her the cash after she places my items in a bag. "Your change is nineteen cents," she says while handing me my change.

I chew on my bottom lip before I decide to ask her a question. "Umm are there any cheap motels around here?"

She stares in my eyes as if she is studying me. "How old are you?" she asked ignoring my question.

Fear builds up in me. Why is she asking me my age? "Eighteen. Why does it matter?" I spit out far too rudely.

"I don't believe that for a damn moment," she says bluntly. I just stare at her frozen in shock. "You might be seventeen, but I know damn well you aren't eighteen. They won't let you rent a room without being eighteen, ya know?"

I never once thought about that. Stupid, stupid me. Kaleb is eighteen. He always rented our rooms. Plus we had fake ideas, but I didn't think to grab mine. "I just look young." I tell the cashier. I just want to get the hell out of here now. I grab my bag and turn to walk away. I can figure something else out one I get the hell out of the place.

"I'm Carla." The girl says making me turn to face her again. "My parents are out of town for a few days and you can crash with me if you like."

My mouth hangs open flabbergasted for a few moments. "W-why? You don't know me. I-I could be dangerous."

Carla smiles at me. "You aren't dangerous," she laughs. "You're just someone down on their luck. My parents have always taught me to help people when they are having a bad day, because one day when I have a bad day, I will want someone to help me."

"Oh." I'm unsure what to even say.

"My shift ends in thirty minutes and then I'll close up. I can make us some dinner and we can watch movies."

There's a battle in my head. I am so fearful of trusting people because anyone could be in my step dad's pocket, but she seems so genuine and I don't want to be alone right now. I'm not sure if I even trust my own self being alone either . The pain becomes too much at times and I want it to end.

Without thinking I say, "I'm Layla." My hands instantly cover my mouth after saying my real name. How could I be so stupid? I am not supposed to use my real name. I am just handing myself over to my stepdad on a silver platter. For a moment she seems to think about it, but then smiles brightly.

"It's nice to meet you, Layla." There is something about her tone and smile that makes me feel as if I can trust her.