The Truth ✔

Chapter 36 ~

Connor's POV

It's been over a month and finding Layla's real dad has been much harder than expected. We finally found a lead and we've been on the road for the past sixteen hours driving to where her real father is supposed to live.

"How much longer?" Whitney asks from the backseat.

I keep my eyes on the road trying to focus while driving in the rain. "I think it's still another six hours away." Jake says as he turns around to look back at Whitney.

"This better be the right guy or I'm going to lose my damn mind." Whitney complains. "I miss my cousin; I miss Layla and I just miss all of us being together."

"Me too." I agree. "Do y'all mind if we stop somewhere to get something to eat? I need a break from driving and this weather is getting really bad."

We continue to drive for about ten more minutes. "There's a Denny's." Jake points out towards his window.

I pull over into the Denny's parking lot and we all make a run for the door since it's raining. After sitting down and having our drink and food orders taken, we remain silent for a while just thinking. The past month has been hell for all of us and our families. Layla's stepbrother now goes to school with us and is in most of our classes. He has basically taken Kaleb's spot and has become Mr. Popularity. In fact, due to her stepbrother we have all become outcast. His best friend Derrick, the guy who they expect Layla to marry, has transferred to our school too. All of the girls are in love with him and are throwing themselves at him, but he tells them that his heart belongs only to Layla.

Everyone at school practically hates us, because they think that my best friend brainwashed Layla into falling in love with him and forced her to run away with him. I've quit track, Jake and Daniel have been benched in football and the cheerleaders refuse to listen to Whitney, Summer and Winter. All of this because her stepfather is some big hotshot with a ton of money that he can throw around. Even Kaleb's and Whitney's aunt has been placed on temporary administration leave until this whole thing with Layla gets settled.

"I'm happy we skipped school today." Jake says breaking the silence. "I hate that hell hole now."

"Yeah, but I feel bad leaving Summer, Winter and Daniel by themselves at school." I sigh. "I swear everyone at the school has lost their damn minds since Austin and Derrick transferred there."

"They skipped school today." Whitney announces out of nowhere. "They didn't feel like dealing with everyone without us."

We give the waitress a quick thanks as she sets our drinks down on the table. "I can't believe how bad everything has gotten. All I want is to have my best friend and Layla back. They are both family to me."

"Layla can never know about all of this. If she was to find out how bad things have gotten for us, she would blame herself." Jake says quietly.

Whitney pales, "I-I don't even know what to say. Even with all the hell we are going through, this is nothing compared to what she's been through. None of this is her fault and I still can't believe I was so awful to her. If she never forgives me, I wouldn't blame her."

"She'll forgive you. Tensions were high and everyone was in shock. The most important thing is that we find her real father and he gets custody of her." I say trying to comfort Whitney. All we need to do is to find Layla's dad and then he'll get custody of her and everything will be fine.

Once again, we are engulfed in silence. Even though the restaurant is loud, everything seems to be drowned out by my thoughts. That is until Jake opens his mouth again. "Has anyone else thought about the biggest problem with finding Layla's real dad?"

Whitney and I look at him, unsure of what the big problem with finding Layla's real dad could be. He is the only way for her to be free of her stepdad, stepbrother, and the contract of her having to marry Derrick. With her real dad Layla will finally get to have a normal family. She will still be able to date Kaleb. What could possibly be the problem. "What's the problem?" Whitney and I say at the same time.

Jake shakes his head. "Y'all really haven't figured it out yet, have y'all?" We both shake our heads. "Her dad lives twenty-two hours away. Once Layla's dad get's custody of her, she'll have to move in with him which will be nowhere near us."

"Fuck." I yell slamming my fist down on the table causing my drink to spill everywhere. "Why didn't I think of that? What do we do now?"

Whitney grabs a handful of napkins and cleans up my mess before looking back at me. "We are going to continue to do what we were planning on doing. No one wants Layla to be taken away from us, but it's either her real dad or her stepdad." Tears fall freely from her eyes. "We have to do what's best for her. If she marries Derrick, we will never see her again. At least with her real dad, there's a chance we will still get to see her and in two years she'll be eighteen.  She can come back and live with us."

As the waitress brings us our check, she gives us a weird look. I guess we have caused a bit of a scene here. We pay our bill leaving an extra big tip for the trouble we caused and head to the car.

"I'll drive." Jake says snatching the keys out of my hand. "You need sleep, and it's not that far away."

I get into the back seat so that Whitney can help Jake with directions while I nap. I am grateful when sleep overtakes me quickly. Unfortunately, it ends all two quickly when I am woken up to Whitney gently shaking me. "Connor. Connor! Wake up! We're here."

Slowly I sit up and stare at the little house that we are parking out front of. Taking a deep breath, I get out of the car and lead the way to the front door. As we stand in front of the door, I have to force myself to push the doorbell. The ringing of the bell causes my stomach to do a flip, but that is nothing compared to when the door opens up and a man who looks similar to Layla answers the door.

"Hello." He greets.

"Hi, are you Adam Boswell?" I ask but the words seem so foreign as they come out.

The guy clears his throat, "Yes, I am. Who are y'all?"

"Um. We are friends of your daughter Layla. She's in trouble and needs your help." Whitney says quietly.

Mr. Boswell's face loses its color. "Y-You're lying. M-my daughter d-died. She died three and a half years ago." He says as tears start to fall from her eyes. "S-she never even knew I existed."

"Mr. Boswell," Jake says placing his hand over his shoulder. "Your daughter isn't dead. She's alive, but she's in a lot of trouble and needs your help."

Mr. Boswell stares at us with his mouth agape. Suddenly he smiles, "Please come in." He says opening the door to his home wider.