Hey people's thanks so much for wanting to read the journey of Laylie and Asher. The story starts out a bit slow at first but soon picks up real fast. Give it a chance. You never know until you read lol. Anyway please leave comments and suggestions and tell me what you think of the book.
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Laylie
I never really understood why people chose certain paths in their lives. It only takes one decision, one action, one mistake to ruin an innocent life filling it with pain. Especially to someone you love? Like when my father up and left us all of a sudden. All the laughs we shared. All the comforting words he would tell me when I would get bumps or bruises. All those nights he would tuck me into bed and tell me the story of the powerful King who would do anything to protect his Princess. Gone. And it only took one small decision. That never really processed in my head why a man would leave his wife and 6-year-old daughter with nothing. Not even a reason as far as I know.
My father's leaving had meant we had to move homes due to our financial instability. Also, my mother could not bear the memory our previous home held of my father.
Slowly my mother began deteriorating. First, it was the lack of smiles. Then the 'I love you's' disappeared. Finally, it was like a switch was turned on for her to despise my existence. She would criticize everything I did making me feel I had no purpose. Blaming me for my father leaving us. My own mother slowly became the monster in my childhood nightmares haunting me day and night.
In my eyes she wasn't my mother anymore, rather a painful virus that you can't seem to get rid of and whatever you do it just hurts you, even more, breaking you slowly.
RING RING.
My alarm goes off even though I am already up. I quickly shut it off and throw my princess blankets off of me. I've had those since I was 6. My mother never bothered buying me any "luxury" items as she called it. At least she still bought food for the house, well-frozen packages from the corner gas station whenever she was sober enough to go out, but its still something.
I sit on the edge of the bed and start to feel a bit dizzy. Mother forgot to buy food so I hadn't eaten since breakfast of yesterday. I let out a sigh, and try to regain my balance trying not to fall over as I start to stand up. My feet hit the rough carpet and my thin worn out sweatpants reach just above my ankles.
I look around my room, it's small and cluttered. A tiny window lets in some source of vitamin D, a small table holds my chipped lamp and school work, the gray rug holds my blood and memories of the monster sleeping just across the hall.
I try to keep it clean, but I don't even have a closet or dresser to put my clothes in. Instead, they just lay folded on the floor. I barely have any anyway. Mother sold most of our belongings once she lost her job. The little money she did have would be spent drinking herself dry or on cigarettes. When I was eight she had held me down burning me with the death stick because I had gotten dirt on our kitchen floor.
I hate cigarettes.
Our bathroom is not good either, the chipped walls make a decorative touch oh and also the mysterious stain on the ceiling ties it all together. I let out another long sigh and flip on the bathroom light and instantly I squint my blue eyes due to the harsh brightness. It reminds me of a morgue.
Grabbing my toothbrush I smear what bit left of toothpaste there is on it and brush my teeth. The faucet whistles as the water pours, I then wash my face.
My light brown hair is then pulled into a loose braid. I look in the mirror at myself and notice my pale skin from being kept up in my room– hiding from her. Bags hang under my eyes due to my exhaustion. Lifeless. I sigh in relief noticing no bruise this time on my face.
Waking back to my room I slip on a light grey hoodie, black leggings, and my black and white sneakers. They look like converse but they're the cheap kinds. I got them the beginning of this school year begging my mom because the other ones I had for 4 years had started to give me blisters. She never got them for me considering half the time she could barely hold herself up, I ended up buying them myself. How you may ask. Well while walking around the park my father used to bring me to all the time I stumbled upon a twenty dollar bill stuck between the metal bars of the bench we used to sit on.
The stained torn up bag I call my backpack is thrown over my shoulder. Down the five steps in our house to the kitchen, I attempt not to wake my mother. I open the fridge and cabinets. Nothing.
A buzz then goes off from my flip phone and immediately I see it's from Nace, my best friend since forever. We met in the first grade. That day will forever be my favorite memory.
I was crying in the corner of the classroom because that day everyone's parents were there for field day, a day where all the kids and parents play games and have fun. I was the only kid whose parents hadn't shown up, well my mother. The giggling of children all around rang in my ears making me bury my head deeper in my arms.
Little Nace walked over with her hair in two pigtails and her princess dress. She always loved that costume and wore it all the time. She then asked me what was wrong.
"My mommy hates me, and my daddy is gone forever," I told Nace with tears streaming down my face.
"Well you can always borrow my mommy and daddy" She then grabbed my hand and that day seemed to be the best day of my life. Ever since then, we have been by each other's sides.
Nace:
Hey im here come out nowwww :))))
I then walk out our door and see Nace's white Mercedes. Her family has money. I mean they are loaded. Her father owns some business and is always away on trips usually and her mother is a stay at home mom. But Nace was never one to let her wealth intervene with the way she acted. She is sweet and caring, she is not your usual 'rich girl'. She likes to bargain when it comes to shopping. At times she's bought me a few clothes because I looked "like I had just walked out of Baby Gap" as she put it. I mean, my clothes probably weren't as nice as Baby Gap but yeah. I guess you can say having a purple puppy on your t-shirt is not your usual 18-year-old attire.
"Hey girl," Nace says showing off her pearly white teeth. I smile.
"Hey," I say and close the door of the car. I put on my seatbelt, but before she starts to drive she raises an eyebrow at me.
"What? I at least put my hair in a braid!" I say giggling softly thinking she is questioning my hair again today.
She then hands me a breakfast bar sending me a knowing smile. Nace knows everything of my life, and yet she chooses to stay in it which I for one don't understand why.
"Oh. Thanks" I grab it and look down at my lap. She then starts driving off.
The window is down and her blonde hair seems to blow making her look like a model with her glistening tan skin. I would never envy her, she is my best friend. Even though she compliments me constantly, I know I would never compare to her. I mean the 'dead look' doesn't actually come naturally, you gotta really work for it. The hours of staying up from fear. The lack of food. Oh and don't forget about the beatings. I mean I worked hard for this look.
I shake my head slightly at myself. God Laylie what the hell are you thinking. My dry humor got the best of me again.
We come up to the school and start walking towards the doors. It's October and pretty chilly so I wrap my arms around myself. I keep my head down trying to avoid as much attention as possible.
Nace, on the other hand, is practically friends with everyone, but she still sticks by my side no matter what. Our school is not large at all, so that means everyone knows everything.
"Hey, how'd you find the chem homework last night? Ugh, it was such a killer" Nace says while grabbing her books from her locker. I didn't find it hard at all but I would never brag about it.
"Yeah it was, the teacher never teaches us what she gives us," I say chuckling a little while I grab my books as well.
"Soooo have you heard of the new student that is arriving today," Nace says as she leans against her locker while I rummage through mine. What a typical high school movie line.
I chuckle "no I haven't and how did you find out there is a new kid?"
"About 7 minutes ago. Lex texted me the details." She says casually. Nace practically knows every new thing that occurs. She has her own sources.
"Of course she did," I say laughing, "well anyway I probably will see her around the halls in this boxed school."
"Him. It's a guy" she says wiggling her eyebrows. I roll my eyes. By now we start walking slowly down the hallway waiting for the bell rings.
"Well, whatever gender they are I don't care. It's not like I'm going to be associating with them anytime soon."
"Oh come on Layyyy maybe he could be the one for you."
"What are we in a high school romance movie? It's just a new kid. Plus its senior year and once this year is over we are heading right out of here." I say clutching my books looking her right in the eyes.
She just rolls her eyes and lets out a sigh "yeah yeah yeah I know I know"
The bell rings and we head our ways to our classes. I head straight to History.
I walk in and take my seat which is in the back corner. The class soon fills up and then begins. Then Mr. Waters walks in.
"Okay class, turn your textbooks to page 256," Mr. Waters says in a groggy voice.
I get my book from under my desk and then feel a pair of eyes fixed on me. I look up and see Derrick staring up at me.
Derrick was a sweet guy, he had asked me out once but I had denied his offer knowing once I graduate I'm heading straight out of Vermont and right to Boston where I will attend one of the schools I applied to there. However though, ever since I politely denied Derrick's offer he has grown strangely clingy and I mean not in a best friend way but in a stalker way. He seems to always be everywhere I go and whenever he tries to make small talk he always ends up trying to ask me out again.
So now whenever I'm near him or he tries to talk to me I have an unsafe feeling. He scares me - I already have enough to be scared about already.
Derrick is still staring at me so I just keep my head down trying to avoid his gaze.
As we are about 30 minutes into the lecture the door suddenly opens but I just keep my head down reading what we just read over and going further ahead.
Yeah yeah, call me a geek all you want. However, I know everyone else is probably now awake with this new interruption.
"And who might you be?!" Mr. Waters asks in an annoyed tone. I then block out the rest of their conversation seeing it doesn't concern me.
History is not really my forte. I'm more of a chemistry and math gal. So you can say reading this is boring but a girl has to keep up those grades somehow. I keep reading through the chapter and finally come to an end when suddenly a book bag slams onto the empty desk beside me and I gasp flinching like its an instinct.
I look up and see an unfamiliar face with light hazel maybe green eyes I don't know but they are memorizing and interesting. He has an eyebrow piercing, I wonder if that hurt. His eyes are hooded and make him look mysterious and dark. He certainly does not look like anyone from around here. So where did he come from?
I quickly snap out of it when I see he is raising an eyebrow at me with a scowl on his face. I shake my head back down to my book not even reading.
There is a strange tension in the room when this stranger arrived. I can't put my finger on it. It feels as if I have to hold my breath the entire time and that I can't move an inch because I think it just might be the wrong move.
The bell eventually rings. I quickly grab my belongings and rush out the door faster than usual. I walk fast down the hall to my locker and bump into someone and my books instantly drop onto the floor. I gasp.
"Woah Laylie I'm sorry, where are you off to anyway that has you running?" I feel a pair of hands grab my shoulders to steady myself and look up and see dark brown eyes staring down at me.
I open my mouth to say something but nothing comes out, I squat down and pick up my books that had fell. I stand back up but then someone bumps into my shoulder from behind slightly passing me and I instantly recognize the dark brown hair, the tight black shirt, and tattoo-covered arms walking away.
"Are you okay?" Derrick asks. I snap out of my thoughts and quickly respond.
"Yeah uh, sorry I wasn't paying attention," I say quickly and start walking away. I then suddenly feel a tight grip on my arm stopping me.
"Wait. No hey? Or whats up?" He asks with a straight face.
"Hey," I say with a confused face. His grip is still on my arm and it kind of hurts. But not as bad as what I'm used to.
"We should hang out tonight. Let's grab a coffee and maybe hang at my place" Derrick says with a smirk plastered on his face. Derrick has his own place because once he turned 18 in September he moved out and got himself an apartment.
I'm getting kind of freaked out so I quickly pull my arm from him.
"uh I'm actually doing something tonight," I say looking down.
"Really? and with who exactly huh?" he says getting a bit frustrated crossing his arms and fixing his stance.
"Uh, well-uh-"
"With me of course" Nace suddenly appears at my side and brings her arm around my shoulder. "We are hanging at my place tonight. And I would appreciate if you don't touch my bestie again. Okay? Okay" Nace has a smile plastered on her face and we begin walking away.
"You okay? That guy literally needs to find a new prey." Nace says.
"Yeah well, at least this will be the last year I'm going to see his face" I chuckle. We continue walking and head to our chem class.
*********
The day is long but it eventually ends. And to my strange luck, the school's new toy is in all my classes. How does that even happen?
Nace and I walk out of the school building and head to her car. I then look around at everyone else standing by their fancy cars and then spot him. I also notice that Carly is walking away from him with her hips swaying. Well, that didn't take long for her to mark her territory.
We get into the car and start to drive away, I look back in the rear view mirror and see that he is also starting to get into his car.
Nace starts to drive, I only live about 10 minutes from the school. I really don't feel like going home being locked away in that dungeon.
I then look up and see that Nace has passed my street.
"Where are we going?" I ask looking at her. Did she read my mind or?
"Duh my place you're staying over," Nace says giggling.
"Oh, I didn't think you were serious back there?" I say looking ahead at the road. "I don't even have clothes to change into though."
"Oh, calm down you know you could always borrow my clothes whenever. It's not really a big deal" Nace says in a duh tone. I just smile and look down at my lap again.
On the drive there I keep thinking of the guy that had arrived in my History class and every other class, I don't even know his name. I should've paid attention to the useless talk like the rest of the class and maybe I would know his name.
I don't know why but I just can't get his eyes out of my head. Those hazel eyes but at a glance, you would think they're green. I know I only saw him for a second but for some strange reason, I can't stop wondering where he came from. He doesn't look like most of the other kids around here. Not being rude or anything but not many kids around here get sleeves of tattoos, instead, they may get a BMW.
We eventually arrive at Nace's house, or should I say mansion. I always said to her it looked like Kris Jenner's home. But she would just change the subject talking about other stuff besides her glorious life.
*********
After hours of movies and junk food we eventually pass out, well at least Nace does. I'm sitting next to her under the plush teal covers and Nace is sprawled on half the bed snoring away.
I look on her walls and see all sorts of pictures of us and her family. I spot a picture from when we first met. Both of us smiling wide and my blue eyes sparkling with life, our arms were around each other's shoulders. I wish every day I could go back to that day.
I look down at Nace and see she is drooling a bit with her mouth wide open. This makes me chuckle. I'm so lucky to have such a great best friend.
She let me borrow a pair of her silk pink shorts and a white tank top, I feel a bit exposed but it's not like I'm going out anywhere.
I get out of her bed and start walking across her giant room and head downstairs to get a glass of water.
I grab a glass cup from one of the kitchen cabinets and pour myself water and lean against the tan marble island table. I stare at a painting of the city, but at the corner, there seems to be a blacked out man.
I take a sip of the water, however, the boy with green eyes keeps consuming my thoughts. Why, a month into the senior year, does guy suddenly enroll? Maybe because his parents work moved or maybe something awful happened. Yet why here? There's nothing in this small town.
His slick dark brown hair, tattoo-covered body, his defined jaw, and...Broad shoulders, he is so different from everyone here. I finish my water and put the cup in the sink.
I start to head back upstairs but then stop dead in my tracks worry flashing across my face. I realize I completely forgot to tell my mother I was staying at Nace's tonight.
My heart starts to race at the thought but I soon think maybe she doesn't even care, she's probably drunk passed out on the old raggy couch.
I enter Nace's room, and then turn off the lights and crawl under the covers. The sound of a race car seems to drive by outside, it's probably one of the rich neighbors with one of their expensive cars. I then drift off to sleep and dream of my crazed mother and then a pair of hazel-green eyes.
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heyyyy guys so basically this is my second story but I deleted my first story cuz yeah it sucked but I'm starting fresh so please if you like what ive wrote so far vote, and COMMENT if you like it or nah. So if you wanna read more of Laylie and Asher's adventures. Comment YESSS
TRUST ME WHEN I TELL YOU THIS. THE STORY STARTS TO PICK UP AND MY WRITING GETS A LOT BETTER LOL. Give it a chance.