Secrets Until Someday

Chapter 27

"I'm just going to stretch, but if you must, you are welcome to watch and keep me company." I point to the weight bench next to the mat as I sit down in the butterfly position.

She sits next to me and pulls out a king-sized Reese's cup and Mountain Dew from her bag. I swear, how she is as tiny as she is I'll never know. Her metabolism must be running marathons in there.

"Things between you and Layla seem to be...defrosting," Quinn says to me as she opens the second chocolatey peanut butter cup.

"I know, finally. I can still tell she gets uncomfortable when Brooks is brought up but I think she is really coming around."

"She still seems kinda distant though, not just to you, but to all of us." Quinn questions.

"Yeah, I've kinda noticed. She's been spending a lot of time with Kelsey but anytime we ask her to invite her to sit with us she gets super weird." I smush my face up not understanding what Layla's deal is with all that.

Quinn takes a big swig of her lime green dew.

"You know that shit is gonna kill you someday."

"At least I'll die a happy woman." She smiles at me. "Now are you almost done or are we gonna sleep here?"

I stand up... "Okay, okay... let's go."

As we walk out of the weight room the volleyball team is just getting back from their away game, all of them with red faces and tired looks as they saunter into the locker room.

Uh.Oh. Looks like they may have experienced their first loss...Quinn and I exchange glances. They had been kicking ass all season but Layla had been so nervous about tonight's game. We knew we wouldn't make it in time after practice but we had made her a couple of good luck goodie bags and shoved them in her locker that morning.

She comes in last, Kelsey at her side and their Coach following. The coach storms past them and into her office slamming the door. Quinn and I stood frozen in the hallway as Layla gushed into tears and Kelsey reached for her, wrapping her arms around her shoulders.

I feel like we may are interrupting a private moment so I look away and Quinn follows my queue.

Unsure of what to do, Quinn nudges my arm. My eyes grow big as I look at her with a "what?" expression. "Do something." She mouthes to me and I throw my arms up in response, what the fuck am I supposed to do, I'm the one she's not very happy with these days. 

Quinn doesn't do tears well unless they're mine. Fine, I give in, roll my eyes and walk toward Layla and Kelsey.

Kelsey notices us first releasing Layla from her grip. Pulling herself away from Kelsey, Layla wipes the tears from her red cheeks.

"Hey..." I step towards her. "You ok?" Quinn follows my lead as we wrap her in a group hug.

"We lost." Layla sobs into our shoulders.

"I'm so sorry," I tell her.

"Yeah...me too." I try not to giggle as Quinn pats her shoulder. She seriously is so awkward when it comes to this stuff.

"It's all my fault." Layla cries again.

"It's not, really. We all played like shit." Kelsey joins in and Layla looks up at her. The way they exchange glances I am definitely picking up a vibe but I keep my mouth shut and focus on comforting my friend.

Layla forces a smile and we all assure her that everyone has bad games and she can't put all the blame on herself.

"My dad's gonna freak out. He gets so pissed when we lose." Layla quivers.

"Just remind him that Brooks is dating me and all will be forgiven compared to that!" The smart-ass words tumble from my mouth faster than I can stop them, like a boulder rolling down the hill not caring what it crushes on the way. I picture smacking myself in the head, way to go Sydney, just make her feel more uncomfortable.

I bite my lip in hesitation for her response while Quinn and Kelsey's eyes bulge from their faces. Layla looks at me for a second before busting out in hysterical laughter. Taken aback I stare at her for a moment waiting for her little spell of crazy to calm down when she pulls me into a hug again.

"God, I love you." She squeezes tight.

"Well, I'm glad that went over well 'cause my smart mouth and my brain doesn't always communicate before they expel words," I say with a sarcastic smile letting out the breath I was holding.

"My dad is an ass isn't he?" The words fall from Layla's lips effortlessly while Quinn and I nearly choke on our own breath. Layla has never...EVER...said anything bad about her parents, no matter how mad she would get at them she would never call them names.

"Welp, you said it, not me," I say and throw my hands up. "But I can't say that I don't agree." 

"Do you want to put off the inevitable lecture you're gonna get a little longer? I could really go for a large fry." Quinn adds in.

Seriously, this girl and her food intake.

"Absolutely!" Layla jumps.

"I'm in," I add. "Wanna join us, Kelsey?"

Hope twinkles in Layla's eyes...once again I am picking up on whatever vibe is being tossed around between the two of them. 

"Yeah. Let me text my mom." Kelsey tells her.

The four of us make our way to the cafe and order three large baskets of fries to share. Maddie's shift was almost over so she plopped down to join us after she cleaned the rest of the tables. We sat there talking and laughing until all of our parents were ready to send out search parties and Lucy, the cafe's owner was literally shutting the lights off on us.

It was nights like this, looking around the table at my closest, and newest friend that I loved this stupid little town.

I loved these people in my life and I loved that I had a boy waiting for my call when I got home.

Senior year isn't turning out too bad after all.