The Truth ✔

Chapter 25 ~

Kaleb's POV

Layla is sitting in front of me with her leg shaking nervously. She gulps as she puts a stand of her hair behind her ear. I pull up one of the plush chairs that is in the room and sit in front of her. She refuses to make eye contact as she stares down at the floor.

"You can't be serious Layla. Please tell me you really don't believe the things you said."

She finally looks up at me. Her eyes are brimming with tears. "Kaleb." She whispers.

"No, Layla." I say cutting her off. "I never want to hear you say any of that again. It's not true. Fuck. It's not true." I say with a bit of anger in my voice.

She wipes the tears from her eyes and swallows. Watching her I can tell she's thinking out what she's going to say. "Why then? Why this year? We've been going to school together since freshman year. Why did you suddenly take an interest in me, Kaleb? It makes sense what some of the cheerleaders are saying. I'm not mad or upset about it." She bites the side of her cheek in thought for a moment. "Everyone at school thinks I'm a charity case or some type of bet for y'all anyways. Y'all can tell me the truth if I am. I deserve to know the truth."

I sigh as I shake my head in anger. I knew there were rumors going around school about Layla and us. I never paid much attention to them and I thought we were shielding them from Layla. I didn't realize they were calling her a charity case for me and my friends or some type of bet. "Layla, that's not the case. None of us see you as charity and you're definitely not a bet." I lean in and wipe away some of the tears that are falling down her face. "Layla," I say grabbing her hand. "I've already told this before, but there has just been something since bumping into you freshman year that won't allow me to get you out of my mind. I'm really sorry it's taken me this long to figure it all out, but I know what it is finally and I'm ready to do something about it." I whisper standing up from my chair.

Layla looks at me with confusion. "What is it?"

With her hand still in mine, I pull her up so she's standing in front of me. Without a second thought, I press my lips against hers. It takes her a moment to react, and I fear she's going to push me away. Instead she kisses me back. Her arms wrap around my neck as I pull her in closer to me. I smile into our kiss and so does she. As we both pull away for a breath of air, I rest my forehead against hers. "Believe me, Layla. Nothing and I mean nothing I've done was because of a bet or charity."

She nods her head. "I believe you." She whispers before pressing her lips to mine this time.

I smile as I return her kiss. I know she's not lying about believing in me, and I'm thrilled beyond belief that she seems to have the same feeling for me that I have for her. This a moment that I don't want to end until the door opens up. "What the bloody hell are the two of you doing in here?" A voice screeches. I turn around to see one of my dad's coworkers' wife. She an older woman who hasn't liked me in a while. Guess why.... Lizzy is her daughter and I've turned Lizzy down many times. She thinks I should date her daughter and then one day marry her. When she notices Layla in my arms, she directs all of her anger at her. "You filthy, filthy girl." She lashes out Layla.

She looks at me as she points at Layla. "This is what you've picked over Lizzy? You need a wholesome girl like my Lizzy, Kaleb. I will be speaking to both of your parents." She lectures at us. I freeze at the thought of Layla's parents. Everyone who works with my dad knows enough about Layla to not bring up her parents.

I worry about Layla as Lizzy's mother rips us both a new one, but Layla has a small smirk on her face. "Ma'am, I am really sorry for upsetting you, but you seem to be boiling over in anger." Layla walks over to the sink and grabs a plastic cup that is near it and begins to fill it with water.

As she walks the cup of water back over to Lizzy's mother, Lizzy's mother hisses. "You stupid girl. I am not going to drink water from the sink. What I want is for you to leave the banquet immediately. You shouldn't be at an event like this if you don't know how to act properly."

Layla innocently smiles at her, before throwing the cup of water all over her ruining her expensive dress. "I didn't say it was for you to drink, now did I? I said you were boiling in anger. I wanted to cool you down."

Layla grabs my hand and whispers, "Run!"

Lizzy's mother screams several very unlady like things at us as we run out of the ladies' room in a fit of laughter. When we finally find a hallway to hide in, Layla starts to panic. "Oh goodness, Kaleb." She says with tears starting to brim her eyes again. "I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me. You parents are going to be so angry with us. I'll take full blame. I promise. She- She just ruined a perfect moment for me, and I just don't..." Layla says as she starts to get angry. "I just don't get very many perfect moments, and I was upset that she ruined it." Layla sighs.

Layla is shaking slightly, and I don't know if it's out of fear that my parents are going to be upset with or out of anger from the whole ordeal. I place my hand under her chin and gently I make her look at me. "You're amazing, Layla, and you have made this whole night fucking awesome."

Her cheeks redden and I'm about to kiss her again when Winter shows up. "Where have the two of you been? Come on. They're about to serve dinner."

I growl under my breath as another chance at kissing Layla has been ruin. Layla must have heard me growl, because she laughs as she grabs my hand and intertwines our fingers before following Winter back to the table.

As we take our seats at the table, Whitney eyes Layla and I suspiciously. "What happened between you-" But she is cut off by Connor walking over to the table in a fit of laughter.

"What's so funny that you're about kill over in laughter?" Jake asks.

Connor is laughing so hard that other tables are staring at us. I look over to my parents' table and my mom is giving me a weird look. 'Liz- Lizzy's mom." He laughs. "Someone spilled water all over her and she's fuming. I'm pretty sure she's out for blood now." He continues to laugh.

Layla drops her head on table causing a small banging sound. "What have I done?" She mumbles.

This cause our whole table to get quiet including Connor. Connor gives Layla a weird look, before a grin appears on his face. "Wait... Layla, are you the one who spilled water on her?" He asks.

Layla lifts her head and looks at all of our friends. "No." She hisses "I didn't spill water on her. I threw it at her." Layla admits. Everyone just stares at Layla for pregnant pause before the whole table bursts into laughter. "Shut up." Layla grumbles. "I'm going to die. Connor said she's out for blood."

"The old bat probably deserved it." Daniel chuckles.

"Trust me she did." Layla whispers not meaning for anyone else to hear, but of course they all heard.

Whitney calms down from her laughing fit and stares at Layla. "I know there are probably a billion reason why she deserves it with one being her always trying to get Kaleb to date her daughter but what was the exact reason that caused you throw water on her." Layla doesn't answer as she looks down at our hands still intertwine ands starts drawing circles on mine with her thumb.

Whitney notices us holding hands. "Why did I not see that y'all were holding hands before?" Whitney jumps out of her seat. "There's a bigger story here than water being spilt on Lizzy's mom. Speak now." Whitney demands.

Layla's cheeks redden. "With the way the two of you are acting, someone might think that the two of you kissed are something like that." Summer giggles.

Layla nor I say a thing. "OMG, they kissed!" Whitney screams. "Y'all kissed. Details now."

If anyone wasn't looking at us before, they all are now. Layla bangs her head on the table a few times. "I hate attention, I really really hate attention." She whispers, causing me to laugh.

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A/N: Comment. Vote. Follow me! ~KarenJ128~