Please play the song above!
"Yes" I said as I stared at her completely speechless. Not knowing what else to say, I just looked down at my lap.
How did she even find out. I tried my best to show that I don't care about this marriage and it's not affecting me at all, but all those efforts were in vain. After all Layla found out what I was so desperately trying to hide. In the beginning I know I said I don't love anyone because at that time I was heartbroken and too stubborn to admit that not marrying the woman I love is hurting me so much.
I looked up from my lap to see that Layla is still staring at me with no expressions whatsoever.
"And that woman does not love you back, Am I right?" She said so calmly as if she did not just find my secret. God this woman, how does she know everything.
I stared at her dumbfounded because I'm not even capable of muttering a simple 'yes'. So instead I nodded my head. We sat there in silence for a minute or two just staring at each other.
"Do you wanna talk about it?" She said politely, not wanting to pressure me into telling the truth. I contemplated for a second. I think telling her will be nice because I don't wanna keep any secrets from her. She is really nice to me and telling someone what I felt after Emily shattered my heart into pieces would be a really good idea. I just want to let it out, all the pent up anger and negativity.
I start by saying, "Emily is the girl I'm in love with, she is very caring, sweet and charismatic. I met her at a charity ball. She is an actor. We danced at the ball and that was the moment I realised I was in love with her. We shared our contacts after the party and became friends. We hung out a lot, went to movies, concerts and picnics. Then I introduced her to my cousin brother Jordan and then we three became best of friends, inseparable. After a year when I was going to finally confess my feelings, she gave me a news that Jordan had asked her out and she had already said yes. I didn't take it very well so we became distant."
I took a deep breath and continued, "I did not pick up there calls, stopped hanging out with them and at some point I stopped meeting both of them. I was 26 at that time, completely brainless, so then I started focusing on the company. Jordan was a year elder than me so father decided to give the company to him. When I heard that I was enraged and thought, I had already lost the girl to him but I most definitely won't lose the company. So I did what a completely sane person would do, I started my own business which was a success, it earned more than my father's company so that's an advantage.
"After the success of my company, father made a deal with me that if I marry you, he would give me his company as well. It is family business so why would I say no, I accepted without any second thoughts. And after accepting the deal, I just stopped for a second to think, what all has lead me to be here. Now I'm ranting my story to you." I lowly chuckled as I stared at my coffee. I dared not look up because I don't wanna see what Layla's reaction will be.
A hand clutched mine in a comforting way, I looked up from my hand to see Layla smiling at me dolefully.
"You cannot lessen the pain Reed, neither can I. You cannot erase the reason behind your fake smiles and you certainly cannot change your past. Let's just have faith in each other because we cannot dissipate each other's mistakes, but I promise, I promise that I'll be there for you in all your pain and heartbreaks, I'll be there for you as your friend, to support you. I cannot make this pain go away, but I promise I will always be there for you even when our marriage comes to an end after 2 years. And I most definitely promise that after this conversation you won't be sad, ever again." She smiled brightly as she said the last line and I smiled with her, not the fake one this time.
"Thank you so much for understanding Layla. And who the heck said that you're ruthless, you're the biggest softie I've ever seen." I chuckled and she joined me.
"Enough about my past, so how are you planning on making me happy?" I asked all capricious.
She laughed as she talked again, "I won't tell you now, you'll get to know eventually. Anyway tell me that girl's full name." She asked cluelessly.
"Emily Georgia"
"Oh my God, tell me you are not talking about that Emily Georgia from that movie 'Yours lovingly'." Her baffled voice pulled me out of daze.
"Yes, she's the one I'm talking about, anyway, how do you know about her? A fan or what?" I asked.
"No-freaking-way!" She scoffed and looked away but continued to speak again, "I know her since Kindergarten, she was my best friend till high school, then we drifted apart." She said as if it's not a big deal.
I looked at her flabbergasted, "I thought Charlotte was your best friend since kindergarten?"
"Trio! It's a funny story how Emily and I became foes." She said casually in her English accent.
"Care to explain how you guys went from being friends to foes?" I asked getting more interested in the conversation.
"Yes so, I was born and brought up in England. I studied in a convent school with Emily and Charlotte. I met both of them at kindergarten, and since then we all were best of friends. And for your very kind information Emily St.Georgia is no saint. She also removed St. from her surname after entering the film industry.
"Anyway Emily and I were closer because we were high school sluts. I mean it was funny seeing, how Emily changed boys like her clothes. I did too but I used to flirt more, I had a lot of sex with my boyfriends though." She laughed thinking about her memories.
"Charlotte was a nerd, so she wasn't interested in these things but I remember how we used to give her every detail and how she used to make a face full of distaste. There was a boy I used to like, what was his name...yes Tristin. So after much efforts I asked him out and he said yes. After sometime he asked me to become his girlfriend and I gladly accepted." She took a sip from her milkshake and continued again.
"After three months I caught Tristin cheating on me with Emily and I was incandescent." She told this part in a surprisingly calm voice, like that incident did not happen.
Listening to Layla's story, saying that I'm shocked is an understatement. I never thought Emily could do something like that to her best friend but I cannot judge her by her past, she is a different person now, I guess so.
Layla began speaking again, "I was very angry at my boyfriend and best friend so I did the next best thing, I slept with Emily's boyfriend. And boy was her expression hysterical." She laughed throwing her head back and slightly clapping her hands and seeing her laugh made me laugh too.
"So what happened next?" I asked utterly riveted to the story.
"She yelled at me on the field where we practiced, in case I did not tell you this before, I was the captain of the cheerleading squad. All the boys who played soccer had also listened to her yelling while everyone else had circled us. I just laughed at her, showed my middle finger and said, 'in your face bitch.' Our school was missionary so we weren't allowed to make out or swear in corridors or hallways as you Americans call it. So physical education was the only class where we got the time to yell at each other.
"Anyway from then onwards Emily and I became enemies, it was our senior year so in a few weeks we were already off to college and after that I never spoke to Emily. I came to Connecticut and my parents also came to America and settled in New York. That's the end of the story and it's already 5pm and we have been talking for two hours, so now I should ho before mom beheads me, I had to go for cake tasting." She said guiltily as she hurriedly paid for her lunch and my coffee.
"Why did you pay Layla, I was supposed to do that." I said angrily.
"Don't be dramatic now Reed, last time you paid for lunch. Consider it as my treat. Next time you can take me out for ice cream, happy?" She said like it's a trivial matter.
"At least let me drive you home." I asked out of respect. She agreed after much persuasion. I also got to know that she did not bring her car, Charlotte gave her a ride to the office.
The whole ride we talked about the wedding dress she chose yesterday and how in three days we're going to get married and that her mother is a chef and she's making our wedding cake.
I never knew I'll find a friend in Layla, I always thought this marriage will bring grief and sorrow, but never in a million years I would have thought that this marriage can make me happy. Layla is the kind of person I always wanted in my life. Cheerful, caring, blithe and relaxed, these are all the traits of Layla and seeing her like this makes everyone around her as serene as ever.
After dropping her off, I drove to my house.
After having dinner when I was alone in my study, I was constantly thinking about Layla, how she comforted me, how she understood everything and even after knowing what happened between Emily and her, she just listened and did not react. She promised me to be my friend even after our divorce and that meant so much to me. And when she said she'll support me no matter what, that just felt so...heartwarming.
Never knew, sometimes you can find peace within chaos.
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Here's the new update, enjoy guys. 💕
And one more thing
Pronunciation of Layla is : Lie-laa