Layla vs. Them

Chapter 8

"Ray, what are you doing here", Ashlie asked me after grabbing me. I stop trying to run after Layla to get an idea where she could be running off to. "I was invited to this par-", before I could finish Ashlie receives a call from Layla. "Hey girl, where are you? Ray is looking for you", she said while looking around the room. A couple minutes later, their conversation ends and I feel Ashlie's eyes piercing through my soul.

"Ashlie, I can explain what happened", I said. Ashlie is standing there patiently waiting to hear my explanation. All of sudden, I see her fist launching for my face but I grab her hand before she could do anything. "Ray, you better get out of here and leave Layla alone. You f**ked this one up", she said while security escorts me out.

'This is crazy man' I thought to myself. I get in my car and I begin calling Layla a few times. There's no answer which is to be expected. I throw my phone in the passenger seat and start driving around the city. My phone starts ringing when I arrive to my apartment. To my surprise, it is my sister Maria. "Hello? Rachel? I need your help! Mom and dad were arrested, the neighbors called the police of them" she said. I instantly become irritated towards their demonic behavior. "Maria, I'll be there in a few minutes", I said before hanging up.

I finally make it to the house. I instantly get these vivid memories of being in this house and what it did to me. I knock on the door and when Maria opened it, I was greeted by her stomach. My heart instantly dropped to this pit in my stomach. I fear that I know who actually got her pregnant. "Maria, what's going on here? Mom is on the couch sleep and that a**hole isn't here", I said trying not to wake my mother. "Be quiet, mom finally went to sleep after her episode", Maria said while taking me into the dining room. I'm instantly confused on everything that's going on in this house.

Maria starts rubbing her belly and looking scared for her life, "Rachel I need you to get me and my baby out of here. Mom is sick and she won't get any help and dad isn't really welcomed in here anymore", she said with tears rolling down her cheek. I take a seat because I fear what else she was going to say. "Did he get you pregnant? He hurt you too", I asked trying to hold back the memories and tears. There's a worrisome look in Maria eyes and I believe I got the answer I'm looking for.

Maria takes a seat, "I found out that I was pregnant a few days after you left. I have been staying at Destiny's house until her mom figured out that I might be pregnant", she said. I start feeling extremely light headed, 'I put myself through all that with our stepfather and I still couldn't protect Maria' I thought to myself.

Maria and I sit at the table with the disbelief, that it had to come to this. She is only fifteen and she doesn't deserve this. "Maria go get everything that you can pack", I said while figuring out what I'm going to do with my mother. I call an ambulance to take my mother to the hospital. Maria gets most of her things to take with her. "Maria, stay here an wait for the ambulance. I'm going to put your stuff in the car", I said. I feel like I'm moving faster than Speedy Gonzales but my mind is everywhere. The ambulance arrives to get my mother, and Maria is waiting in the car so we can leave. We ride off in silence to the apartment.

We arrive at my place, and I start getting Maria's stuff out the car. I hand her the keys and we get her settled. "You have a nice place Rachel. It looks bigger than our little place", Maria says while walking around. "Maria, you can stay in my room tonight. I have to go pick up something but I'll be back soon. In the morning, we will figure everything else out", I said getting my keys from the counter.

I get in the car, and my mind feels like a complete circus. I call up my homeboy so I can get a remedy through the chaos. I drive over to this old town to meet him. "Here you go Ray, what you getting into tonight?", he ask. "I'm going home and just going to start over tomorrow", I said as if the world continues to pill up on my shoulders. I give everyone our own hand gestures, then head back to my car. I see a basketball game out the corner of my eye, and I debate with myself if I want entertain it. I walk towards the Walmart that's around the corner. I grab a few things for myself and Maria.

All of sudden, I hear gun fire in the distance. 'I hope that was not who I think it is', I thought to myself. I rush to my car before anything else escalated. I pull up at my place and I try to call Layla a few more times. There was no answer like every other time I have called. I get in the house to relax from everything. I eventually passed out on the couch.

"Rachel, wake up. Your phone has been blowing up for the past hour", Maria says while shaking me to wake up. I launch up, and grab my phone to see Ashlie has been blowing me up.

"Ray! Layla is missing! She didn't go home last night and her mother says she isn't answering anyone's calls. Have you seen her".

I quickly grab my clothes and shoes to head out the door. "Maria, I'll be back. A friend of mine is missing and I need to look for her. If you need anything just give me a call", I said rushing out the door. While I sit in the car making sure I have everything, I get a call from Layla.