All American Senior Year: Volume One

Las Vegas Aftermath: Spencer and Layla: Part One

"Ayo Spence, what are you doing here?" Coop ran up to him. The ringing in his ears blurred the world around him. Every time he would blink, an image of Olivia would flash across his mind. Her smile so radiant, so vivid, it'd felt as if she was standing right in front of him, on the dancefloor, and in the dark hotel room roaming his hands through her body. His heart ached, wanting nothing more than to find her. But in a foreign city he didn't recognize, he knew it was nowhere near possible. His mouth parted as he stood there cemented to the ground. Too heavy to move from where he saw Olivia driving away in the taxi. As if weights were strapped to his ankles, weighing him down. His eyes didn't move from Layla as he watched her take her suitcase out of the taxi. He'd felt like he was in the midst of a nightmare. The girl he was in love with had left him broken and alone, while the girl he loved was now standing only twenty feet away from him. Closing his eyes he breathed knowing that once he would open them, he would be back in the hotel room with Olivia by his side. Snuggling her and falling back to sleep in her arms. When the sounds of the cars honking, and people talking amongst him didn't fade, he knew this was real. There was no waking up from it, he was now living in it.

Coop ran up to him clasping his hand, grinning from ear to ear. "Ayo Spence! What's going on man! What are you doing in Vegas?" she asked when he didn't say a word. She waved her hands around his face snapping him out of his thoughts. Shaking his head he turned to Coop, giving her a forceful smile. "What's going on Coop?" he asked when she shrugged her shoulders. "Okay, Why does it look like you've seen a ghost?" she asked following his stare. "And why are you dressed like that? Ew Mr. Beverly Hills got you dressing like you went on some fancy date or something. You know when I get back to Crenshaw, we are going to talk about all of this" she pointed to the white buttoned shirt and slacks he'd been wearing. "Man shut up. Why you gotta always be on my case?" Spencer snapped when Coop raised her arms in defense. "My bad, yo. Either you've been dumped or you lost some money" she said when Spencer shook his head stuffing his hands in his pocket. "Look it's been a long day alright. I thought you were in Brooklyn for the next few days? You've been screaming in my ear Good morning Brooklyn, damn near blew my eardrum" he said when she waved her hands. "Hey don't blame me for your grumpy self. Do you even look at your phone? I've been trying to message you all day. Yo Layla got us a dope spot in Vegas to play at. Little did we know you were already going to be here. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming to Vegas?" she asked when he looked down to the floor then back to her. Taking a deep sigh he shrugged. 

"Jordan invited me last minute." he looked away from her as he thought back to Olivia in her kitchen a few nights ago.  His hands interlaced in hers, as her eyes sparkled under the luminescent lights of the kitchen, lost in each other's eyes. "I've been busy," he said when she gave him a look, eyeing him up and down. "I see that. You going to my show tomorrow?" she asked when he cracked a smile. "You know I have to. Gotta support my girl" glancing back to Layla who was walking over to him and coop, rolling her suitcase behind her. "Hey, Spence, it's been a while. How long again?" pulling him in for a hug. "Too long" letting out a smile he hugged her. "Thanks for calling me this week, Just because I'm a few states away doesn't mean my phone doesn't work," she said when he looked away. "Yeah, sorry I've been busy with work, and football. I have a lot riding for me this year and needed to put some extra work in" he lied.  "Yeah I get it Spence, but a call doesn't or a text to your friend doesn't hurt you know. Especially when you ghost her out of nowhere" Layla said crossing her arms. " So this sounds like a personal problem. Hey, Spence and Layla, I'll catch you I'm gonna go call patience to let her know we made it" Coop said walking away leaving Spencer alone with Layla. "So I'm a friend now?" Spencer asked when she shrugged. Raising an eyebrow, he nodded his head. She looked down kicking the pavement. 

"Honestly Spence, I don't know what we are. I know you told me you were going to wait for me, and I believe you. But I don't know Spence, summer's a long time to be waiting for someone" Layla said when Spencer stepped forward. Reaching his arm to touch her, he stopped midway letting it drop to his side. "Layla, summer could be year long and I'd still wait for you," he said trying to stop his mind from running back to Olivia. "How about after Coops show we can talk? I missed you Spence, and I miss just talking about how our day was. You know you don't notice the little things until you don't have them anymore. This summer away from you, got me thinking that I missed us" she said when Spencer nodded looking down at the floor.  A smile appeared on the corner of her lips when she reached in for another hug. Pulling him in she embraced him, as he stood there afraid to touch her. His mind was a mess from the evening and now seeing Layla, who'd made him feel comfortable, made his mind buzz from all the thoughts that crossed his mind. Placing his hands on her back, he held his breath. Letting go of her, he sighed. Looking in her eyes, he smiled. "I missed you too Layla. It's been too long. But my girl's a superstar now so should I book an appointment block, or do I get an exception?" he cracked a smile when she let out a laugh. " You get an exception. So tomorrow?" she asked when he smiled. "Tomorrow".  

Spencer laid in the cold dark hotel room all alone.  Everywhere he turned, he saw a memory of Olivia. Not having the energy to change out of his suit, he laid, staring at the ceiling as the evening prior came back to him like a film broken in his mind. He felt the side of the bed where she laid cuddled against the sheets, the night before, were now cold and empty. The pillow she laid her head on was the only thing he'd have left of her. Her signature spray floated in the air sending him into a dreamy daze laying his head on the pillow. Walking down the steps of the cotillion, he grinned "You know I'm proud of you. You've come a long way since I met you," he said. Gazing at her she shot him her heavenly smile. In her puffy white dress, with his jacket around her shoulders, she stopped in the middle of the street as her eyes shifted to the oncoming car. The sound of a gunshot rang in his ears, turning to see the headlights coming near him. Jumping out of the bed, he breathed heavily, trying to catch his breath. Clenching his heart, he sat at the edge of the bed, realizing it'd been a nightmare. He laid back down trying to get some rest. Hugging her pillow, he gazed out the window wondering if Olivia was okay and if she was too thinking of him.