The Truth ✔

Chapter 12 ~

Kaleb's POV

Running up the steps, I take two at a time. My friends can be so stupid at times. Especially Connor but he means well. Standing next to Layla's door I can already hear her crying. Whitney is right beside me. I know she's blaming herself for Layla running upstairs but it's not her fault. She didn't know the extent of what was going on and Connor speaks before he thinks.

I take deep breath before knocking on Layla's door. To be honest, I don't expect her to answer. It's not easy for her to open up and after the what happened downstairs it wouldn't surprise me if she either tries to go home or keeps herself lock in this room for days. To say that I am surprise when she opens the door only a few seconds after I knocked on it would be an understatement.

Her eyes are bloodshot and puffy. "Layla," I say, as I push the door open wider. "I only thought Whitney was coming over. Connor can't help himself. He doesn't think before he speaks."

She sits on bed the staring at the ground. "Why are they all here? What do you all want from me?" She whispers.

Like earlier I sit beside her and take her hand in mine. "They want to be your friend too."

"Why?" Tears falling from her eyes for the umpteenth time today. "Why do care about me?  Why do they care about me? And why now?  Y'all have gone to school with me for the past three years.  Why can't y'all just let me finish the school year alone? I'm worthless."

I don't even know how to answer her.  Why did I wait so long?  I don't know if my friends had noticed Layla or not, but I did.  What if I could have put a stop to this long go.  I don't have answers that she is looking for but the one thing I do know is that she is not worthless.  "Layla, I wish I knew why I waited this long, but I don't know.  But now that I have gotten to know you I just cant pretend that you don't exist.  The one thing I do know is that you aren't worthless.  If someone is telling you that you are, they are so completely wrong.

Whitney slowly walks over and sits on the side Layla. "Layla, he's right.  You aren't worthless and I'm also sorry about what happened downstairs. Kaleb's mom called me last night to tell me to come over this morning, so I called everyone else to let them know we weren't going to be at school today. All I told them was that you were dealing with some stuff and that Kaleb and I were going to help you. The next thing I know they all said that were going to help you too. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have let them come. It's just when it comes to things outside of school the seven of us are always with each other and they all really do care about you.." Layla nods her head without saying a word. "We all do want to be friends with you. I don't know why you think you aren't worthless because you're not to us."

"Whitney is right." Daniel says nervously, barging into the room with the rest of our friends following him. "None of us think you are worthless, and we want to be your friend.  We care about you."

"Well, Kaleb might want to be more than friends, but you get the point." Connor smirks. Luckily, I don't think Layla heard him. "Layla, I really am sorry for my comment downstairs. I didn't mean to upset you. I was just in shock to see that you had been so badly hurt."

"Come on." Winter and Summer say in unison, as they both gently grab Layla's arms pulling her up from the bed. "Kaleb's mom makes a delicious breakfast." Summer says as they pull her down the stair to the kitchen.

Whitney follows them out of the room, but Jake grabs my arm before can I leave the room. Jake, Connor and Daniel look at me with concern in their eyes. "What happened to her? She's covered in bruises."

Sighing I comb my fingers through my hair. "I don't know. I was close to finding out until y'all barged into the kitchen this morning. On my way home from Whitney's last night I drove by Layla's. I didn't see her, but as I was driving, I saw her at some run-down park. She was crying and beaten to hell. She looked a lost worse. She had a glass shard in her leg, and as my mom was tending to her wounds, we found that she was fully covered in bruises."