Counting Sheep

Chapter 17

Hello, hello!! I am back and with a new chapter :) HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!! YOU CAN ALL BE MY VALENTINES<3 I am so excited and I hope you guys enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. It means SO much to me to read your comments and your messages. You really do make my heart sing. Also, I have two different songs I was going to post for this chapter, but I wasn't sure which one. The one I have posted along with the other song called 'If I Didn't Know Better feat Sam Palladio and Clare Bowen'. Let me know which you liked better for Layla and Julian? Annnnd, this chapter is slightly longer. Anyways, enough of me rambling. I hope you enjoy oh-so much! I love you!!!!!!! -Hannah <3

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CHAPTER 17: Around a week after the Coming of Spring party, Layla and Hazel settled into a routine. Layla didn't know what was waiting for them in the future, but she did know that she wanted to give Hazel as much as a chance as she could.

Every morning, they would wake up and go on a walk, eat breakfast, get dressed for the day, then Layla would do some schoolwork with Hazel. She knew that it probably wasn't best for Hazel to actually be in school right now, so she just printed off different worksheets online. She figured it would do for now.

Moonflowers had still shown up on the doorstep every night.

No note, no nothing.

Layla also hadn't seen or talked to Julian since the night of the party. The nightmares had come back, too. Each night, she woke with the feeling that she couldn't breathe as the memories had closed in around her and each time, she would think of how much she would love to feel Julian's arms around her, soothing her. She did her best not to wake Hazel, because Hazel had nightmares of her own and Layla didn't want to burden her with the knowledge that she, too, was dealing with nightmares.

How could she when Layla was still just as scared of her own nightmares? It wasn't fair.

Currently, it was a Friday evening and together Hazel and Layla danced around the house, cleaning. When Layla said she needed to clean and Hazel had just stared at her, Layla told her of how she could make it fun and honestly, it had been fun. For the last hour and a half, they danced around the small space, wiggling their hips and sticking their tongues out at each other. Layla sang at the top of her lungs, hoping Hazel would join in, but not getting her wish.

It was okay, just seeing the little girl's smile made Layla happy. The phone began to ring and Layla jogged over to the iHome dock to turn down the music before she grabbed her cell-phone off the table, vaguely noticing the bundle of moonflowers still sitting on the table from last night.

"One second," She answered breathlessly as she saw Alice's caller ID.

Turning to Hazel, she led the little girl into the living room and lifted her onto the couch and turned on the TV, holding up her finger to silently say 'one moment'. As soon as the cartoon came on the small screen, Hazel was instantly enraptured.

Walking back into the kitchen, Layla got herself a glass of ice water before she made her way onto the back porch and sat down on the swing. "Hey, I'm back." She said after taking a long gulp of water to refresh her parched throat.

"Hi, gorgeous!" Alice answered and Layla smiled.

"How is your evening going?" She asked and Layla settled back into the porch swing as she sighed softly.

"It is going pretty well, thanks. Just doing stuff around the house with Hazel." She answered. "Oh, gotcha. How is the little cutie doing?" Asked Alice.

Layla turned slightly, watching the little girl as her lips curled at something funny on the TV. In honest reality, Layla couldn't be sure 100 percent how the girl was doing. She smiled and giggled, but Layla still saw the sadness and darkness lurking in the corners of her eyes. She would do anything to make that darkness go away.