Layla
"Are you worried about them?" I asked rose.
"No I'm sure they will be okay," she said "and anyway they know this cafe it's not like it's far from the school"
Rose was meeting her old school friends. She didn't want to meet them alone, so had told me to follow her. I agree even though I didn't want to. She said that they all agree to meet up in the old cafe own by a kind old lady whose name I didn't know. I heard that whenever her name was asked she always gave a different name. The day I asked her, she had told me Sofia, the day Rose had asked her, she had said Evelyn, some said it was charlotte. No one truly knows her real name, not even her, herself she keeps forgetting. Only her son who helps her out at the cafe knew her name. Whenever we ask him, he only tells us to ask his mother. It was so obvious that he was enjoying our guessing game. But I like the name Sofia for her, to me that name fits her best.
Rose had told me that the last time she saw these friends of hers, who I didn't know a thing about was in 5th grade. Before Jackson had left her and before she met me in 6th grade. She said that she had kept in touch with them since then. I sometimes feel like there were certain things I didn't know about my supposed best friend. It felt like there were some things she hide even from me. It hurts when I think of it. And I have always been open about everything to her. But not as open as I'm with Liam. But Liam is a completely different case the place he holds in my heart and my life, no one can ever take that. not Dad, Mom, Theo, and not even Rose. I wonder if this is how Rose feels about those two friends of hers that left her.
"They are here," Rose said excitedly.
I look at the entrance of the cafe as I saw three girls walk in. They look at me and Rose's table, looking happy and excited. I look at them, faking a smile, I said "hi."
"Layla right?" The brunette said. She looks like she was in her twenties.
"Rose!" One of the girls shouted. excitedly she jumps and hugs Rose. She was shorter than the remaining two girls, she was also different from them. Because the remaining two look like sisters, they were both brunettes. I would have assumed that maybe they were twins if only one didn't look older than the other and she was taller too.
"Abigail, Emma, Camila." Rose said, "I want you to meet Layla my best friend."
"Hi," I said again "it's nice to meet you" I lied, I hated the way they were so happy and noisy.
"Is she the one, you told us about?" The short girl call Abigail said.
"She told you about me," I said
"I'm so sorry for your loss dear," Emma said.
"So how are you holding on?" Camilla asks "it hasn't been easy for you, to lose two mothers."
"I'm alright." I said, "I guess, maybe this is something you get used to after the death of the first one."
They all look at me with a pity expression on their face.
"I'm truly alright," I said, "it's been 1 month already, so I'm fine."
I zoom out of their conversation, I couldn't believe this was happening to me all over again. I couldn't believe Rose went ahead and told them about me, I just couldn't believe she just sat down there while they look at me with sympathy, she is laughing and smiling, expecting me to do the same. I'm so angry but I have to pretend like I'm alright. If I don't they will start looking at me like that again. Rose knows how much I hate it, so how could she allow them. How could she allow this?
"So what college are you going to attend after high school?" Camilla ask me.
"I don't know," I said "I haven't thought of it."
I zoom out again as Camilla started bragging about how good her college was and how she wanted her sister Emma to go to the same college as her. Rose was smiling. I hated her smile. I hated all of their smile and the happiness they feel. I felt like leaving the house today will be a good thing. Now I know that I was wrong. Staying at home was better than being here with them. I hated how their minds could easily think of a future. I wish I had stayed at home, I wish I had said no to Rose when she said that I should follow her to this cafe, to meet up with her old friends that she hadn't seen for years. Now that I have said yes I was starting to hate Rose and her friends. At this very moment, I wish I could be like Liam. I wish I could openly show my dislike for people the way he was able to. I wish I could be me, the me that could show how I feel without caring.
"Layla! Layla! Layla!" Rose call
"Hmm" I look at her snapping out of my thoughts.
"Are you all right, you haven't even touched your drink and your phone has been ringing," Rose said.
"I... I'm fine" I picked up my phone and saw that Theo was calling.
"Hello," I said
"Hey," Theo said, "I'm at your house, where are you?"
"Me?" I ask nervously "I'm with Rose and her friends."
"Are you alright?" Theo ask.
"Yeah, I'm."
"Layla."
"Yeah"
"You know Liam isn't the only one who can tell when you lying."
"Just answered me with a yes or a no" Theo said, "are you with people in a place in which you can't talk much?" He asked
"Yes," I said
"Do you want to leave?"
"Yes"
"Make an excuse to Rose," Theo said, "tell her Liam is at home, that he needs you for something important."
"Alright"
"Are you still sitting down because you don't know how to tell her?" Theo ask
"Yes," I said.
"Meet me outside by the park, I will be waiting for you in our usual spot." Theo said "now I want you to get up dramatically and say I'm coming to the phone. Cut it off, and rush out of the place and text Rose that Liam is at home, he needs you right now for something important."
*****
Theodore
I sat on the old bench in the park waiting for Layla. I was surprised when I got to the house and didn't see her, I got worried and call her. Her voice sounded strange on the phone, something must have happened with Rose. I hope that she's alright.
Layla. I thought as saw her standing close to the old bench in the park. I wonder how long she has been standing there. She was staring thoughtfully at an old dying tree. She was wearing a knee-length loose gown with one of Liam's blazers. Her hands were in the pocket of Liam's blazer, as she stare at the old tree. She looks so beautiful. I stare at her as I wonder about the day she will ever wear my blazer. I knew that Liam didn't have any romantic relationship with her but I sometimes hate the way they were closed to each other. Although Liam has told me many times not to worry about him. He said that he wasn't interested in making himself to be like one of those characters in romance stories in which the stepbrother ended up having romantic feelings for his stepsister. He said that his life was already complicated and that the last thing he wanted was to be in a complicated relationship.
I should call her, I thought. Her eyes caught mine as she turns her head to face me. I panicked a little but then tried my best to remain calm. Still gazing at her as she gazes back at me I smile a little and use my hands to tell her to come over. She walks towards me until she stands in front of me.
"Everything." She said sadly in a whisper "everything around me is dying."
"Not everything," I said as I got up from the bench and hug her while she cry. It breaks my heart whenever I see her like this.
At first, it was just her. She was the only one my eyes could see. The only one that has to bear so much pain. But now, I feel like I don't know what to do. My heart that could only break for one person was breaking for two. I wanted to be there for that stupid nerd, but he keeps insisting that I go to her. I wonder if that is why he left his place just to come to my house. How can that idiot even think of my feelings in times like this?
"We are here," I said "me and Liam" crying I hugged her tighter. As I thought to myself, I also wanted to be with her.