*2 Weeks Later*
Layla's POV.
Jack and I are still as strong as ever. No we're still not 'official' or anything like that but our friendship or whatever it is that we have going on is continuing to grow and strengthen every day. These past weeks we have been doing everything and anything with each other. From telling stories to revealing our secrets no one knows, it has been with Jack and only Jack. We do love each other..a lot but we just haven't plastered any labels on it and honestly I don't mind. I'm happy and that's all that matters to me right now. One of the guys shows actually got cancelled so they were all able to extend their stay in LA so we all get an extra week together.
I woke up Saturday morning, excited to start our last week together as a group. I walked out of my room and out to the lounge/living room where I heard voices. Realising it was just the girls and guys I thought nothing of it until they alllooked at me and I saw their faces. Something was wrong.
"What are those looks for?" I asked as I walked over to stand infront of them.
All the girls were sitting on the lounge along with Jack to my right and Shawn on my left. The rest of the guys were standing, scattered behind them.
During a moment of silence, I hesitantly looked to my right at Jack and he looked like he had something on his mind. Like he was stewing on somethig. His eyes were saying so many things. He looked sad, worried and nervous. He then gave me a look as if to say "sorry".
Everyone then gave each other one last look before Johnson finally broke the silence and answered my question.
"We need to leave." he said
"What? Why? Is the cancelled show back on?" I questioned, confused.
"No. We need to leave to go back home." he answered
"Why? You're going to need to be more specific." I retaliated.
Cameron began.
"We got a call this morning telling us that Magcon has been cancelled. All of it is finished. We still have a few meetings and a lot of details that need to be confirmed and made clearer but it all leads to the same denominator. It's over."
"Ohk...." I said, trying to process this sudden information.
"When do you need to leave?"
"By 4 this afternoon." Cam told me
It was now 10:00am.
"Wow..."
"We don't want this to chage anything between any of us. We honestly appreciate and love the friendships we have made with you girls so don't think that will end just because we have to go home." Nash said
"The way we are looking at it is that by this happening it will allow us to go find bigger and better opportunities for us all." Shawn stated
Jack stayed silent. I looked back over to him and his eyes had not moved off me since I last looked at him. I couldn't help but worry about what this would mean for Jack and I. We all knew we would have to go back home eventually but we weren't expecting that for another week and having to end on a note like this isn't the way we all hoped to end this experience. I'm not gonna lie, I was in a bit of shock.
"So when's your first meeting?" Marley asked
"10:40" Nash replied
Johnson looked at his watch.
"We should probably leave now if we want to be there on time."
"We should be back in about two hours." Nash commented
The guys all began to leave when Jack got up and came over to me. He held onto my waist and softly planted a kiss on my cheek without say a word, then before I knew it, they had all left.
"You ohk Layla?" Ivy asked, with all the girl turning their attention to me.
"Uhh yeah. I'm just a bit shocked...Jack and I haven't really spoken about what's going to happen with us once we go home so I'm not really sure what this means for us now." I told them
"Well Nash did say that this won't change anything between any of us." Emily said, trying to make me feel better
"But maintaining a friendship is a lot different to maintaining a relationship. Or whatever we are." I said
"I'm sure you guys will make it work." Alex said with a small smile.
I wanted to agree. All of me wanted to be able to say "We will make it work." and know I was completely correct but there was part of me that wasn't so sure. There was something in the look that Jack gave me before. It wasn't a bad look but I have learnt to be able to clearly read his facials and there was something within this one that didn't give me much comfort like his usually do.
Just a second later my phone buzzed and it was a text from Jack. The vagueness of his message made me feel even worse.
"Can you meet me at the beach
at 12?"
I replied with a simple "Yep.".
---------------------------------------------------(( PLAY SONG ON SIDE NOW FOR ADDED EFFECT!!! ))
I waited at the quiet beach for Jack going over and over things in my head. What he wanted to talk about. Why he wanted me to come here. What he was wanting for the future. And most importantly, were his plans the same as mine.
He soon arrived and sat on the sand next to me. He leaned in to kiss my cheek but I slowly pulled away.
"What's wrong Jack? I knew this morning something was on your mind."
He sighed.
"I don't even know how to say this. I promised never to hurt you but I know that this will and you need to know that was never my intention."
"You're gonna walk out on me too aren't you?"
"Layla please. Don't say it like that."
"Why? I know that's what's about to happen."
"Layla you need to know that I love you. I haven't ever loved anything as much as I love you which is why this is killing me. You know how far away we live from each other and I don't want you to feel like you are tied down to a boyfriend that lives miles upon miles away. There is going to be knew people that come along and I never want you to feel like to can't connect with them because you're still attached to me."
"I want to be attached to you. I want to be with you and only you. I only love you."
"I love you too which is why I feel like I have to do this. Layla, this is going to be hard for me too but we need to be realistic. Long distance doesn't work as much as I want it to. I will always love you but for now, at least just while we're figuring out what we are going to do with our lives, I think this is for the best."
A tear escaped my eye and I quickly looked away to get rid of it.
I looked at him in a moment of silence.
"You're right" was all I said and I think my answer surprised him.
"Really?"
I nodded and the tears came back.
"Babe please don't cry." he said as he pulled me into his arms
"I just wish it didn't have to be this way."
"Me too." he said and he kissed my head.
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It was 4 in the afternoon. The girls had gone to say goodbye to the guys in the lobby. I told them I wasn't going to go. I didn't want to see him again. If I did, I don't know if I would be able to let go. But I couldn't relax either. I was pacing backwards and forwards for a few minutes until I realised how ridiculous I was being. My want to see him once more quickly turned into a need. I left our suit and ran as fast as I could down to the lobby.
Jack's POV.
The elevator doors open to reveal the girls but I was only able to count four. Layla wasn't there. She hadn't come to say goodbye.
"Where is she?" I asked Marley
Marley looked at me with a look saying 'sorry'.
"She's not coming. We tried to get her to come but she couldn't. I'm sorry Jack." she replied giving me a hug
All I wanted was to see Layla once more but if she didn't want to see me, I needed to respect that. My want to see her once more quickly turned into a need but if she didn't want that then I would have to put my needs second.
Layla's POV.
The elevator doors opened when I reached the ground level and I raced out as quickly as I could to find them all, hoping to God they hadn't left yet. My eyes reached straight to the doors where I saw the 5 guys about to walk out.
"Jack!" I yelled
He turned around until his eyes locked with mine. The smile I had grown to adore automatically appeared upon his face as I raced over to him with his arms out waiting. I jumped into his arms, my legs around his waist and arms around his neck and hugged him tighter than ever before and our lips met for one last time.
"I'm going to miss you so much." I whispered in his ear.
"I love you so much Layla. I always will."
"I love you too."
He put me down back on my own two feet.
"Maybe one day we'll find each other again." I told him.
"I'll be waiting" was his response.
We all said our final goodbyes and before we knew it they were gone. This had been the best experience of my life and I would be kidding myself if I said I was going to be fine without Jack because I won't be. It's going to take a lot of getting used to. But like I said to him, maybe one day we will find each other again when life decides it is a better time for us.
Until then, I'll be waiting...
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A/N: Finally! Sorry I haven't updated in so long but I have just been so so busy!!!
But any I hope you liked it and hopefully the next chapter isn't too far away! x
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